TAKING THE FUN OUT OF PLAY

by Maxi Maximo

The recent aboitiz-CebuFA National Football Festival, organized by Cebu Football Association (CebuFA) and sponsored by Aboitiz Group Foundation (AGFI), has been a joy to watch ever since the parents tag along their kids, some of them as young as 5 years old, and bring them to Cebu City Sports Center for the games.

I have been involved into organizing youth football tournaments and I have experienced different lessons, both on and off the field. Let me share with you some of them.

Parents of young football players play a very important role in their kid’s development in sport. Consider the following story about a parent and his son as they experience game day.

BEFORE THE GAME. On the way to the tournament, the dad starts to ask: “What position is coach going to play you today? “Take some shots; you don’t have to pass to your teammates all the time. Be tough on your tackles.”

Few minutes later they arrived at the venue. Dad continues with his advise. “Don’t forget to ask the coach to put you at forward.”

GAME TIME. The game begins and the child is not on the starting line-up. Dad is uneasy and started to talk to himself. “This coach doesn’t know what he is doing! I’m sure he will not let my son play forward.”

Then the kid finally gets to play as a left defender. More negative self-talk, but this time becoming louder. “What is the coach doing? My son cannot even kick a ball using his left foot!”

As the game continues, an opposing player dribbles straight at the kid. Dad’s negative “coaching” comments begin such that his son can now hear them: “Come on ... get that ball ... tackle him!”.

The child falls on the ground as the opponent dribbles past him, straight to the goal and a score is made. Dad is disappointed! His comments are now getting very vocal. “Get up, what are you doing? Hey ref., he knocked him down, isn’t it a foul? This is unfair.”

The game ends and his son’s team loses 1-0.

AFTER THE GAME. Dad gets into the car and tells the son to hurry up and get in. The “interview” continues. “Did you not ask coach if you could play forward? He does not know coaching anyway.”

Once they get home, the kid goes up straight to his room and ... decides to quit playing football!

Some Friendly Advise: I am sure that we, as parents of young kids, have experienced some of this parental behavior. Here are some suggestions that might help us make a positive change in our kid’s development in the game.

BEFORE THE GAME. Let’s make affirmative comments to our kid like “I’m so excited to watch your game. Let’s have some fun.” Let us assist them in getting the proper nutrition before the game.

It is important for our athletes to be mentally ready for the game via “positive self-talk”. The trip going to the game is a good chance for this. Some athletes like to listen to music, others want to talk ... but let them start the talk if they want to. It is difficult for them to mentally prepare if we are the one talking with our questions and advices!

GAME TIME. Let us cheer on the players... including the opposing team. The kids are trying their best and what we say on the field affects them, whether we are their parents or not.

Let’s try not to coach our kids or the other athletes. In football, there are a lot of things to think about, dribbling, passing and shooting. Let them focus.

AFTER THE GAME. After every match, it is the time for mental and physical recovery. Parents and the coach should have encouraging words about their efforts in the game. These explanations are very helpful and mean a lot to our kids. Let us not scrutinize the game or our child’s performance in the match. It is the job of the coach.

And lastly, let us enjoy watching our kids play. It will be much less stressful on us parents and, certainly, on our athletes.

See you in our next tourney.

Your comments and suggestions are welcome at pabolfc@yahoo.com, 0917-328-1588 or http://www.pabolfc.blogspot.com/

2006 aboitiz NATIONAL FESTIVAL

2006 2nd ABOITIZ CEBUFA NATIONAL FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

GIRLS-12 (1994) DIVISION

September 23-24, 2007

Cebu City Sports Center, Cebu City

PaBol-A (above) captured the 1st Runner-Up title while sistem team PaBol-B (below)bagged the 2nd Runner-Up award.

CESAFI BARS 18 FOOTBALLERS

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Thursday, September 07, 2006 issue

by Marian C. Baring, Correspondent

Can the University of the Visayas win the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) football championship again now that four of its players are barred from joining the year’s season, which is set to open at the Cebu City Sports Center today?

UV, which ousted four-time defending champion University of San Jose-Recoletos last year, lost key defenders in former Carmen National School booters Josaphat Sacil and Ivan Dimco as well as Dominic Villamor and Freddie Rica.

The four are among the 18 players barred by tournament director and Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo for failing to pass Cesafi eligibility requirements.

Maximo refused to give the names of the 18 players, but Sun.Star got a few names from other sources.

Under Cesafi rules, athletes need to be enrolled in school in order to play. They must take up at least 14 academic units and pass a majority of their subject .

The maximum age of an athlete is 25 years by June 30.

Of the 18, six can still play this year once they get authenticated documents from the National Statistics Office. The rest, however, will have to sit this season out.

Holdovers

UV head coach Eddie Buot said that with the loss of some first stringers, he will be banking on the holdovers, Frederick Alazas, Junard Aguilar and Julius Acre. He also intends to lean on newcomer Benjor Gomora to man the defense. Aguilar is one of the top strikers in Cesafi while Alazas is excellent both as a field player and as a goalkeeper.

For his part, Maximo said they are implementing stricter rules as directed by the new officials of Cesafi.

“We have been given specific instructions to implement the rules and regulations to the fullest,” said Maximo.

The University of Southern Philippines-Foundation and USJ-R lost two players each to disqualification, while the University of San Carlos lost three .

One of the players USP-F lost was its trusted striker, Rene Menchavez, who has maximized his playing years in the Cesafi.

Today, Eleazar Toledo and the USP-F will face a tall order when it takes on USJ-R in the curtain raiser at 1 p.m., while USC will face the University of Cebu at 2:30 p.m.

222 SOCCER TEAMS WANT TO JOIN ABOITIZ FESTIVAL

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Friday, September 01, 2006 issue

by Mike Limpag Sun.Star Staff Reporter

Cebu's traditional powers Cebu International School, Don Bosco College and Paref-Springdale will have their hands full in the 2nd Aboitiz Football Festival, as some of the country's best footballers are set to join the P12 bracket in the two-day event set Sept. 23 and 24.

Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo has asked the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) to make the Aboitiz festival as part of its talent identification program for the national team and has invited PFF's Vince Santos and national coach John Carmona to watch the event.

Carmona is the coach of the youth national teams, while Santos is in charge of the countries Center for Football Excellence. Each CFE is in charge of training elite players in the 1992 age-group, the players groomed to win the gold in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games.

"We have also sent an invitation to each FA to send their elite P12 players for the festival," Maximo said.

Participation in the Aboitiz Festival is set to break local records as 222 teams have signified their intention to join the event. "Labad ni sa ulo," Maximo said.

"We also have an option to hold games at night, but with 222 teams, we might have to hold games until midnight," said Maximo.

To address the problem, only 180 teams will be accepted, depending on who pays the registration fees first, said Maximo in a text message to Sun.Star Cebu.

As to the P12 group, Maximo said it is not sure whether Cebu will form an elite team in the bracket.

"We're not sure if the coaches will release their best players," Maximo said.

Mario Ceniza, who coaches Springdale, is in charge of Cebu CFE.

Aside from the local teams and the P12 teams, the football associations of Davao, Cagayan de Oro, San Carlos CIty, Iloilo, Dumaguete will also send delegations.

"Mark Bretherton (CebuFA board member) is also inviting teams from Manila," Maximo said.

To accommodate the entries, CebuFA has designated the Cebu City Sports Center as the venue for the event, which houses the biggest football field in Cebu.

2006 MIZUNO FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

Kirsten Intl-PaBol Team bagged the 1st Runner-Up title in the Girls-17 (1989) Division of the 2006 1st Mizuno Football Festival last August 26-27, 2006 held in Ayala Field, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City. The team is composed mostly of students from Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus.

2006 SAN ROQUE FOOTBALL FIESTA

SAN ROQUE FOOTBALL FIESTAAugust 19-20, 2006
San Roque Field, Subangdaku, Mandaue City
Organized by San Roque Football Club
Sanctioned by Cebu Football Association, Inc.

GIRLS-17 (1989) DIVISION
Champion – Maximax-PaBol2nd Place – San Roque Football Club

CAN'T HIDE AGE: CESAFI

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Friday, July 28, 2006 issue

by Marina C. Baring, Sun.Star Correspondent

Incidents of athletes lying about their age to get into the CESAFI and play will soon be a thing of the past, with match organizers now requiring those competing in auxiliary events to submit certified and original documents from the National Statistics Office.

This development came up in last Wednesday’s meeting of all coaches and tournament directors at Cebu Coliseum.

"It was agreed that this will work more to the advantage of the coaches because when there are cases of ineligibility, the coaches are still liable for it," said Jonathan Maximo, the tournament manager for football.

Ineligible athletes who manage to ease their way past screening is a common problem in multi-event sporting meets such as Cesafi.

"With NSO certification, we could be assured of the authenticity of the documents," Maximo added.

During the meeting, the modification of ground rules for every event was also discussed, including the penalty in cases of walkouts.

For this year, Cesafi implements stricter rules when it comes to teams storming out of the playing area. Before, when a team walks out, the schools or team owners are made to answer to it by paying a certain fee. This time, coaches will be penalized and be banned forever from the league.

Meanwhile, the other events of Cesafi will have its opening in the first week of September at the Cebu Coliseum.

Cesafi Commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy confirmed this and said that the opening ceremony will be held in the morning since there will be scheduled basketball games in the afternoon.

There will be different playdates for the events in athletics, badminton, football, beach volleyball, volleyball, table tennis, swimming, chess, scrabble, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, taekwondo and dancesports.

Each event also marks the date for the deadline of the submission of requirements. For football, Maximo said that all teams must produce the documents by August 14.

There will be five teams competing in the collegiate division and five from the high school class.

FIFA PLAN: SUMMIT FOR WOMEN IN CEBU

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

If plans don't miscarry, Cebu could host another Asean summit before December, and this one is for women's football.

Cristy Ramos, the deputy chairperson of the Asian Football Confederation Women's Committee, said FIFA is planning a women's football seminar in the Philippines on Sept. 25 to 29 for the 11 Southeast Asian nations plus four other countries.

"I suggested to FIFA to hold the seminar in Cebu because of its central location, and I think it would be excellent to bring the seminar outside of Manila to generate more interest and development from the provinces, especially in the Visayas area. I hope FIFA (and the PFF) will approve Cebu as the venue," Ramos said in an e-mail to Sun.Star Cebu.

Ramos, who is in Australia serving as match commissioner of the AFC Women's Cup, said the tentative topics for the seminar include administration, management, technical development, competitions and marketing.

Growth

If the seminar pushes through in Cebu, it could also help further spur the growth of girls’ football, which has grown tremendously in the last three years.

From just a Women's Open a few years ago, the Cebu Football Association now regularly holds competitions for the Girls 17-Under and 12-Under.

Meanwhile, Ramos, a staunch critic of the PFF, is hoping that the PFF will be fair in choosing whom to invite from the Philippines to attend the seminar.

"I also hope that many people who are especially interested in women's football will be able to take advantage of this," she said.

QUEEN CITY UTD DOWNS SAN CARLOS

Courtesy of CEBU DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.inquirer.net)
July 17, 2006 Monday issue
By Jonas Panerio, Correspondent
Rick Gabuya, Sports Editor

Solon waxes hot, scores four goals for Queen City

Queen City United Football Club took off to a sizzling start as it drubbed sister team University of San Carlos (USC) Football Club, 6-1, in the opening game of the Aboitiz Cebu Football Association Women's Open Cup on Sunday at the San Roque Football Field in Mandaue City.

Queen City forward Marlou Solon made mincemeat of USC's defense as she scored four goals in a spectacular display of ball control and precision striking.

Solon started off early, scoring the game's first goal at the 4th minute.

She then added two stellar strikes in the 19th and 23rd minutes of the game before assisting midfielder Jan Salac for Queen City's fourth goal of the game in the 36th minute for an insurmountable 4-0 lead.

Solon scored the last of her goals in the waning moments of the first half as she bobbed and weaved past USC's defenders to score from the right wing.

Queen City finished off the rout with a goal by defender Cristina Fuentes at the 67th minute, after the latter intercepted a pass by USC's goalkeeper and then struck it in to make the tally, 6-0.

USC's lone goal came in the 86th minute off a penalty kick conversion made by Rose Barinan.

ALL SET FOR ABOITIZ CUP FOOTBALL

Courtesy of CEBU DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.inquirer.net)
July 12, 2006 Wednesday issue
By Jonas Panerio, Correspondent
Rick Gabuya, Sports Editor

22 events expected in 10th season of tournament

The Cebu Football Association (CFA) and the Aboitiz Group Foundation (AGFI) are raring to set the local football scene on fire as the 10th season of the prestigious Aboitiz Cup unfolds this Sunday at the San Roque football field.

With the World Cup fever still raging, the 10th season of the Aboitiz Cup promises to be bigger and better with 22 proposed events waiting on the list of the football calendar.

“This is a series of football tournaments that will cater to players, both young and old,” said CFA president Jonathan Maximo at the press launch on Tuesday at the AV room of the Aboitiz Corporate Center in Banilad.

Maximo was joined by Jackie Lotzof, Dave Sharpe, PILMICO president Antonio Moraza, Cebu International School superintendent Mark Bretherton and AGFI representative Sonny Carpio.

The Women's Open Cup kicks off the event, with five teams vying for the chance to represent Cebu in the PFF National Women's Open Tournament slated August in Dumaguete City.

Queen City United will start its title defense this weekend against sister team USC in the 1 p.m. opener followed by the Mulbachs FC-San Roque FC tiff at 3 p.m.

Much like last season, the Aboitiz Cup will have two types of tournaments.

The Cup type will still be played every weekend, while the Aboitiz Football Festival starts on September 23 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

A total of 110 teams are expected to compete in the festival, with teams competing in 13 different tournaments based on the players' respective age-groups.

The Cup type on the other hand, doubles as training grounds for Cebu’s future out-of-town delegations.

A total of 233 local teams, totaling 2,523 players, are expected to vie in the 22 events of the Aboitiz Cup, surpassing the 141 teams which took part in the 12 events last year.

Moraza emphasized the role sports play in the development of the youth.

“Sixty percent of the AGF's funds mainly go to the education of underprivileged children. Education, however, is not only academic. There can be no development without competition,” said Moraza. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio

FOOTBALL BODY CREATES AUDIT TEAM

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Thursday, June 29, 2006Football issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) has set up an internal audit team to address the issues raised by the National Capitol Region regarding its business transactions.

In a memo sent to the 28 football associations in the country, PFF president Johnny Romualdez appointed Neil Frazer, president of the Misamis-Ozamiz Football Association; Pastor Merced, president of the Negros Oriental Football Association; and Apolonio Clemente Jr., president of the Butuan-Agusan Football Association to the audit team.

Concerns

Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo said those with questions regarding the PFF finances may address their concerns to the three members.

“Among the concerns they are to address are how the FIFA funds are spent, the administrative expenses, who receives what salary and allowances. This is also to help dispel any doubts on the correctness and veracity of the financial report submitted during the Board of Governors Meeting last February,” said Maximo.

Funds

The PFF received P14.3 million from FIFA, P3.6 million from the Asian Football Confederation, and P6.5 million from the Asean Football Federation, as well as the P13 million it is set to receive from other sources, for its P38 million budget this year.

However, the PFF is projected to spend almost all of the money, including P5 million for administration.

The National Capitol Region Football Association earlier asked the PFF to allow its team of auditors and lawyers to look into its business transactions. The PFF denied the request. (ML)

CEBUFA CHIEF: PFF, NCRFA FEUD COULD GET RP SUSPENDED

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, June 25, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo said the latest infighting between the National Capitol Region Football Association and the Philippine Football Federation could lead to the country’s suspension from the sport’s governing body, FIFA, a fate suffered by basketball, which got suspended by FIBA.

“I can’t remember the name of the country, but FIFA has suspended one member,” Maximo said.

The NCRFA asked the PFF to allow its team of accountants to check the business transactions of the organization and has also asked PFF president Johnny Romualdez to turn over the rein of the PFF to Rene Adad, the former president.

Revocation

The issued stemmed from the PFF’s revocation of its certificate of registration from the Securities and Exchange Commission last Nov. 3, 2003, three weeks before Romualdez was elected president. The revocation was discovered only last May and the NCRFA contested that because of the revocation Romualdez isn’t the legitimate president and is not authorized to act as PFF head.

A check with the FIFA website showed that it suspended the Yemen Football Association for violating Article 17 of the FIFA Statues last year.

Article 17 states: “A member’s bodies shall be either elected or appointed in that association. A member’s statues shall provide for a procedure that guarantees the complete independence of the election or appointment.

“Any member’s bodies that have not been elected or appointed in compliance with the provisions of paragraph one, even on an interim basis, shall not be recognized by FIFA. Decisions passed by bodies that have not been elected or appointed in compliance with paragraph one shall not be recognized by FIFA.”

If the PFF does get suspended by FIFA, Maximo said the Cebu Football Association will become just an ordinary sports group.

International tournaments

“We will lose the blessing or mandate to govern football in Cebu. Though we can still continue to hold tournaments, we can no longer join international tournaments,” said Maximo, who was named the head of delegation for the Philippine team, which had three Cebuanos, in the Under-14 Youth Festival in Malaysia last month.

To prevent the issue from getting out of hand, Maximo said he will initiate a move, in conjunction with the other football association presidents, to have the issue settled within the PFF, instead of in court.

The NCRFA plans to bring the issue to court as a last option.

“There should be a consensus with the other FAs because this is affecting everybody already, especially now that there are coming national tournaments and we are set to host the LG Cup in November. We should initiate moves to have an honest-to-goodness meeting between the two parties,” Maximo said. (ML)

RP U-14 BEATS MALDIVES

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, June 04, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

Paul Taneo, Sports Editor

Team Philippines scored a win in the Asian Football Confederation Under-14 Festival of Football in Malaysia. After dropping all its first three matches without scoring a goal, the Philippines drew with Australia, 1-1, before winning over Maldives, 1-0, in the youth football festival.

However, against Southeast Asian giant Thailand, the powerhouse showed there is still a large gap between potential and tradition as the Thais whipped the Pinoys, 4-0.

“The team somewhat recovered from its first-day jitters and were physically and mentally prepared to play,” said head of delegation and Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo in an e-mail to Sun.Star Cebu.

Cebuanos in the team are midfielder Kevin Tecson, who is on his second stint with the youth squad, defender Evanjames Mendoza, and goalkeeper Joshua Cruz, the youngest member of the team.

Against Australia, Ken Kazuo Hager, a Fil-Swiss based in Davao, struck from left flank to put the Philippines on top, 1-0.

However, Christian de San Juan fouled an opponent in the dying minutes, paving the way for the equalizer by Australia through a penalty. (ML)

NAT'L UNDER-14 FOOTBALL TEAM SWEEPS GAMES

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, May 28, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

Just a few days before playing its first international tournament, the Philippine national Under-14 team showed positive signs as it swept its two friendlies against Southridge and Ateneo de Manila.

The RP team, which will compete in the Asian Football Confederation Youth Festival, defeated Southridge’s 16-under team, 3-2, last May 24 and the ADMU U-16 squad, 8-0, yesterday.

Joseph Villarino stuck first in the ninth minute inside the box, and Warren Rosillo made it 2-0 in the 13th after redirecting a cross. Henry Llaban added his goals in the 17th and 25th, while Christian de Juan made and Michael Mabanag scored the final two goals in the half for a 6-0 lead.

Direct kick

In the second half, Rob Famador’s perfectly-taken direct kick got past the goalkeeper and de Juan added his second goal seven minutes from time.

“The coaching staff is rotating the players, for them to get a feel on what position they will be playing,” said Cebu Football Association’s Jonathan Maximo.

Maximo was appointed by the Philippine Football Federation as the head of delegation for the tournament.

“Llaban and Mabanag are small but fast players. The attack starts from them and (they are) good in crosses,” Maximo said.

Also with the team are Paref Springdale’s Joshua Cruz, Evanjames Mendoza and Kevin Tecson, who is on his second stint with the national squad. (ML)

MAXIMO TO LEAD RP DELEGATES TO ASIAN UNDER-14 TOURNAMENT

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Thursday, May 25, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

The Philippine team to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Under-14 Football Festival just got another Cebuano in the line-up.

This after Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo was appointed head of the Philippine delegation to the May 29 to June 4 tournament.

This will be Maximo’s second football-related trip to Malaysia after representing the Philippines in the AFC Asian Youth Re-education Course in 2004.

“This won’t be an easy job. I have to leave for Manila tomorrow to check on the team,” said Maximo. “They are having final training now at the Ultra.

“I’ll be out of Cebu for 12 days; I may have to close my company,” Maximo, a businessman, half-jokingly said.

Paref-Springdale’s Joshua Cruz, Evanjames Mendoza and Kevin Tecson are also on the team, which will compete with teams from Indonesia, Maldives, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia.

Other members of the team are Florence Agraviador (Negros Occidental), Ronald Batisla-ong (Iloilo), Christian De Juan (Iloilo), Rob Francis Famador (Dumaguete), Irvin Joearl (Cagayan de Oro), Ken Kazuo Hager (Switzerland), Henry Llaban (Iloilo), Michael Mabanag (Quezon City), Jesus Joaquin Melliza (Iloilo), Klieff Ian Pasquin (Iloilo), Warren Rosillo (Cagayan de Oro), Darwin Salavia (Davao City), Ian Soliman (Laguna), Jimer Telebanco (Negros Occidental) and Joseph Villarino (Negros Occidental).

As head of delegation, Maximo will deal with the team’s needs and deal with the local organizing committee. He will also submit a comprehensive post-competition report to the president and the technical development committee of the Philippine Football Federation. (ML)

BRIGHT PLAYS HIROSHI TODAY

Courtesy of SUN STAR DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.sunstar.com.ph)
February 14, 2006 Saturday issue
By Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

As the month of love begins, action heats up in the Red Ribbon Boys Under-16 tournament in San Roque, while four teams vie for the top spot in the final day of the Aboitiz Division B this weekend.

Today, Bright Academy debuts against the dangerous Hiroshi FC in the first Red Ribbon match at 12:30 p.m., before FC Inter Cebu goes for its first win against Blessed John XXIII Seminary in the next match.

Host San Roque FC goes for a win against the reeling Cebu Inmaculada Concepcion-Mandaue.

In its first game, CIC-M got buried, 7-0, by a rampaging Paref-Springdale, while Hiroshi also blanked Don Bosco Boys Home, 2-0, and Don Bosco Technological Center routed FC Inter Cebu, 7-0. Both Springdale and the two Don Bosco teams sit out today’s round.

In the Best Striker race, DBTC’s Francis Buot and Evanjames Mendoza lead the field with three goals a piece, while 10 others have one goal each.

Meanwhile, in the Aboitiz Division B tomorrow, FC Inter Cebu plays Cebu State College of Science and Technology in the first game before the top four teams in the group battle it out in the final two matches.

Hosts SRFC will face leaders Metropolitan FC, while Queen City United goes up against Wild Cebu Fashion. All four teams have a 4-1 mark and have 12 points and are only separated by goal difference.

San Roque needs a win today as it is fourth in the standings, with 22 goals scored, while Wild Cebu is third with 25 and Queen City second with 28. (ML)

CEBUFA TO HOLD TRY-OUTS FOR RP UNDER-14 SQUAD

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Thursday, April 06, 2006 issue

The Cebu Football Association (CebuFA) will hold tryouts tomorrow and on Saturday for the Philippine Under-14 team that will compete in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-14 Tournament on May 29 to June 4 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

CebuFA president Jonathan Maximo said those who will be selected will be included in the training pool that will undergo intensive training.

The tryouts, which will be held at the San Roque football field in Subangdaku, Mandaue City, is open to players born on or after 1992. Players from Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Negros Oriental and other Visayas areas are also expected to join the tryouts.

The tryouts will be conducted by national coach John Carmona to be assisted by Center For Excellence coach Mario Ceniza.

“We have lobbied to the Philippine Football Federation that they should conduct a separate tryout for Cebu since we now have a pool of very good youth players capable of playing for the national team,” said Maximo.

CEBUFA TO HOLD TRYOUT FOR GIRLS UNDER-17 SQUAD

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 issue
by Mike Limpag, Staff Reporter

The young lady footballers of Cebu will have their chance to shine in the national scale in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) National Under-17 tournament next month in San Carlos City.

Cebu got one slot in the nationals, the first national tournament in the women’s age-group.

“The PFF decided to just hold a national for the Under-17, no more regional qualifiers,” Cebu Football Association (CebuFa) president Jonathan Maximo said.

Top team

Since the CebuFa didn’t hold a local tournament for the Girls Under-17, the group will just hold a tryout for the Cebu City team.

“We expect the core of the team to come from CIS (Cebu International School) since they are one of the top teams in the division,” Maximo said.

CIS, which finished runner-up in the International Schools Activities Conference last month, is still having classes and Maximo is factoring their schedule to the tryouts.

Aside from winning in their age-group in various football festivals, the CIS ladies, coached by Dexter Arrojado, has competed regularly in the Women’s Open for years.

In Cebu, the CIS ladies have strung up consecutive wins in the San Roque Football Fiesta, CIS Friendship, Aboitiz Football Fiesta and the Thirsty Cup.

After the trials, CebuFA is planning to put up a training pool not only for this year’s National Under-17 but for next year also.

“Since we have only a few female players, we can start a training pool also for next year’s tournament, so we can encourage more girls to play,” Maximo said. (ML)

2006 MANILA TOUR

3rd RIFA CUP

Feb 4-5, 2006

Ateneo de Manila Univ Fields

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Scoring a goal and a win against Montessori School, PaBol Girls-17 had a blast in their Manila Football Tour.

CEBUANA BOOTERS START CAMPAIGN IN RIFA

Courtesy of CEBU DAILY NEWSPAPER (www.inquirer.net)
February 3, 2006 Friday issue
By Marian Baring, Correspondent
Rick Gabuya, Sports Editor

CEBUANA football players test their skills against Manila's finest in the Rizal Football Association (RIFA) Cup Girls Football Tournament which opens today in Quezon City.

Making up the Cebuano contingent are PaBol Cebu training graduates from Sacred Heart School-Girls High, Southcrest School and Sacred Heart School-Jesuit.

Competing NCR teams are Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Miriam College, Woodrose, Poveda, Colegio de San Agustin, Xavier University, Montessori, HED Center, Sunken Garden FC and Sphere FC.

"This is a very good chance to strengthen the girls' football arena because mostly, girls would not prefer football because it is rough and played under the heat of the sun," PaBol FC organizer Jonathan Maximo said.

"Girls football in Manila is on another level and we hope that we can give them a performance that is at par with theirs," Maximo added. Correspondent Marian Baring

2005 KIDDIE CAMP

2005 PaBol KIDDIE CAMP

every Sat 3-5PM October 2005

SVD Field (back of USC-BS)

Cebu City

Kids 5-12 year old, were having fun while learning the basics of dribbling, passing and shooting. To join the camp, one may contact Mobile 0922.833.6815 or Email: maxi@pabolfc.com

2005 aboitiz REGIONAL FESTIVAL

2005 1st ABOITIZ CEBUFA REGIONAL FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

September 17-18, 2005

USC-TC Field, Talamban, Cebu City

PaBol U-6 Team members proudly display their "hard-earned" medals during the awarding ceremony of Aboitiz Regional Fest

2005 SAN ROQUE FESTIVAL

2005 1st SRP SOCCER FESTIVAL

August 20-21, 2005

San Roque Field, Mandaue City

PaBol - champions! in Player-6 Division.

Ica Maximo (3rd from left) represents Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus.

2005 ILOILO TOUR

Playing in their first ever tournament, PaBol Girls-16 (1989) Team bagged 2nd RUNNER-UP in the prestigious 2005 Philippine Football Fiesta in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo. Barotac is known as the football capital of the Phils. Other teams who participated were Southridge, Woodrose, Iloilo-based teams and other Manila schools and clubs.

L-R: Julienne, Erika, Ban-Ban, Jackie, Althea, Mitch, Bea and Charmaine of Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus.

WHY KICKING, NOT DRIBBLING, OUGHT TO BE OUR NO. 1 GOAL

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 issue

by John Pages, Columnist - Match Point

“FOOTBALL is the world’s most popular sport,” declares Neil Montesclaros. He should know. After juggling that white rubber ball off his feet and knees since Grade 4, Neil is a football fan, player, coach and promoter rolled into one.

For 23 years, he hasn’t missed a single World Cup watch. As a player, his 33-year-old legs, now competing in the Aboitiz Cup, can still out-sprint a teener’s. He’s the head coach of the Don Bosco Alumni Club, a board of director of the Cebu Football Association. Two weeks back, he helped gather a sea of boys and girls in studded shoes that was the Thirsty Cup.

So I asked Neil, “How strong is football in Cebu?” In reply, here’s Neil’s candid look at the game:

When Time magazine was choosing the ‘Athlete of the Century’ between Michael Jordan and Pele, they awarded it to the football legend.

Michael Jordan is great. I’m also his fan. But basketball versus football is no contest in global terms. How can one deny Pele the award when more than two thirds of the world is football crazy?

The scene is different in the Philippines.

Basketball is far more popular here than soccer. Hence, we know where the money goes.

It’s a vicious circle. Football is not fully developed because there are no funds. There are no funds because sponsors find it unpopular. It’s unpopular because the level of play is not fun to watch.

The level of play is not fun to watch because it has poor funding. There we go!

But soccer is a sport we Filipinos can excel in. Height and size – or the lack of them – are not disadvantages. Pele is 5-foot-10 and Maradona, 5-4. Both are soccer gods. How many Filipinos are 5-10 and 5-4? A lot. We are medium built.

We need only to promote soccer. There should be more media mileage. More well-publicized tournaments. More playing fields accessible to all. Once the mania sets in, the funds come in.It’s easier in Cebu.

First, soccer is already more popular in the Visayas than in any other region. Cebu, Iloilo, and Negros are always serious threats in national tournaments. If NCR dominates, a good number of their players are from the south. Imports!

Hence, in Cebu, we are not starting from scratch. That’s something we can build on. Cebu is a small island. News gets around fast. People know everybody. It’s easy to organize things and events. Mobilization is easier. We can make soccer the most popular sport in Cebu.

Soccer is biggest in Iloilo. That’s uncontestable. I went there and saw matches. People are football crazy. It’s like you’re in Europe. Their football fields are in public places – the parks, plazas, right in front of churches! It’s like next to religion. Ordinary people, bystanders, and even beggars are football literate. The location of the fields make all the difference. They’re right at the center of town.

Imagine the same here. The whole island will play soccer! Unfortunately, most of our fields are inside schools, secluded and inaccessible. So what happens? Few people understand soccer. They see few games. Football in Cebu is not for public consumption.

Two weekends ago, this was where the 2nd Thirsty Cup hit the bulls-eye. It promoted soccer by making it public. It provided a fiesta atmosphere to usher a football mania. It created a football stir and ripple. Hopefully, the waves will become stronger year after year, so soccer can turn into Cebu’s pride. It will hit us like a tsunami.

After two years, the Thirsty Cup has grown. There were 89 teams on the list – one less than last year. But this year saw the absence of Sacred Heart Boys and Don Bosco due to conflict of schedule. Had they joined, we could have easily topped 100 teams. That’s 1,000 players in one event! Counting the spectators, that’s 3,000 people in one weekend! This is a good indicator of football development. Like a thermometer that gauges Cebu’s soccer fever.

Graeme Mackinnon I next asked, “What makes football big in Cebu?”

The Australian with a Cebuano heart (he is a Cebu Hall of Fame awardee) e-mailed back:

“First, the all-out push for football at all age-groups (male and female) as well as regional and national championships by the Cebu Football Association. Pessimism has been swept aside with optimism. Never in the past has Cebu bid for the hosting of so many tournaments.

“When Jonathan “Maxi” Maximo came in as CebuFA president he brought in a saying, ‘All for football and football for all.’ I think that typifies the Cebuano football attitude.

“Second, the proliferation at the grassroots level. There are players today who are just five years of age. Of course, when these tiny tots play, their parents come along. They bring with them a family aspect to the game that was not there before.

“More and more private schools are now beginning to play football. Then there are public elementary schools who are also beginning to form teams.

“Finally, if the SRP athlete’s village will eventuate then that will give a real boost to soccer.”

Thanks to Neil, Graeme and Maxi, football in Cebu isn’t only alive. It’s kicking.

SAC AWARDS

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Thursday, January 22, 2004 issue

FOR the second straight year, Edward Hayco, the sports director of Team Cebu City–Dancesport, has been voted Sportsman of the Year of the Sportwriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Corporation All Cebu Sports Awards.

The 22nd SAC-SMC All-Cebu Sports Awards will be on March 6 at a still undisclosed venue. Hayco was the unanimous choice for the prestigious award for his tremendous and unselfish support that paved the way for the resurgence and growing popularity of dancesport in Cebu.

Upon Hayco’s intercession, Team Cebu City-Dancesport has successfully competed in various national and international events in Australia, Hong Kong and Taipei.

Presidential awardees, on the other hand, are Cebu Football Association’s (CebuFA) president Jonathan ‘Maxi’ Maximo and CVCB chairman Patrick ‘Pato’ Gregorio, for their undying and unselfish support in the development of Cebu sports.

Since taking over the presidency of CebuFA, Maximo has brought back the association to life and has gained the trust of the Cebuano football community, while Gregorio, through CVCB, has been relentless in his thrust to promote Cebu as the prime hub of sports tourism in the country.

This year’s Orlando C. Sanchez (Orlacsan) award will go to TCC-Dancesport trainers Leodegario ‘Jun-Jun’ Marante and Maricris Hermosa. The Orlacsan award is given to a person or persons who have done something invaluable for sports development despite meager resources.

Marante and Hermosa have been chosen for the award for sharing their talents to kids with potential in dancesport.

Major awards will also be given to athletes who have made Cebu proud with their spectacular and outstanding performances in international events. For billiards, the hands down choice is Warren Kiamco for clinching the gold in the 9-Ball Doubles event of the 22nd Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.

Best for bowling last year was Sheena Go who took the championship in two events in Guam – the 2nd Guam International Open and the 2nd Pepsi Youth Masters. For his impressive one-round knockout of Gehnki Ohnaka that made him the new OPBF minimum-weight titleholder, Rodel ‘Batang Mandaue’ Mayol will be accorded with the major award in professional boxing, while Caesar Augustus Amonsot is the recipient for amateur boxing after he won three national titles in knockout fashion.

The tandem of Crisaldo ‘Loloi’ Rendon and Eleanor Hayco are the dancesport awardees for bagging the gold in the Masters 1 Latin and bronze in the Masters 1 Standard of the 2003 FATD National Capital Dancesport in Canberra, Australia.

Shining for karatedo are siblings Sugar Ray and Luche Metante. Both finished with bronze medals in the Hanoi, Vietnam SEA Games.

In bodybuilding, Roman V. Cortuna Jr. will be lauded for clinching a silver in the Vietnam SEA Games 65-kilogram category, while Rosielyn Ocampo will be feted for garnering two silver and two bronze medals in the 2nd ASEAN PARAGames in Vietnam.

Lawn tennis major awardee is small but terrible Bernardine “Nino” Siso for maintaining his No.1 ranking in the 10-Under division.

RP mountainbike team mainstays Eusebio “Eboy” Quiñones and Maritess Bitbit have been cited for their remarkable performances in the Vietnam SEA Games.

All major awardees will contend for the prestigious “Athlete of the Year” award, which will be known during the awarding ceremonies.

7 DIVISIONS PLAYED OUT IN THIRSTY FOOTBALL TILT

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, January 11, 2004 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo

PLAYERS and football aficionados trooped to the Ayala driving range yesterday as probably the biggest soccer event to open 2004, the 1st Thirsty Football Fiesta, blasted off with seven divisions setting battling it out.

First to emerge above the field was age-group powerhouse Don Bosco Technical Center, which took three slots in the six-a-side Under-8 division semifinal round.

DBTC 1, which cruised through with a six-game winning streak, and DBTC 3 (4-1-1 win-loss-draw) toppled the rest of bracket A in the two-day fiesta to enter the semifinals which kicks off at 7:30 a.m. today.

While DBTC 4 (4-0-1) reaped the top slot in Bracket B followed by Cebu International School (4-0-2) at No.2.

Cebu City Counclior Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem was there to grace the event’s opening, which started at 7:30 a.m., along with the sanctioning Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo and Thirsty’s operations chief Charlie Pages.

The kickoff was highlighted with the introduction of the teams and the selection of the hottest muse.

DBTC 1 will meet CIS in the crossover semis today as DBTC 3 takes on DBTC 4.

In the U-10 cluster, the four-bracket field saw CIS 1 (3-0-1) and University of San Carlos-Boys High (3-0-1) dominate Bracket A to take to first two quarterfinal slots starting today.

The formidable Springdale (3-0-1) racked up the top slot in Bracket B while CIS 2 (2-2-0) settled for the No.2 spot. DBTC 4 (3-0-0) and Springdale 3 (1-1-1) took the quarterfinal slots in Bracket C while CIS isplay fearsome form as the Rey Calo-coached squad took the top spot in Group A, winning three of four games, going into the semis while the debuting Bright (1-1-2) finished No.2.

CIS, with a perfect four-game slate, and Springdale (2-1-1) plucked the top spots in Bracket B.

Meanwhile, the ultra tough Men’s division will start today with the foreigner-laden Crazy Horse, which debuted at the runner-up spot in the 2003 Aboitiz Cup, anticipated to survive the elimination.

NEGROS ORIENTAL, ILOILO CLOSE VISAYAS FINALS ABLAZE

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Tuesday, December 23, 2003 issue

by GLENN C. MICHELENA, Sun.Star Correspondent

WITH the Visayas cast to the national finals settled earlier in the tournament, two ousted teams, Negros Oriental and Iloilo, played a spirited game worthy of being the curtain closer of the 2003 Philippine Football Federation (PFF) National Men’s Championship–Visayas Regional Finals at the Barotac Nuevo field in Iloilo.

Negros Oriental defeated Iloilo, 4-2, in the shootout overtime period and closed its uneventful journey of the competitions with a win.

While the Bacolod squad crushed the depleted Cebu FA-Hapee squad, 4-0, in the day’s other non-bearing match.

Despite the debacle, Cebu is still on a positive mode. The Cebu squad and Negros Occidental made the national finals by virtue of their top-two finish.

With only 11 players showing up for the game, Cebu’s problems compounded after one of its players got disqualified with a red card, leaving Cebu with only 10 players to work with most of the game.

“We are happy with the team’s performance,” said Cebu Team official Maxi Maximo. “Our goal was to improve on the team’s performance and qualify for the national finals and we accomplished both.”

The tournament, which ended without giving out awards and recognitions, was staged as the qualifying ground for the national finals.

CEBU 5-0 AGAINST NEGOR

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Monday, December 22, 2003 issue

by Patrick Costelo

CEBU Football Association (CFA)-Hapee had an easy walk in the park to the National Finals after thumping Negros Oriental, 5-0, but the fate of top striker Ronald Loayon remains unsure.

The 23-year-old Loayon, Cebu’s top scorer with four goals so far, revealed yesterday he might not be able to return to Cebu and play for the National Championships in March if he is advised to report for training at the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Loayon of the University of San Jose-Recoletos earlier passed PAF’s entrance exam and was not recruited by PAF’s men’s football team, as earlier reported. He will leave for Manila for a medical exam. Playing coach Glen Ramos, however, is not worried of Loayon’s departure as the team is equipped with equally talented strikers, he said yesterday.

CFA-Hapee barged into the regional finals with a superior elimination-round record of two wins and a draw in the four-team tournament. The finalists qualify to the National Finals next year.

In another development, the CFA is set to bid for the hosting of the National Finals in March, disclosed CFA president Jonathan Maximo yesterday.

CFA-Hapee’s game-long domination blew off with a Warlo Sabella goal in the 23rd minute followed by Loayon’s slammer in the 33rd. Roland Verdida closed the first half with authority as he squeaked one in at the 44th to give Cebu a 3-0 edge at halftime.

Just four minutes into the second half, Loayon scored his fourth elimination-round goal in the 49th as Negros Oriental remained scoreless.

Ramos gave CFA-Hapee an upbeat endgame as he scored in the 89th.

Cebu, will take on defending national champion Negros Occidental, the team it drew in the elimination, in today’s finals at 1:30 p.m. and will take the 6 p.m. ship back to Cebu.

Host Iloilo, which finished No.3, will play bottom team and winless Negros Oriental for third place in the opening match at 9 a.m.

Cebu and Negros Occidental will meet North/South Luzon winner PAF, which represents the National Capital Region Football Association (NCRFA), and runner-up Laguna Football Association (LFA), along with the champions from Southeast Luzon; West, North and Central Mindanao. PCC

CEBU MAY LOSE ACE STRIKER TO PAF BEFORE NAT'L FINALS

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, December 21, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo

CEBU Football Association (CFA)-Hapee may have moved a win away from the National Championship but it is on the verge of losing its top striker Ronald Loayon.

Loayon, the team’s top scorer in the tournament, who led Cebu to a win over traditional powerhouse Iloilo Wednesday and to a 1-1 draw against defending national champion Negros Occidental in the ongoing 2003 Philippine National Men’s Championship-Visayas Regional Finals in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, was reportedly recruited to suit up with the Philippine Air Force.

Reports say the striker was asked to report for a medical exam yesterday as the PAF, which ruled the North/South Luzon Regional Finals, wants him in the team as early as possible.

If things go as planned, Loayon may play for PAF in the National Finals.

Jonathan Maximo, CFA president, on the other hand, appealed to the PAF yesterday not to take Loayon until the tournament finishes.

The University of San Jose-Recoletos’ Loayon has no contract with CFA-Hapee, which he joined after a three-month tryout. On the other hand, he may play for the PAF as an enlistee if he decides to leave Cebu.

The Glen Ramos-coached CFA-Hapee will play Negros Oriental at 3 p.m. today in its last elimination game of the four-team competition, which lasts until tomorrow.

Negros Oriental earlier lost to Iloilo, which Cebu ripped, 2-0, on its first assignment.

CEBU NIPS ILOILO IN VISAYAS FINALS

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Friday, December 19, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo

CEBU Football Association (CFA)-Hapee pulled snatched sweet victory right in front of the Barotac Nuevo home crowd when it beat host team and powerhouse Iloilo, 2-1, Wednesday in the 2003 Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Men’s Football Championship – Visayas Regional Finals.

In the opening game, defending champion Negros Occidental handed Negros Oriental a 4-3 rout as it drew first blood in the tough four-team field, which pools the best from all over the Visayas.

“We had our eyes set on Iloilo the fact that it’s a traditional football power and they had the home crowd,” said Jonathan Maximo, CFA president.

“But with Wednesday’s result, I can just imagine how tough our team is with its never say die attitude. We had to come from behind and we pulled it off right in front of their faces.”

Host Iloilo slammed in the first goal with a stunner in the eighth minute when Jorge Adventura scored on Cebu goalkeeper Ace Mangohid with a high looper from 40 yards.

However, CFA-Hapee turned on the heat defensively to control the rest of the first half, despite remaining scoreless.

The Glen Ramos-coached CFA-Hapee got its break six minutes after the second half kick off as Ronald Loayon of the University of San Jose-Recoletos clinched an equalizer at the 51st.

The almost spotless defense of CFA-Hapee stalled the potent home team offense and eventually broke away with a goal in the 75th courtesy of Exas’ Elimar Baunsit.

No games were played yesterday, which was rest day. Games resume today with Cebu facing Negros Occidental at 3 p.m. while Negros Oriental takes on Iloilo in the opening match up at 1 p.m.

Meantime, Negros Occidental similarly held on from a 2-0 deficit at halftime to score a come-from-behind win over Negros Oreintal.

As Negros Oriental ran out of gas in the final 45 minutes, Occidental inched closer scoring two goals in the half to level the game.

Things got worse for Oriental in the homestretch when it committed a foul inside the penalty box giving Occidental the chance to win the game via penalty.

The top two teams in the Visayas finals will get slots to the National Championship next year against the rulers of the North/South Luzon Finals, Southeast Luzon Finals, West, North and Central Mindanao Finals.

CEBU BOOTERS FACE HOST ILOILO TODAY

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Wednesday, December 17, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo

THE Cebu Football Association (CFA)-Hapee Men’s Football Team sets outs to war against one of the most squads when its faces host Iloilo today when the 2003 Philippine Football Federation (PFF) Narional Men’s Championship –Visayas Regional Finals today in Barotac Nuevo.

Hostilities commence at 1 p.m. with Negros Oriental faces defending champion Negros Ocidental in the opening game while Cebu versus Iloilo follows at 3 p.m.

The Glen Ramos-coached Cebu selection will have a one-day rest tomorrow before it faces Negros another powerhouse team in Negros Occidental on Friday at 3 p.m. following the Negros Oriental-Iloilo match up.

The five-day clash between four teams will pit the top two teams in the championship match after the elimination while the bottom two settle for the third place battle in the finals.

The top two squads automatically qualify to the National Championship early next year together with the top teams from North/South Luzon, Southeast Luzon, West Mindanao, North Mindanao, and Central Mindanao.

Backed by Hapee and Tran-Asia, the team is made up of goalkeepers Ace Mngohid and Oscar Lemence, midfielders Niño Zapanta and Harold Buot, forwards Elemar Baunsit and Ronald Loayon.

The team pooled through a three-month selection by the CFA, include Vincent Ramos, Heintje Ruiz, Rene Mendoza, Robert Nicart, Oliver Colina, Wearlso Zabella, Rolando Verdida, Voltaire Montebon, Gregorio Guiwan, and John Michael Abellana.

DBTI GOES TO NATIONAL FINALS

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Monday, December 08, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo, Staff Reporter

DBTI goes to national finalsHOST team Don Bosco Technology Center got back with a vengeful but untimely 3-0 win over Negros Oriental National High School yesterday at the University of San Carlos-Talamban Campus.

But it was immaterial as Cebu failed to qualify to the National Finals. Negros Occidental giant Don Bosco Technical Institute emerged the champion by goal difference after stunning DBTC last Friday, 2-0, and drawing with Negros Oriental High on Saturday, 1-1.

For the first time in two consecutive years it has hosted the Coke Go-For-Goal National Football Championship-Visayas Regional Finals, Cebu lost the championship.

DBTI could have wrested the National Finals ticket earlier had it beaten Negros Oriental, but the draw made matters tentative as the former had to wait for the result of yesterday’s match.

Negros Oriental, meantime, could have won the regional title had it defeated DBTC by three points. A penalty shootout could even have materialized between both Negros teams had Negros Oriental won against Cebu by two points.

But an entirely different DBTC squad set out yesterday giving the visitors the intensity of a defending regional champion as Kyle Soriano slammed a goal in the 25th minute to end the half at 1-0.

The Glen Ramos-coached DBTC scored its last two goals in the last 10 minutes of play after its defense held on, unlike the team that ran out of gas in the second half against DBTI in the opening day after trailing 0-2 at halftime.

Soriano scored goal No.2 in the 80th while Cebu leg MVP candidate Patrick Caricari drained the third goal in the 85th to thump the visitors and save face with the runner-up trophy.

DBTI’s Jonard Benetic, who scored both goals in the win against Cebu, bagged the MVP award while his teammate Von Joseph Bayquin took home the Best Goalkeeper honors.

DBTI took the third individual award as Michael Orbino nabbed the Best Midfielder medal.

Cebu, on the other and, took the remaining awards with John Tirol and Soriano taking the Best Striker and Best Defender medals, respectively.

Philippine Football Federation’s Jojo Rodriguez, director of competition and Jimmy Somogod, Referee Committee head, CFA’s Jonathan “Maxi” Maximo, Neil Montesclaros and Merk Bretherton, graced the closing rites, which saw Negros Oriental take the Chris Monfort Fair Play trophy after not logging a single caution. PCC

LAST-MINUTE GOAL HANDS TITLE TO UC

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Monday, November 10, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo, Correspondent

SAVVY playing coach Glen Ramos showed his wards and his foes the heart of a champion when he took UC-Hapee to its third championship in four years with a last-minute slammer yesterday against Crazy Horse in the electrifying finals of the 7th Aboitiz Cup football Men’s division at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Meanwhile, another nail-biting match-up saw University of San Carlos nab third place from newcomer Philippine Air Force (PAF), 4-3, via penalty shootout.

Hapee, which came off a four-game win streak since the eliminations, had a tough time against the agile defense of its foreigner-laden rivals.

After a scoreless first half, the game soon turned intensely physical, which led to some verbal tiffs at the end of the match.

Both sides failed to convert on a few attempts but the seasoned UC-Hapee slowly took control of the final 45 minutes.

UC-Hapee which almost limited Crazy Horse to defense but after a few close shots, still remained scoreless as Crazy Horse had their center forwards marked.

With an extension looming, UC had its last- chance to execute its game plan, taking the last line of defenders mid-court.

Center-forward Redrick Viliran, one of Hapee’s four imports from Dumaguete, who earlier led the team in the semis over PAF, had the ball mid-court off a quick pass. Two defenders closed in on Viliran but Ramos, who manned the midfield was already ahead to receive the pass, and with one touch evaded the last defender and pulled the trigger for the win.

“We were finally able to complete our plan late in the game. We knew we had the chance when we gained more possessions in the second half,” said the 36-year-old Ramos, who was once the youngest starter in the RP Team at 17 back in 1984.

“I’d like to thank Hapee for its continuous support, UC, and our players from Dumaguete, Redrick, Marcos, Oliver and Greg.”

ABOITIZ CUP MEN'S FINALS TODAY

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Sunday, November 09, 2003 issue

by Patrick C. Costelo, Staff Writer

A RE-ENERGIZED University of Cebu-Hapee takes its second shot at the crown in two years today when it faces newcomer Crazy Horse in the championship match of the 7th Aboitiz Cup football Men’s division at the Cebu City Sports Center at 3 p.m.

In the battle for third, perennial semifinalist University of San Carlos and another newcomer, Philippine Air Force, collide at 1 p.m.

UC-Hapee, mentored by playing coach and former RP team booter Glen Ramos, has been raring to take the title after losing to the Kim Relucio-led University of San Jose-Recoletos last year.

After losing its first outing, UC swept the remainder of its games all the way to ripping PAF in the semifinals two weeks ago, 6-1. Striker Redrick Viliran broke the silence with a goal in the 19th and finished with two goals after slamming in a direct goal in the 40th.

Rookie Marco Larrazabal, on the other hand, continued to deliver after similarly finishing with two goals in that semis match-up.

UC-Hapee, like Crazy Horse, is also a new team filled with players straight out of high school including former M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation stalwarts Josephat Sacil, Carlos Bolo, Jack Reston and Arnie Pasinabo. The team, however, has had more time to jell compared to Crazy Horse.

But that may matter little against the talent-laden Crazy Horse made up mostly of young foreigners, who have gone through enormous odds to reap their championship slot in their first year in the league organized by the Cebu Football Association.

MISSIONARY STUDENTS UPSET UV BOOTERS, 1-0

Courtesy of Sun Star Newspaper (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/)

Saturday, November 01, 2003 issue

by Rommel C. Manlosa, Staff Writer

DON Bosco Missionary Seminary pulled off a surprise 1-0 win win over the highly touted University of the Visayas-Compostela in the 20th Coke-Go-for-Goal Under-16 tournament held at the University of San Carlos Technological Center pitch in Talamban.

While the eight-player University of San Carlos-Boys School was able to offset its lack of manpower to draw with Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion-Mandaue, 1-1, in the other game last Sunday.

Sweeper Hans Calzada caught the defense of the Bro. Rosmon Valenciano-mentored UV 11 as he found the back of the net just eight minutes after the starting whistle. The Bosconians then played excellent defense to frustrate the offense of the Visayanians until the final minute of the game.

The Bosconians are now poised to take away the semifinal seat from UV as they tied their prey at second place with a 1-1 win-loss record each.

It was an unfortunate conclusion for UV-Compostela, which earlier defeated Cebu City National Science High School, 3-1.

Meanwhile, the eight-player USC-BS squad of coach Orlando Salera opened the game with a goal from Lubianan on the third minute and were poised to take the victory away from CIC-Mandaue, which struggled to break the defense of the Carolinians before Ceniza found the back of the neat on the 90th minute, just a shade before the final whistle.

It was a tough defensive stance displayed by USC-BS, which missed the services of three players, going toe-to-toe with CIC-M before succumbing to a draw in the final minute of the game.

USC-BS lags at third place in Group A and could take away the second spot if it wins over the inexperienced USJ-R squad.

Cebu elimination champions Don Bosco Technical Center is favored to get another trip to the Visayas finals in December following a 9-0 victory over USJ-R in a Group A match.