Shirley’s clinches fall title

Shirley’s Football Club’s Jerlyn Castillo dribbles in front of the defense of Kanoa FC’s Britany Wally during the first half of their girls U15 division game in the NMIFA fall league last Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Shirley’s Football Club took the fall championship in the girls U15 division of the 2016 NMIFA Youth League after downing Kanoa FC in a deciding game, 4-1, last Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field.

Shirley’s finished the season with a field-best 6-1-1 win-draw-loss record to foil Kanoa’s bid of dethroning the former. Had Kanoa won, it would have improved to a 6-0-1 mark and a victory over Matansa FC this Saturday would give the team a 7-0-1 slate. However, the loss dropped Kanoa to a 5-0-2 and it would have to settle for the runner-up honors if it beats Matansa in a make-up game this weekend at 1:30pm.

With Kanoa falling short this season, Shirley’s extended its reign in the division, getting its fourth straight title and avenging its lone loss to the former (1-2, Oct. 8 match) this season.

Jerlyn Castillo helped Shirley’s secure the division crown after scoring two goals in their final game of the season. Her pair of goals came in succeeding fashion with the first one made in the 51st minute and the second in the 67th.

Jasmine Phan and Diana Maniacop drilled the two other goals for the back-to-back fall season champion with the former lighting up the board in the 12th minute and the latter in the 25th. Paulyn Grace Joyce registered the lone goal for Kanoa after finding her target in the 57th minute.

In the other girls U15 division match, MP United FC played a spoiler role after stunning Matansa, 4-3.

Matansa entered last weekend’s game with a 4-1-1 record and would have remained in contention for the division championship had it prevailed against MP United. In the end, Matansa fell to a 4-1-2 slate and the best it could do now is place second if it wins over Kanoa this weekend, while MP United improved to a 3-0-5 card. TanHoldings (0-0-8) complete the field.

Gillian Villagomez led MP United’s upset over Matansa after registering a hat trick, including the go-ahead goal four minutes before the 70-minute game wrapped up. Villagomez’s two other goals came in the 17th and 40th minute, while MP United got an own goal in the 58th off Kanoa’s error.

Lyka Sally had two goals on a losing effort for Matansa with her first recorded in the 23rd and the second in the 57th. Matansa drew its other goal from Guinevere Borja in the 28th minute for a 2-1 halftime edge.

Playoff game in co-ed U12
MP United FC-1 and Kanoa have to play one more game this Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field to determine the winner of the co-ed U12 division crown.

MP United-1 forced a playoff match over Kanoa after demolishing Paire, 15-4, last Saturday in the first game at the Hopwood pitch. MP United-1 concluded the double-round robin regular season with a 7-0-1 mark, the same record Kanoa logged.

The Kanoa-MP United-1 playoff match will be played at 2pm at the Hopwood pitch and neither team has the psychological advantage in the rubber after splitting their regular season games. Kanoa won in the first round on Sept. 10, 4-0, while MP United-1 prevailed in their second outing last Oct. 15, 4-2.

Rintaro Miyawaki and Rohan Basnet teamed up in MP United-1’s crucial victory after combining for nine goals. Miyawaki earned a hat trick early with his goals in the third, seventh, and 10th minute before adding two more in the 48th and 49th. Basnet chipped in four, recording his goals in the 43rd, 44th, 46th, and 60th minute. Jerick Ben Quimzon and Dylan Kim contributed two apiece, while Jeremiah Diaz and Andrew Chung had one each.

Paire drew two goals apiece from Dylan Mister and Justin Weaver. Paire finished the season with a 2-1-5 record for fourth place in the team standings, losing the tiebreak to TanHoldings via goal difference -5 to -16.

TanHoldings 16, MP United-2 1
TanHoldings moved up to third in the leaderboard after also an easy win over MP United-2.

Kohtaro Goto and Oliver Fajardo led TanHoldings’ rout of MP United-2 as the former collected eight goals and the latter got six. Jaron Montenegro scored one, while TanHoldings was awarded an own goal from MP United-2’s miscue.

MP United-2 avoided a shutout, thanks to Sean Gil’s shot in the 13th minute. MP United-2 was the last finisher in the five-team field with its 1-0-7 mark.