Sports: Basketball and Football Matches over the Weekend
Good evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.
1st Division football returned to the MCC Grounds yesterday where Ladyville Jaguars jumps out against Eiley FC under the banner of the Belize District Football Association. Kevin Alvarez, of Eiley FC, struts his stuff in front of the Ladyville goal only to conclude the effort with an unguided left foot blast. At the other end, the Jaguars could open the scoreboard off this nice center from Sean Young, but neither Joel Ottley nor Hughton Baptist could. Baptist then gets this open look at goal only to unleash an undisciplined left foot. Mark Grant uses this set piece to dial a long distanced effort to force goalkeeper Nigel Grant into a save and at the half, we’re scoreless. We’re into 2nd half play when Kareem Flowers sets up Kevin Alvarez who simply can’t get power on the header.
In the meantime, Misael Canul volleys this ball at goal but it veers outside of the sticks. Folks, we can only say Dalton Cayetano squanders this change to give Eiley FC this clinical strike by Joel Ottley is a beauty; nonetheless, it’s rejected by the goalkeeper’s best friend. We must say this build up is textbook, however, David Ramos fails to finish for the Jaguars. Things become compounded for the Ladyville team when the referee determines that Keiron Jones has fouled Kevin Alvarez inside the box and as a result points to the penalty spot. Kevin Rowland gets the call from Eiley FC only to be upstaged by the Ladyville keeper, Nigel Grant. A few minutes later, Dalton Cayetano fights his way into point blank range of the Ladyville goal and misfires. The breakthrough comes when David Ramos threats the needle to Herbert Baptist and the rasta finds the back of the net to give Ladyville Jaguars the lead in money time. The euphoria is short-lived because two minutes later, Brian Martinez pushes this set piece past an embarrassed Nigel Grant to tie the ballgame at 1 apiece.
Now let’s check in on the Smart Mundialito staged Saturday at the MCC Grounds and we join the action in the 1st half as Rasheed Ford mounts this sizzling individual effort from midfield, making his way past traffic to give league leading City Boys a 1-zip lead over Reality Youth. Just before the half expires, Jalen Kelly fires this on the run left foot that just misses the target. Make it 2-nil in early 2nd half when Cyril Jones beats Tarique Solis to sail this ball past Juan Rivero. It’s a 3-zip win for City Boys when Kaysia Requeña spin past the Reality Youth defense to fire the left foot past Rivero. City Boys continue to roll.
Meanwhile, in the match between Brown Bombers and Ladyville Jaguars, the Bombers take a 1st half lead when Jalen White fires the right foot at goal which beats goalkeeper Elroy Arnold for the 1-nil lead. In early 2nd hald, Elden Byrd gets past the Jaguars defense to fire at goal only to see Elroy Arnold take care of business. Now, check out this instinctive move by Jalen White when he trails this ball and gets it over the goalkeeper’s head to give Brown Bombers the 2-zip victory.
In other results: Collet Strikers burned Heights FC in a 1-nil affair; Hattieville Riverside Boys shocked Ladyville Rising Stars 4-nil while Young Warriors and Face of Belize battled to a 1-1 stalemate. Thus City Boys lead the league with 23pts; Brown Bombers show 19, Hattieville 17, Carlston FC 14 and Ladyville Stars rounds out the top 5 going into the final week of regular season play.
Checking in on BDBA’s Interoffice League, BWSL got back into giving a 71 to 57 basking of Belize Telemedia Limited. Maya Man warriors shook up the defending champions, Belize Bank Bulldogs with 98 to 94 big win on game high of 27 pts from Winston Pratt.
Finally folks, we say congratulations to the athletes who returned from the 17th Central American Senior Championship in Athletics at El Salvador. Belize returned with 6 of the new records set at this event: Kaina Martinez with 11:56 secs in the 100 meters, Tricia Flores with 5.95 meters in the long jump, Itohan Aikhionbare 15:67 in the shot put, Brandon Jones’ 16.22 meters in the triple jump, Katy Sealy, Faith Morris, Tricia Flores and Samantha Dirby time of 46:61 seconds in the 4X100 relay also set a new record and all gold. Belize also won 4 silver medals and 2 bronze and holds 7 Central American records. Again we say good show.
Jah over all, I’m James Adderley.
