TanHoldings bags co-ed U12 championship

A TanHoldings Football Club player, second left, kicks the ball, while a Shirley’s FC defender steps in to deflect it during their second round meeting in the co-ed U12 division of the 2019 NMIFA Fall Youth League at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

TanHoldings Football Club secured the co-ed U12 division crown in the 2019 NMIFA Fall Youth League after crushing Shirley’s Football Club, 7-1, in the penultimate week of the group’s competition last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

Kaithlyn Chavez had a hat trick, Jerald Dalawampu chipped in two goals, and Mark Ryan Costales and Monico Claridades added one apiece for TanHoldings, which notched its eighth win in as many games to rule this season’s contest with one match to spare.

TanHoldings will go for a perfect record this Saturday when it takes on the second running Kanoa in a make-up game at 4pm. Kanoa, which topped the Fall season, settled for the runner-up honors this time, as it is behind by two victories against the unbeaten TanHoldings.

Shirley’s, on the other hand, has yet to make it to the win column and will try to break the spell one last time when it faces MP United this weekend.

MP United has only one victory to show this season, as it was defeated by Kanoa, 5-3, in the other game last Saturday.

Rigel Devey lifted Kanoa to win No. 6 after delivering three goals, while Paul Lizama recorded two. William Sosa also had a pair for MP United, which got its other goal from Ian Song.

Interesting title race in girls U16
While the co-ed U12 division champion has been decided, the battle for the girls U16 title is too close to call.

TanHoldings and Kanoa are tied for first place with similar 7-1-1 win-draw-loss record, while just lurking behind at second place is Southern United (6-2-1).

TanHoldings forced a tie for the No. 1 spot in the division after getting a free win from Matansa (via default) last Saturday, while Southern United stayed in the hunt for the season championship following a 6-1 upset over Kanoa.

Erink Frink bagged four goals to power Southern United to the important victory, while Keisha Deleon Guerrero and Megan Elaysa registered one apiece. Paulyn Joyce logged the lone goal for Kanoa.

With Kanoa, TanHoldings, and Southern United in a tight race for the division crown, the winner maybe decided in the final week of the group’s competition this Saturday.

TanHoldings will challenge Kanoa in the 7pm game and a victory by either team will determine the season’s champion. A draw coupled with Southern United’s victory over MP United in the 5:30pm tiff will result to a three-way tie for first place with the former, Kanoa, and TanHoldings ending up with identical 7-2-1 cards.

Meanwhile, MP United edged Shirley’s, 6-5, in last Saturday’s game.

Audrey Castro recorded the go-ahead goal in the 54th minute for her hat trick. Her two other goals came in the 42nd and 55th, while Maury Zon Tybaco also had three goals. Katrina Costales duplicated Castro and Tybaco’s feat on a losing effort for Shirley’s, while Lilian Podziewski and Wallis Bai logged one goal apiece.