Fall youth league draws 45 teams

Shirley’s Football Club, second left, and Kanoa FC players battle for the ball during their boys U14 division game in the NMIFA youth spring league at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. The league’s fall season will kick off this Saturday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Forty-five squads will see action in the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League that will kick off this Saturday at the various school fields on Saipan.

The league is divided into non-competitive and competitive divisions with teams in the latter battling for the age group championships. In the boys U17 divisions, six teams will vie for the fall title and the list includes Kanoa Football Club, Matansa FC, MP United FC, Paire FC, TanHoldings, FC, and National Developing Academy. NDA is made up of players in the CNMI Women’s National training pool and reinforced by a few more male players who are over 17, but are allowed to suit up for the squad to prepare them for off-island competitions.

Games in the boys U17 division will take place at the Hopwood Middle School Field with three matches set for each playing weekend. The division will have an 11 vs 11 format with two 40-minute halves. Teams will play in a double-round robin contest with the top finisher in the team standings winning the fall championship.

The girls U15 division, which will feature seven squads, has a different format. After the round-robin play, the Top 2 will automatically move into the semis, while the No. 3 to 6 finishers will battle for the last two Final Four berths. The division will have an 8 vs 8 format and will be played in two 35-minute halves.

Shirley’s FC, TanHoldings, Matansa, Paire, MP United, Southern United, and Kanoa are the competing teams. Three matches will be played every Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field.

Over at the Koblerville Elementary School Field, MP United, Tan Holdings, Shirley’s, Kanoa, Matansa, and Paire will fight for the boys U14 division crown. The champion will be determined by the final standings after the double-round robin play. The division will also have an 8 vs 8 format and each game will have two 35-minute halves.

For the co-ed U12 competitive division, each match will be played in two 30-minute halves and opposing squads must have five players apiece on the pitch. The team with the best record after the double-round robin contest will take the division title. There will be three matches per weekend at the Hopwood pitch and squads vying for the age group crown include Matansa, TanHoldings, Kanoa 1 and 2, MP United, and Paire.

In the co-ed U12 non-competitive level, six teams are also entered and they will play, too at the Hopwood pitch. Kanoa, Paire, Shirley’s, MP United, Matansa, and Southern United are the participating squads.

Southern United also has a team in the co-ed U10 and will be joined by Paire, Kanoa, Matansa, Shirley’s, and TanHoldings. In the U8, the list is made up of Paire, Matansa, Kanoa, MP United, TanHoldings, Shirley’s, and Southern United. Teams in the U8 and U10 age groups will play in 5 vs 5 game of two 20-minute and two-15 minute halves, respectively.