6 get Golden Boot awards

Saipan Soccer School director Eli Arago, centers, joins the Golden Boot awardees for a group photo during the closing ceremony for SSS’ 2018 Youth Futsal Tournament last Friday night at the TSL Sports Complex. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Six players from the teams that made it to the finals of their respective divisions in Saipan Soccer School’s 2018 Youth Futsal Tournament went home with the Golden Boot awards during the closing ceremony of the competition last Friday night at the TSL Sports Complex.

Fake Madrid’s Paulynn Joyce and Kaden Church were the Golden Boot awardees in the co-ed U15 division, while Bruv’s Guine Borja and Mareko Tekopua earned the same recognition in the co-ed U18 age group. Betde’s Kaithlynn Chavez and Tinsel Toes’ Markus Toves were the recipients of the similar awards in the co-ed U12 division. Tinsel Toes, Fake Madrid, and Bruv were the champions in the three age groups, beating Betde, Betde United, and CTSI Petmalu in the finals, respectively.

Church scored the most goals in the entire field with his 19 to beat the 17 of Betde’s Taka Borja and the 16 of his teammate Rintaro Miyawaki. In the girls division, Joyce was the lone player to score more than 10 goals with her 13, while fellow Fake Madrid player Katrina Costales and Betde United’s Shairmaine Francisco registered seven and four, respectively.

In the co-ed U12 division, Chavez was the runaway winner after collecting seven goals. Her teammate Julie Anne Capayas got three, the same output CTSI Petmalu’s Pia Ngewakl posted. In the boys field, Toves’ 15 topped the 10 of Betde’s Mark Joseph Roque and the nine of CTSI Petmalu’s Carvin Cruzat.

For the U18 division, Borja’s 10 goals edged the six of Katrina Costales of the Kensington Hotel-backed Suplex City. Three players—Suplex City’s Therize Millare, ABCD FC’s Krizel Tuazon, and Bruv’s Gillian Villagomez—made five each to round out the Top 3. In the boys group, Tekopua was the only player to score more than 10 with his 12, while ABCD FC’s Dai Podziewski and Islanders FC’s Taka Borja logged seven and six, respectively.

Meanwhile, organizers also recognized the Golden Glove awardees in each division.

In the co-ed U12, Mark Chavez won with his 85 saves, while CTSI Petmalu’s Kristopher Pascual (69) and Kanoa Ali’i’s Silvestre Ito (63) were ranked second and third. Daniel Matsunaga of CNMI United led the way in the co-ed U15 age group with his 73 saves beating the 67 and 53 of Betde United’s Richard Waldo and Marianas United’s Dylan Mister. There was also a close fight in the co-ed U18 division between Islanders FC’s Carla Balleros and La Fabrica’s Jonathan Mindanao as the former registered 86 saves against the 82 of the latter.

In the team awards, Kanoa Ali’i’, Marianas United, and La Fabrica brought home the Fair Play trophies.