Back-to-back for Kanoa FC

Kanoa Football Club’s Daniel Mar Pablo, left, and MP United FC’s Andrew Chung reach in for the ball during the first half of their game in the co-ed U12 division of the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League last Saturday at the Hopwood Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Kanoa Football Club kept the co-ed U12 division crown after pulling off a 2-1 victory over rival MP United at the conclusion of the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League last Saturday at the Hopwood Middle School Field.

Two early goals in the one-hour game gave Kanoa enough cushion en route to the club’s second straight division title. Kanoa got its first during the 2016 fall season against the same opponent after a similar tough victory, 3-2, in a playoff match.

Markus Toves hit his target in the fifth minute, while John Mark Anastacio followed suit three minutes later, giving Kanoa the momentum. Andrew Chung also scored in the first half for MP United when he found the back of the net in the 13th minute, but that was it for his squad, as Kanoa’s defense held on in the second half, denying MPU’s bid to regain the crown the club took for three straight seasons. MP United swept the 2015 spring and fall seasons and also won the 2016 spring title before Kanoa incidentally ended the former’s reign in the division last fall. In the spring season this year, TanHoldings was the division winner.

With Kanoa’s title-clinching victory against MP United last Saturday, the back-to-back champion finished the season with an impressive 9-0-1 win-draw-loss record, scored 54 goals, and gave up 24. MP United had a second-best 7-1-2 slate, but logged the most goals with 79 and yielded 32.

TanHoldings 7, Paire 4
Spring season champion TanHoldings settled for the third place honors this fall after completing the double round-robin competition with a 5-1-4 record following its victory over Paire.

Mark Joseph Roque stood up in TanHoldings’ final game of the season after firing four goals. He made his first two in the 10th and 13th minute and the last in the 29th and 57th. Anthony John Bergancia had a pair, hitting the board in the 27th and 48th minute, while Angelo Pulido handed TanHoldings its first goal in the third minute.

TanHoldings had a total of 52 goals and surrendered 43.

Paire, which ended the season with a 2-0-8 mark, drew two goals from Mister Dylan, who found the back of the net in the 42nd and 53rd minute. Ethan Taisacan and Dane Hodges registered the two other goals for Paire in the 24th and 50th minute, respectively.

Paire collected 28 goals and yielded 65.

Matansa 10, Kanoa-2 3
Matansa posted a lopsided win over Kanoa-2 to place fourth in the final team standings.

Matansa wrapped up the season with a 5-0-5 record and got five goals from Jin Xin Wen in the last game. Wen made a hat trick in succession, scoring in the 16th, 17th, and 18th minute, while his final two goals were logged in the 52nd and 59th. Alex and Philip Megino, Tamisha Sablan, and John Francis Santiago were the other scorers for Matansa with the latter adding two.

Leland Isaiah Deleon Guerrero also knocked in two goals to lead Kanoa-2’s losing cause, while Edison Jay Viana contributed one.