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Tuesday, February 11, 2003
Masbate nips Cebu
By Patrick C. Costelo
Sun.Star Correspondent
DUMAGUETE CITY— Masbate Comprehensive National High School handed Cebu’s Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) a humbling 2-1 trouncing yesterday in the national finals of the 19th Coke Go-for-Goal Under-16 Football Championship at the Silliman ballfield.
While Ateneo de Manila University ignited its campaign with a huge 4-2 win against all-Mindanao masters La Salle Academy of Iligan in the morning’s opening contest.
“Masbate might have had an added advantage after scouting us in our first game while we haven’t seen any of their games,” said DBTC coach Glen Ramos on Sunday.
And he wasn’t wrong when Masbate grabbed the driver’s seat late in the first half.
Masbate pulled the plug on DBTC’s wing attacks by clogging the midfield and cutting the passing lanes. However, Masbate’s defensive focus also delayed its onslaught on the offensive end for most of the first 45 minutes of play.
It was already in the 38th minute when Gringo Bravo slashed to hit the back of the net tugging Masbate to a 1-0 edge. DBTC, on the other hand, missed its few chances for an equalizer through the opening minutes of the final half.
It took another 30 minutes of the final half of action before Masbate stretched its lead after smashing in the elusive second goal, which would also be its last, at the 75th minute, again from the unyielding offense of Bravo.
Reaching the endgame, though, the Masbate booters started feeling the downside of their tight defense with fatigue leaving them in the dust as the revitalized DBTC went on the assault.
“We collapsed in the last 15 minutes kaya naka-score sila (so they were able to score),” said Masbate coach Ariel Ng.
Cebu elimination MVP Jerome Batad finally broke DBTC’s scoring drought after slamming in a goal in the 88th minute. But this time, DBTC didn’t have the clock on its side as the sparse two minutes left weren’t enough for a shot at a draw. DBTC settled for a 1-1 win-loss record.
In the first game, Jay Britnet Actub drained La Salle’s first goal in the 34th minute but his team made a crucial mistake in the final three minutes of the first half, which gave Ateneo its first good look to score and even the count at 1-1.
Justin Gatmaitain stunned the La Salle crew after firing Ateneo’s second goal to take the 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute. Three minutes later, the game reached another nail-biting deadlock when Jemenrex Sabaga pulled La Salle to 2-all with a goal in the 56th.
But the rest of the game belonged to Ateneo, which capitalized on its breaks to take the lead for good starting with Ken Noda’s dagger in the 76th minute trailed by Gregorio Cancio III’s killer blow in the 85th.
The victory hauled Masbate ever closer to the No.1 post in Bracket B as it will face Ateneo de Davao, which DBTC thumped 4-2 last Sunday, in the first game today.
If everything goes right, Masbate and DBTC will head to the crossover semifinals tomorrow against the top two teams from Bracket A, with Ateneo de Manila likely to nab the top spot.
Ateneo de Manila faces in today’s 9:30 a.m. skirmish host San Miguel Provincial Community High School, which holds a 0-1 card after bowing to La Salle-Iligan.
(February 11, 2003 issue)
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