Catalunan booters win anew

CATALUNAN Grande got one goal each from Nina Ricci Yanto and Rheza Cadminade to beat Ateneo Grade School, 2-0, in the Under-13 Girls Football League 2010 Saturdaty at the Tionko field.

Caminade scored in the 31st minute and Yanto made it 2-0 with her own strike six minutes later as Catalunan registered its third straight victory without in the tournament.

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Yanto, one of three players from the Davao Football Association (DFA) who played in last summer's girls 13-under Philippine team for the annual AFC Girls Football Festival for Football in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, also scored in the previous match for Catalunan.

The Lady Sakyans United FC and Holy Child played to a 2-2 draw in the other match.

Jade Carasig (1st) and Veronica Mollano (19th) were the scorers for the Lady Sakyans while Camille Aringo (12th and 21st) scored the two goals for Holy Child.

Joint Forces United picked up its first win at the expense of the Lady Sakyans, 2-1, and Ateneo Grade School crushed Holy Child, 5-0.

Michelle Danton of the SOS Children's Village accounted for Joint Forces' two goals. Arwen Allado of Sakya averted a shutout when she scored in the 39th minute.

Joint Forces FC is composed of players from Tambayan and Ateneo de Davao high school girls.

Ateneo Grade School leaned on the goals from Bambam Adao, Sanaa Jikiri and Patricia Francisco. Jikiri and Francisco finished with two goals each.

Meanwhile, highly-rated Emar booters blanked Davao City National High School (DCNHS), 4-0, in the opener of the 6th Holcim Mayor Sara and Vice Mayor Rody Duterte Inter-High School Football League at the Tionko fields over the weekend.

Jomar Acedo, a 2010 Palarong Pambansa gold medal performer, led Emar by scoring three goals (40th, 61st and 65th minutes) while teammate Gregorio Zamora Jr. had another goal in the 78th in their division A match.

Catalunan Grande also drew first blood by shutting out Barangay 22-C, 4-0, with goals coming from Jun Carlo Gonzaga on the eighth minute, Bernard Tampon on the 10th, Jade Mauricio on the 34th and Romeo Poblacion on the 42nd.

Davao City councilors Emmanuel Galicia and Edgar Ibuyan who represented Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, Holcim's Engr. Cilor Guevarra, Barangay 22-C councilor Victoria Luceño, and Davao Football Association (DFA) general secretary Erwin Protacio graced the opening rites.

Protacio, in an e-mailed statement furnished to Sun.Star Davao on Monday, said Guevarra commended the bigger turnout of entries this year that shows football is gaining popularity in the city.

"He (Guevarra) also cited Barangay 22-C for effectively pursuing a diversion program to help kids stay away from vices and illegal activities," Protacio said.

He also said Mayor Duterte, whose written speech was read by Ibuyan, was happy that more teams have joined the tournament.

"On behalf of the City Government, thank you DFA for your tireless promotion of the sport not only among the city's youth but among adults and professionals as well," the chief city executive said.

Duterte also praised Holcim and the participating schools "for giving our children the opportunity to learn football and develop their talent in the sport."

The 11-A-side single round robin league has two divisions. Division A is composed of Ateneo, Emar, Davao City National High School and Lasang where the top two teams will play for the championship.

Division B, Group 1, meanwhile, is composed of Catalunan Grande, Barangay 22 - C, Ateneo White, Montserrat Camp School de Davao, and DCNHS while Ateneo Blue, University of Mindanao, Mintal, South Point School, SOS Children's Village are entered in Group 2. The top two teams in the groups will enter the crossover semi-finals. (with CRAM)