Title races still on for youth league

Shirley’s Football Club’s Jerlyn Castillo, third left, seen here dribbling during their first round game against MP United FC in the girls U15 division of the NMIFA youth league at the Francisco M. Sablan Middle School Field, scored three goals in their 5-0 victory over TanHoldings last Saturday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

It ain’t over yet.

At least that’s the case for the teams gunning for the girls U15 and co-ed U12 division championships in the 2016 NMIFA Youth Fall League.

In the co-ed U12 division, the leading Kanoa Football Club has yet to clinch the fall title despite winning its last game in the double round-robin competition. Kanoa defeated Paire, 6-4, last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High School Field to finish with a 7-0-1 win-draw-loss record.

Breathing down Kanoa’s neck is MP United-1, which improved to a 6-0-1 slate after 17-1 demolition of sister team MP United-2 (1-0-6) in the other game in the division last weekend. MP United-1 has one more game left and a win against Paire this Saturday at 12:30pm will put the former in a tie for first place with Kanoa. A playoff game will then be played, according to an earlier confirmation from league organizers, to decide the division champion.

MP United-1 stayed in title contention after showing no mercy to the club’s second team in the division. The spring season champion took the win right at the end of the first half after streaking to a 13-0 advantage.

Jeremiah Diaz led MP United-1’s outstanding start after making a hat-trick in the first 30 minutes of play, as he scored in the second, seventh, and 25th minute. Dylan Kim and Rohan Basnet added two goals each, while MP United-1 drew one apiece from Andrew Chung, Jerick Quimzon, Julianne Hall, Rintaro Miyawaki, and Coume Kaga. Hall then finished things off for MP United-1 with her three goals, while Kaga chipped in one more in the second half. Tori Weaver tallied the lone goal for MP United-2.

In the other co-ed U12 pairing between Kanoa and paire, Brian Lubao registered four goals for the winning team, while Jim Kurt Maniago and Merrick Toves contributed one apiece.

Lubao knocked in three straight goals in the first half with his first two recorded both in the eighth minute, while his third came in the 24th. Paire earned only one goal in the opening frame, courtesy of Justin Weaver’s shot in the 19th minute.

Dylan Mister drilled Paire’s three goals in the second half, but these were not enough to bring his team back in the game, as Kanoa matched the output after getting one goal apiece from Maniago, Merrick Toves, and Jim Kurt Lubao.

In the girls U15 division, Shirley’s shut down Tan Holdings, 5-0, in the first game last Saturday at the Francisco M. Sablan Middle School Field.

Jerylan Castillo starred in the easy win with her three goals. She had her first just two minutes into the game and the last two in the eighth and 48th minute. Therize Millare made the two other goals for Shirley’s, which now has a 5-1-1 record to pace the five-team field.

However, Shirley’s holds a shaky lead, as the second-ranked Kanoa owns a 5-0-1 mark with two games left on the latter’s schedule against the former’s one. The Top 2 teams will collide in a crucial game tomorrow, while Kanoa will still play Matansa (Oct. 29 cancelled match) on a later date. Matansa, which still has a shot at the division title with its 4-1-1 card, will also have its final regular season match this weekend against MP United (2-0-5).

Kanoa kept its title hopes alive following a similar 5-0 triumph over MP United in the other girls U15 division match last weekend.

Britanny Wally towed Kanoa to its fifth win after firing four goals, while Paulynn Grace Joyce recorded the other goal for the team.