Tuesday Edition of James Adderley’s Sports Monday

Good Evening, I’m James Adderley and this is Sports Monday.

The Women Football Championship series kicked off yesterday at the Louisiana Government School field at Orange Walk where the red hot Suga City Girls hosted the Dangriga Pumas who have emerged as a serious title contender in 2012. In the 3^rd minute of the match, the home team sets to open the scoreboard off this set piece triggered by Karen Garcia, but Sherean Vasquez handles the situation. Folks we’ve just got to say that Sherean Vasquez is on top of her game today when she comes up with this save on this well struck shot from Nathalie Macias. It’s more Suga City Girls when Karen Garcia works her way through traffic to fire from pointblank range only to miss the target. Suga City Girsls are comfortably secure in the rule of protagonist when Karen Garcia gets past 2 defensive players to punch one past Sherean Vasquez for the 1-zip lead some 35 minutes in.

Five minutes later, Shelya Reina picks out Janelle Chan who is unattended inside the box and she makes it a 2-zip lead going into intermission. Suga City Girls extended their control of the match into 2^nd half when Karen Garcia deals to Gisel Baeza whose first touch frees her up for a one on one look at Sherean Vasquez and O.W. goes up 3-nil. Gisel Baeza then outruns the Dangriga defense to slice one into the far corner for the 4-zip O.W. lead. However, in the waning minutes of the ballgame, the Pumas get the consolation goal from their captain, Nykinia Kuylen whose left foot launch bounces off Jessica McCullock for the 4-1 score. Sugar City Girls would hang on to take Game 1 in a 4-1 final score and now the scene shifts to the Carl Ramos Stadium at Dangriga for Game 2.

In other football news, play in the Stann Creek Easter Cup saw Ghans crush Foreshore Elegance 8-nil and Hopkins edged Hope Creek Pumas 2-1. Regular season concludes this weekend with Southside facing Galindo Proper Fic and Hope Creek takes on Canada Hill—that’s on Friday. While on Sunday, Benguche battles Harlem and DYFA U-19 goes up against Valley Pride. Meanwhile, we say congratulations to Umadagu U-19 who won the 7^th Annual Benguche Day Football Marathon as Southside finished 2^nd and Conquerors 3^rd.

Turning to the Volleyball scene, the action was fast and furious in the male division of the Belize District Division I competition staged inside the Belize Elementary Auditorium on Saturday as Home Protector Rebels and Jaguars battled for supremacy going into the playoffs. we pick up the action in the 4^th set as Rebels tries to close out the 5 game series in set 4 with a 2-1 lead. We’re tied at 36-apiece when Shane Gentle’s serve forces an error from Robbie Gongora that cannot be saved by Elton Moore and Jaguars lead 27 to 26. Ties at 27 points apiece, Joseph Khalid Coleman setting up Elton Moore replies in kind for the tie at 28 apiece. It’s nip and tick and this touch by Khalid Coleman is good enough to tie the game at 30 apiece.

However, Jaguars refuse to quit and off this set by Albert Bradley, Derrick Morgan returns the lead to his team. Can the Rebels come back? Albert Bradley’s serve is mishandled by Robbie Gongora who gifts the easy smash to Derrick Morgan and Jaguars force a decisive Game 5 in a 32-30 final score. They would win that game easily in a 15-9 score and it’s the Jaguars going into the playoffs as the #1 seed. This they get the bye. Home Protectors Rebels finish as the # 2 seed and Scorpions in the # 3 spot which means the Rebels and the Scorpions begin a 3-game series on Thursday to determine who faces jaguars in the Championship round.

On the female side, Moen Stars easily prevailed over FQ Stars in the opener Saturday in a 25-16, 25-13, 25-6 rout. These 2 will open the playoffs on Thursday with a 3-game series to determine who faces the # 1 seed, Lady Jaguars for the title.