CNMI strikers: We never gave up

The CNMI’s victory over Macau couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.

The CNMI U15 National Team had a dismal 0-4 record in the 2011 East Asian Football Federation U15 Youth Tournament before its last game against Macau at the Taipei Municipal Stadium in Taiwan last Sunday. Then Jehn Joyner made twin headers to lift the Commonwealth to a 2-1 win, saving the CNMI from a disastrous stint in the youth competition.

In its first three appearances (2006, 2008, and 2010) in the EAFF youth tournament, the CNMI went home winless and failed to score a single goal. Then this year, the Commonwealth bowed to Chinese-Taipei, eventual champion Hong Kong, Korea, and Guam. However, despite dropping their first four games, the CNMI youth strikers kept on fighting for that elusive goal and win.

“We never gave up,” Joyner said through an email from team official Carrie Schuler.

“There were a lot of things going on in my head. I felt very proud and happy,” Joyner added when asked how he felt after putting the CNMI in the scoreboard.

Joyner’s first goal off a cross from Jireh Yobech came after Macau took a 1-0 lead in the first half. Joyner’s goal was the CNMI’s first since joining a youth tournament in 2006.

By halftime with the game in a deadlock, emotions were high on the CNMI side and the Commonwealth youth strikers came out for the second half with more confidence.

Then with only three minutes gone by in the second half, Joyner found the back of the net anew to give the CNMI its second goal and first win in the EAFF competition. Credit half of the goal to Dakota Hall, who made a corner kick from the right side to set up another header for Joyner.

Parents of players and officials present at the memorable game cheered after Joyner’s goal and the celebration continued, as the CNMI hung on to the lead to win the match, its first in four meetings against Macau.

Later, players and parents who remained on Saipan flooded Facebook with congratulatory messages for the victorious CNMI youth strikers. Even the EAFF staff, including president Chung Yun of Korea and general secretary Kim Joo Sung, and Chinese-Taipei Football Association president Chiou I-Jen congratulated the team and its officials for its achievement.

Northern Mariana Islands Football Association president Jerry Tan also sent his greetings to the team.

“A big congratulations to our 18 U15 boys for their hard work. I also want to thank their parents for their support in many ways. Most of all, I would like to thank East Asia Football Federation for their continuing assistance and support to NMIFA. NMIFA will continue to do our best to develop football in the CNMI for youth, women, and men alike,” Tan said.

Joining Joyner, Hall, and Yobech on the team are Jordan Butcher, Enrico del Rosario, Ethan Dickinson, Kenneth Domingo, Gregzon Fontanilla, Joel and Mason Fruit, , William Hinson II, Kennedy Izuka, Hunter Jewell, Andrew Johnson, Angelo Jones, Jake Lee, Sean Perez, and John Taisacan. Jershwin Angeles and Kiyoshi Sekiguchi coached the team, while NMIFA general secretary Ed Salas, Kentaro Imaya, and Schuler served as team officials.