Matansa, MPU boost title bids

Matansa Football Club’s Terrence Evan Belcher goes for a kick, while Kanoa FC defenders look on during the second half of the boys U17 division game in the NMIFA youth league last Saturday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Matansa Football Club and MP United FC are in a tight race for the boys U17 division crown in the 2016 NMIFA Youth Spring League following their similar wins last Saturday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field.

Matansa pounced on Kanoa FC, 9-0, in the second game to improve to a 5-1-1 win-draw-loss record, while MP United got the same mark after shutting down Paire FC, 4-0.

Terrence Evan Belcher led Matansa’s demolition of Kanoa, as he knocked in four goals, including back-to-back shots in the 15th and 18th minute. The captain’s two other goals were recorded in the 65th and 71st minute. Jamesbonie Valdez and Joshua De Leon added two goals each, while Corbin Kay Rife contributed one.

In the MPU-Paire tiff in the first game, the former got goals from four different players in the second half. Bada Lee put MPU on the board with his conversion in the 52nd, while James Kim gave the team its second goal three minutes later. Michael Lee made it three in a row for MPU United in the 75th minute, while Sunjoon Tenorio closed out for the squad with his goal in the 77th.

Both MPU and Matansa have one game left in the double-round robin spring season and results of their remaining matches will determine the winner of the division championship. Matansa will play its last match tomorrow against Tan Holdings at 9am at the Oleai pitch, while MP will duel Kanoa also at 9am on April 23.

If Matansa and MPU win their last matches, they will end up with similar 6-1-1 marks. The organizing Northern Mariana Islands Football Association has yet to announce if the tie will be resolved via the number of goals scored for the season or through a knockout game. So far, Matansa has the most goals with 33, while MPU has 21.

CO-ED U12
MPU 12, Tan Holdings 2
MP United is also in contention for the U12 championship after easing past Tan Holdings at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

Rintaro Miyawaki scored five goals in MP United’s win, giving his team a 7-0-1 record with one game left in the season. MP United will face Kanoa for its last match this Saturday and a win will hand the former the division crown. An MPU loss will allow Kanoa to tie the former for first place.

Kanoa 10, Paire 2
Kanoa improved to a 6-0-2 mark and still shadows MP United after beating Paire in the other match at the Hopwood pitch.

Merrick Toves starred in Kanoa’s rout of Paire after making a hat-trick. Ian Lubao and Andrew Sablan chipped in two goals apiece, while Daniel Pablo, Jim Maniago, and Steve Mora logged one each. Max Church and Dylan Mister scored for Paire, which fell to a 1-7 record for the last place in the team standings behind Tan Holdings (2-0-6).

BOYS U14
Tan Holdings 2, Matansa 1
Tan Holdings edged Matansa in the second game at the Koblerville Elementary School Field to move up to a 6-0-2 mark.

John Canape drilled both goals for Tan Holdings, while Iverson Santos made the lone goal for Matansa.

With the win, Tan Holdings managed to tie MP United’s record. MP United whipped Shirley’s 14-1, in the third game at the Koblerville pitch, but other details of the match were unavailable at press time. Both MP United and Tan Holdings have two games left in the season, including this weekend’s matches, and these tiffs will decide their respective title bids.

In other results at the Koblerville pitch, Kanoa downed Paire, 4-3, to improve to a 5-0-3 mark for third place in the team standings ahead of Paire (4-0-4), Matansa (3-0-5), and Shirley’s (0-0-8).

GIRLS U15
Shirley’s 3, Paire 0
Shirley’s shut down Paire at the San Antonio Middle School Field to stay on top of the division.

Jasmine Phan, Jerlyn Castillo, and Lillian Podziewski scored for Shirley’s, which now has a 7-0-1 mark to lead Kanoa (6-0-1), MP United (4-0-4), Matansa (4-0-4), Paire (1-0-6), and Tan Holdings (1-0-7).

Three more playing weekends, including this Saturday, are left in the season before the division champion is decided.

Kanoa 5, Matansa 0

Kanoa kept its title hopes alive after blanking Matansa.
Anne Valino made four goals for Kanoa, which owns the division’s second-best mark of 6-0-1. Paulynn Grace Joyce recorded the other goal for Kanoa.

MP United 6, Tan Holdings 0
MP United registered the third shutdown win in the division against Tan Holdings.
Gillian Villagomez anchored MP United’s easy victory after posting four goals. Calantha Choi and Maury Zon Tybaco chipped in one goal each to help MP United get its fourth win.