Newcastle FC takes semifinals seat

Newcastle FC’s Sunjoon Tenorio, left, and Betde’s Mark Esalan battle for possession during their game in the co-ed U16 division of the 2016 Saipan Soccer School Christmas Youth Futsal Tournament last Tuesday at the TSL Sports Complex. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Early favorite Newcastle FC extended its winning streak in the co-ed U16 division of the 2016 Saipan Soccer School Christmas Youth Futsal Tournament following another lopsided victory yesterday at the TSL Sports Complex.

Newcastle FC, which has national youth players in its roster, hammered Evan FC, 13-1, to remain undefeated in three games and secure a semis ticket in the seven-team field despite having three more matches left (including its duel against Elite FC yesterday afternoon) in the elimination. The Top 4 teams after the round-robin preliminary will move into the semifinal round.

Guinevere Borja, who suited up for the CNMI U19 Girls National Team that played in the AFC U19 Women’s Championship 2017 Qualifier in China this year, scored four goals in Newcastle’s domination of Evan FC. Mareko Tekopua—another member of the Commonwealth’s youth squad—chipped in three goals, while his fellow CNMI youth standouts, Sunjoon Tenorio and Joshua De Leon, contributed two goals apiece. Joshua Abragan and Diana Maniacop, who are also part of the islands’ national youth squads, added one goal each to complete Newcastle’s rout of Evan FC.

Go Sekiguchi logged the lone goal for Evan FC, which holds a 0-1-2 win-draw-loss, pending the results of its afternoon game yesterday. Evan FC is in fifth place behind Elite FC (0-1-1), Malo Fatu (3-0-1), Astig (3-0-0), and Newcastle FC (3-0-0). Betde (0-0-2) and Kanoa Ali’I (0-0-4) complete the field.

Newcastle FC’s two other victories were against Betde, 15-0, and Kanoa Ali’i, 16-0. Newcastle FC faced Betde last Tuesday and drew four goals each from Tekopua and Tenorio to pound its foe. Borja and De Leon fired three goals apiece, while Maniacop made one.

In other results last Tuesday, Astig also shut down Evan FC, 8-0, while Malo Fatu downed Elite FC, 5-0.

Astig, another favorite in the division because of the presence of the CNMI youth players in its lineup, got two goals from Anthony Fruit and once each from James Ermitanio, Alan Hinson, Louie Calayag, Dai Podziewski, Angel Sally, and Gillian Villagomez.

Malo Fatu, which is likely to join Astig and Newcastle in the Final Four, leaned on the three goals of Andruw Omelau to top Elite FC last Tuesday. Katrina Costales and Krizel Tuazon knocked in the two other goals for Malo Fatu.

Malo Fatu played two more games yesterday and had a split, winning over Kanoa Ali’i, 10-2, to recover from a 2-6 loss to Astig. Paulynn Joyce had a hat trick in Malo Fatu’s victory, while Tuazon and John Michael Rojas contributed two each, and Kirt Andon, Thaiphi Austria, and Omelau recorded one apiece. Britany Wally and Ian Maniago had one goal each for Kanoa Ali’i

In the Astig-Malo Fatu tiff, Hinson and Fruit gave the former two goals each, while Ermitanio and Villagomez made one apiece. Rojas registered all two goals for Malo Fatu.

Meanwhile, in the U12-co-ed division, Kanoa Mighty Orange and Kanoa Ali’i settled for a draw yesterday, 7-7.

Markus Toves gained three goals for Kanoa Mighty Orange, which drew two from Merrick Toves and one each from Devin Propst and Paulynn Joyce. Brian Lubao also had a hat trick for Kanoa Ali’i, while Jaydee Jose contributed two, and Daniel Pablo and Rizza Relucio made one each.

Pending the complete results of the co-ed U12 division games yesterday, Fake Madrid II leads the field with its 3-0 record, while Kanoa Mighty Orange is in second place with its 2-1-1 mark. Gene Weaver’s Team holds 1-0-2 card, while Kanoa Ali’I has a 0-1-3 slate.

All four squads will advance to the single-elimination playoff round that will take place tomorrow.