Thursday, July 03, 2008 NOPSSCEA '08 varsity soccer a tossup sans stars By Henry C. Villalva
THE 2008 NOPSSCEA (Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural and Educational Association) sports season kicks off in September yet but already, football circles in the province are buzzing with speculation on championship possibilities at the varsity level.
"It's going to be pretty even this time around with some of the tried and tested stars in the lineups of perennial contenders West Negros University (WNU) and University of St. La Salle (USLS) already out of the lineup, having played out their eligibility. So, a team like University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) is now looking at an opportunity to crack into the usual WNC-USLS rivalry," said a former varsitarian and ex-national team campaigner who refused to be identified.
USLS, mentored by former RP team coach Freddie Lazarito, will be missing the services of ace striker Floriano Pacilan, who has already played out his NOPSSCEA years while reigning NOPSSCEA titlist WNU will have a gaping hole in the middle as midfielder and former RP team campaigner Robert Cañedo has also played out his varsity years with the Norman Fegidero-mentored squad.
While both WNU and USLS will be busy making the necessary adjustments, the Carlo Torbela-mentored UNO-R XI remains intact and ready to go for this year's title.
The team already figured in the NOPSSCEA finals twice-in-a-row, both times at the expense of a Pacilan-led USLS side in the semis. Its second place finish behind USLS in the recent Barotac Nuevo fiesta invitational in Iloilo only augurs well for the title-hungry Recoletos booters.
La Salle's test will come when it tries to defend its crown in this year's National University Games (UniGames) slated in Dumaguete City this October and Lazarito hopes his rookies and sophomores will be up to the test under the leadership of RP team standout midfielder Arnie Pasinabo.
On the other hand, Fegidero remains confident his other midfield men in Mark Ferrer and Ryan Lerio will be ready to take over Cañedo's all-important role in the rotation.
Fegidero, a former national team mainstay, was coach of the RP squad that saw action in the 2008 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup Group 2 Qualifiers staged in Iloilo.
Five Bacolod varsitarians were members of that national side - Pasinabo and Pacilan of USLS, and Cañedo, Joven Bedic and Lemuel Unabia of WNU.
