Wednesday, August 06, 2008 Changing of the guards in NOPSSCEA football
NEGRENSE football fans who regularly troop to the pitch during scheduled matches of the annual Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural and Educational Association (NOPSSCEA) are expected to miss some faces who used to enliven the collegiate level school-based tournament.
Reigning NOPSSCEA varsity titlist West Negros University will miss the services of ace goal maker Robert Cañedo when the competition kicks off this September as the power-playing midfielder has already played out his allowable playing years in the NOPSSCEA for the Norman Fegidero-mentored side.
But Fegidero, a national coach and former RP team mainstay, earlier told Sun.Star Bacolod that while they will miss Cañedo's services, he expects his other players to step up and fill the vacancy. "I feel we will be able to fill the gap with players like Mark Ferrer and Joven Bedic, among others."
Over at the camp of reigning national University Games (UNIGAMES) champion University of St. La Salle, meanwhile, former national team coach Freddie Lazarito hopes his sophomores and rookies will fill the gaping hole in the frontline left by national team striker Floriano Pacilan who has likewise played out his NOPSSCEA years.
Pacilan who, together with midfielder Arnie Pasinabo, saw action for the national team mentored by Fegidero during the last AFC Asian Challenge Cup Group 2 Qualifiers staged in Iloilo, last saw action for his USLS side when they took the championship in the 1st Cojuangco Cup National Collegiate Invitational series played at the Panaad Sports Complex early this year.
Meanwhile, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, last year's losing NOPSSCEA finalist mentored by Carlo Torbela, is expected to try and take advantage of the absence of both Cañedo and Pacilan in the WNU and USLS lineups when the NOPSSCEA wars kick off next month.(HCV)
