DEFENDING champion Davao City will field the youngest secondary boys football team ever assembled for the upcoming Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2019 that will open on Sunday, January 27, at the Davao City-University of the Philippines (UP) Sports Complex in Tugbok District, Davao City.

Head coach Marvin Lois R. Dava, who is mentoring a Davraa-bound team for the first time, bared this to SunStar Davao in a text interview.

He said, “I think we have the youngest team in Davraa since most of our players are Grades 8 and 9. We only have one senior high player.”

The city team is bannered by Ateneo de Davao University's (Addu's) Grade 9 players Jasper Rex Lim, Raphael Cesar Balan, George Gabriel Cuevas, Zane Riznelle Garfin, Ric Simon Guinoo, Naz Rafael Angelo Pascual and Sebastian A. Rendon; Grade 8 booters Psalm Emmanuel Loquero, Uriel Dalapo and Ronmer Lei Paciente; and Grade 10 player Nicholas Carlos Chavez; Southpoint School's Grade 9 player Resty Lloyd dela Cruz; Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines Grade 10 athletes Brylle Cuenca, Jericho Romero and Joshua Romero; Emar Human and Environmental College's Frank Rubiert dela Peña (Grade 10); and Rizal Memorial Colleges' Grade 11 student Ryan Christian Hermida.

It is interesting to note that Lim, Balan, Garfin, Guinoo, Cuevas, Pascual and Rendon were all members of Davraa's elementary boys football team that won the gold medal in the Palarong Pambansa 2016.

“So far ready na yung team. We are just focusing in correcting nalaHng the small details para iwas errors during the game. Everyday yung training namin and so far the team is improving everyday,” Dava, who hails from Mati City, said. He joined Ateneo in June last year.

He added, “In my opinion we have a determined, hardworking, young and dynamic team this year and I think that is enough na mag-champion ulit ang Davao City secondary boys football this year.”

Dava was also part of the coaching staff of the Laguna FC Stallions in the Philippine Football League.