Tight races for division titles

TanHoldings Football Club’s Mareko Tekopua receives a pass from his teammate during the second half of their game against Kanoa FC during the boys U17 division game in the NMIFA youth league last Saturday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

There’s no room for error for the contenders in two division titles as the 2016 NMIFA Youth Fall League is now on its closing stage.

In the boys U17, TanHoldings Football Club and MP United FC boosted their respective championship bids after improving to similar 4-1-1 win-draw-loss records, while Matansa FC is lurking behind with its 3-2-1 card.

TanHoldings notched its fourth win in six games and first in the second round following a 7-1 demolition of Kanoa FC (0-0-5) last Saturday at the Oleai Sports Complex Field. TanHoldings coasted to victory after hitting its target in the second half where it scored six goals.

Five different players made it to the board for TanHoldings in the final 40 minutes of play. Alan Hinson was the first to hand his team a goal in the second half with his shot in the 52nd minute and was followed by Joshua Galarion (55th), Anthony Fruit (60th), Jonah Pohl (69th), and Ryan Relucio (78th). Earlier in the 57th minute, TanHoldings was credited with an own goal off Audre Camacho’s miscue, while the club’s lone goal in the first half came from Louie Calayag in the 28th minute.

The winless Kanoa avoided a shutout against TanHoldings, thanks to Kirt Andon’s conversion in the 67th minute.

With its seven goals, TanHoldings now has a total of 21 and goal difference of 15 (after deducting the six goals it allowed from the combined goals it scored in six games) to place on top of the standings, just slightly ahead of MP United (seven goal difference).

MP United matched TanHoldings’ 4-1-1 slate following a 1-0 win over Matansa in the other boys U17 division match. Sun Joon Tenorio knocked in the winning goal in the 63rd minute.

MP United, TanHoldings, and Matansa each have two games left in the double round-robin fall season. The squad that tops the team standings after eight games takes the championship, but in case of a two-way tie for the No. 1 spot a playoff match (not goal difference) will be played to decide the winner.

Meanwhile, the three teams in the girls U15 division are in the same tight race for the fall season championship.

Matansa and Shirley’s hold similar 4-1-1 slates after their second round meeting last Saturday at the Francisco Mendiola Sablan Middle School Field ended in a 2-2 draw.

Guinevere Borja tallied the pair of goals for Matansa, which now has a total of 36. Jasmine Phan and Valeria Myers nailed one goal apiece for Shirley’s, which has collected 25 goals in six games.

Joining Matansa and Shirley’s in a three-cornered fight for the division crown is Kanoa FC, which improved to a 4-0-1 record after a 7-0 victory over TanHoldings (0-0-6).

Paulynn Joyce led Kanoa’s easy win after firing six goals, five of them in succession in the second half. She got her first goal with just 45 seconds gone by in the first half, while the last five were registered in the 43rd minute, 54th, 61st, 63rd, and 64th. Kiara Maganti posted the other goal for Kanoa in the 14th minute.

Kanoa has three games left in the season, while Matansa and Shirley’s have two apiece.