Kanoa FC undefeated in Guam

Kanoa Football Club U12’s Lester Bata, left, kicks the ball in front of the tight defense of an Islanders Betde FC player during their game in the 2017 GFA Fall Gobblefest Weekend in Guam last Saturday. (Guam Footbal Association)

Kanoa Football Club’s boys U12 and girls U15 teams proved why they were the champions in a local league as they went unbeaten in the 2017 GFA Fall Gobblefest Weekend held in Guam.

Kanoa’s U12 players, who took the fall title in the 2017 NMIFA Youth League, won three games and drew two in the Guam Football Association-organized tournament held from Nov. 24 to Nov. 26 at the GFA Training Center in Dededo. The visiting club’s U15 squad, which also triumphed in the NMIFA Fall League, was unscathed, too, prevailing in all its five matches in the soccer festival.

Markus Toves started things out for Kanoa U12, as his hat trick lifted the team to a 4-1 victory over Academy Boys U11 last Friday. Sean Gil scored the other goal for Kanoa U12. Other members of the squad were Daniel Mar Pablo, Jim Kurt Maniag, Joe Emil Antonio, John Mark Anastacio, Ruben Guerrero, Joshua Park, Jerome Quidato, Lester Bata, Lelan Isaiah Deleon Guerrero, Andrew Sablan, and Devin Jordan Propst.

For its second game last Saturday, Kanoa forced Islanders Betde FC to a draw, 3-3, with Toves drilling two goals and Maniago adding one. Kanoa had back-to-back matches in Day 2 of the event and this time crushed Southern Cobras, 7-1. Again, Toves starred in the win, knocking in three goals, while Park, Guerrero, and Deleon Guerredo contributed one each. The visiting team got an own goal from Southern Cobras’ error.

Kanoa played two more matches in the last day of the Gobblefest, drawing Wings FC in the morning, 2-2, and beating Academy Boys U12 in the afternoon, 5-3. Against Wings FC, Maniago and Sablan hit the board foe Kanoa. Versus Academy Boys U12, Toves had his third hat trick in the event, while Maniago, and Gil registered the two other goals.

In the girls U15, Kanoa started its string of victories with a 4-0 shutout win over Academy Girls U14. Paulyn Grace Joyce delivered three goals for Kanoa, while Sophia Quintos posted one. Princess Alcantara, Sharmaine Francisco, Khristelle Itaas, Ericka Santiago, Hannah Santos, Maria Theresa Toves, Ruschell Valino, Sue Ann Huevos, Nathanette Vlas, and Keisha Deloen Guerrero also suited up for Kanoa U15.

Up next for Kanoa was Quality Distributors and the former cruised to a 4-0 triumph, thanks to Joyce and Francisco’s two goals each.

The squad’s two other wins were also via shutouts, as it topped Southern Cobras and Islanders in similar scores, 3-0. Joyce nailed a pair in their victory over the Southern Cobras, while Francisco made one. Against the Islanders, it was Francisco’s turn to score twice, while Joyce hit the board once. For its fifth game, Kanoa saved the best for last, as the team walloped Academy Girls U14 anew, 7-1. Joyce was unstoppable in Kanoa’s final game after firing four goals, while Huevos, Deleon Guerrero, and Santos chipped in one each.

Meanwhile, Kanoa FC president Merlie Tolentino lauded the two teams’ performance and thanked GFA for inviting their club to play in the Gobblefest.

“The two teams played well, showcasing their much-improved skills in last weekend’s event. Their participating in GFA event is sort of an incentive for their strong performance in the youth league this season,” she said. “We would like to thank GFA and the event organizers as they always give us slots in the festival.”