Shirley’s stays on top; Kanoa wins

Shirley’s Football Club’s Katrina Costales, left, kicks the ball, while her two teammates step into the play during their girls U15 game in Week 2 of the NMIFA fall league at the at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Shirley’s Football Club kept its perfect record in the girls U15 division of the 2016 NMIFA Youth Fall League following a 9-0 demolition of TanHoldings FC last Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field.

The defending champion now has a 3-0-0 win-draw-loss mark to remain on top of the team standings in the five-squad field, which also has Matansa (2-0-1), Kanoa (2-0-1), and MP United (1-0-2). TanHoldings is at the bottom of the leaderboard with its dismal 0-0-4 slate.

Five different players made goals for Shirley’s lopsided victory over the hapless TanHoldings crew with Joannah Carreon leading the former with her hat-trick. Jasmine Phan and Lilian Podziewski chipped in two apiece, while Valeria Myers and Michaela Carreon contributed one each.

It took a while before Shirley’s hit the board, but once it got its rhythm, scoring became easy. Podziewski broke the ice with her shot in the 16th, while the second one came four minutes later from Myers. The defending champion went on to close the half with a 4-0 advantage, thanks to Joannah and Phan’s goals in the 28th and 34th minute, respectively.

Despite the good lead at the end of the first 35 minutes of play, Shirley’s did not let its guard down and poured more goals in the second half for the blowout. Again, Podziewski started things off for Shirley’s with her goal just two minutes into the final frame, while Michaela lit up the board anew for the division leaders in the 40th minute.

TanHoldings failed to retaliate despite a couple of attempts, while Shirley’s finished strong, drilling three goals in a span of nine minutes with Joannah registering two of them (55th and 64th minute) and Phan firing the other one in the 57th.

With its nine goals, Shirley’s tied Matansa for the most goals scored so far in the division. The two teams have 18 each with Shirley’s giving up only 6 and Matansa conceeding 11.

Kanoa has 13, as it came off a 1-0 victory over MP United in the second game last Saturday.

Toremy Diaz gave Kanoa its lone goal against MP United to hand her team its second win.

Kanoa will try to get its third victory this Saturday when it challenges the unbeaten Shirley’s in the first game at 1:30pm. In the second match at 3pm, Matansa will face MP United.

M-League starts this weekend
Meanwhile, the fall season of the M-League will begin this Saturday.

The participating teams are divided into two groups with Division A made up of Sun Palace, MP United, Matansa, TanHoldings FC, Korean Football Association on Saipan, and Paire FC. Division B has the CNMI U16 National Team, CNMI Women’s National Team, Kanoa FC, IFC Thundercats, Dragoon FC, and Shirley’s FC.

The two national teams will open the action in the M-League as they collide at 3:30pm this Saturday, while Sunday’s playdate will feature four games. In the curtain-raiser at 12:30pm, Sun Palace will duel MP United, while in the second tiff at 2pm, Matansa will take on TanHoldings. Both matches will be played at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. The two other pairings are Kanoa vs IFC Thundercats at 2pm at the Hopwood Junior High School Field and Dragoon vs Shirley’s at 3:30pm back at the Oleai pitch.