RELYING on superior skills, the Cagayan de Oro City high school and elementary booters also got a lot of help from the potholes of the dangerous Pelaez Sports Complex pitch in thrashing early round foes of the ongoing Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA) football competition here.
COAA’s secondary team, bannered by Corpus Christi skybooters, was held by the gritty El Salvador side scoreless in the first half action, amusingly a standoff partly attributed by the moon-like surface on the left side of the rain-soaked pitch.
It was a different story, however, in the second half as the host team of coach Webbie Racines came out seething in blasting off the El Salvadoreans, 7-0.
The rain that filled the holes with water apparently made it difficult for COAA bets to deliver a goal in the first half battle. But when they changed courts, Racines’ wards were able to execute their offensive plays en route to a merciless finish.
Greg Tacandong, Miguel Hojas and PJ Celdran scored one goal each, while Carl Facturanan booted in two. Subs Khalid Katiil and Juan Miguel Arcadio added one goal apiece to cement COAA’s victory.
Completing the CdO team are Germaine Averia, Gio Cahiles, James Go, Kenneth Guion, Thomas Marfori, Emelio Rubio, Jon Subesa, Daniel Uy, Dustin Uy and Lexin Yuson.
In contrast, the CdO elementary team of coach Mario Sumampong was dominant right from the start even when they the bad side of the pitch to defend.
The boys who are from Rosevale School, St. Mary’s School, and Corpus Christi School scored three goals in the first half and added another one in the second half to whip Iligan City, 5-0.
Ace striker Sam Salingay of Rosevale School once again came up charging for two early goals in the 3rd and 4th minutes. While the ‘Silent Assassin’ Vinson Manubag, also of Rosevale School, scored one in the 7th minute to put the CdO kids ahead by three goals.
An own goal by an Iligan City defender after a deflection of a Kinsey Drew Yañez strike then put CdO beyond reach leading by four goals at the half.
Sweeper Aaron Magadan then sealed the win with a long range free kick that caught the Iligan City goalkeeper off guarded.
Other members of the CdO Elementary team are Jared Tan, Jrand Hortilano, James Allado, Jeff Irvin Cascara, Kyle Chaves, Andy Lugod, Iverson Samboan, McDo Acoon, John Quinito, Carlo Bongocan, and Rawinque Gementiza. Assistant coaches are Dennis Bongocan and Rowenn Clemeña.
Other matches in secondary category saw Malaybalay nipped Tangub City 1-0, Misamis Occidental downed Oroquieta City, 1-0; and Valencia City won over Misamis Oriental, 2-1.
In elementary level, Gingoog City bested Lanao del Norte, 3-0 and Misamis Oriental defeated Bukidnon, 1-0. Competition resumes at 6 a.m. today.
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