AFTER four years of trying, the Cagayan de Oro United FC-backed Rosevale School finally captured a championship in the Thirsty Cup Football Festival at the Cebu City Sports Complex in Cebu City.
The CDO United FC was formed by the rabid football fanatic parents of Rosevale School’s football playing kids in Uptown Cagayan de Oro to support the school’s football program.
This time, their efforts paid off as the kids from Cagayan de Oro City won the Boys U15 category title in a hard way after a bruising 7-game one day compettion last Sunday in 15th edition of the most prestigious football festival for the Visayas and Mindanao island.
The Oro kids captured the title when they finished off the strong Colegio St. Thomas-Recoletos of San Carlos City Negros Occidental in a penalty shootout, 3-2 after a scoreless draw.
Goalkeeper Dave Mendoza played a hero’s role as he stopped CSTR’s last attempt in the 3-man shootout that sparked a wild celebration from the fans and players of the CDO United team.
Reliable penalty kickers Lyle Dy, Ino Butaslac and JL Cascara scored from the spot to seal the win.
CST-R advanced to the final when it upset the heavily favored St. Joseph High School of Barotac Nuevo Iloilo, 1-0 in the semis. Ironically, the Oro boys had to dig deep down into their penalty tricks and leaned on the heroics of goalkeeper Dave Mendoza to rip the talent-laden Guisseppe FC of Cebu City, 7-6, in another penalty shootout win after a 1-1 draw in the regulation.
Mendoza a long time regular goalkeeper for the Rosevale School banged in the last penalty shot for the CDO kids and saved the last shot of Guisseppe FC to ensure their place in the semis.
The Oro kids had an early scare as Guisseppe FC took the lead early off a header from a corner kick in the first half. They however refused to yield and relied on their team captain Lyle Dy to equalize in the second half.
Dy, Butaslac, Cascara, Dale Anoya, John Gementiza, and Lance Sunico, hit their targets before Mendoza’s double heroics during the shootout.
Dy, who won the MVP award, scored the winning goal early in the match in their 1-0 win over Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) in the quarterfinals after their 3-2 penalty shootout victory against Futbolitos in their first knockout stage match.
CDO United FC playoff match against Futbolitos was supposed to be a walk in the park as they blanked them, 6-0 during the elimination round in the morning.
But Fubolitos parked the bus and defended with all their might to surprise the Cagayan de Oro kids with a scoreless draw during regulation.
The Oro kids however were perfect from the spot as reliable hitters Dy, Butaslac and Cascara found the back of the net. This was the first heroic performance for Mendoza as he stopped the Futbolitos’ last attempt to secure their place in the quarter finals.
The CDO boys finished the elimination topping their group with two wins and one draw. They beat Futbolitos 6-0, Don Bosco Technology Center, 2-0 and drew with Cebu International School, 1-1. Mentoring CIS is 1996 National Coke Go-For-Goal MVP Ian Uba of Salazar Institute of Technology.
“This is the best festival title we ever had,’’ said CDO United and Rosevale School coach Mario Sumampong.
The CDO United was formed by the core of Rosevale School football parents led by Charlston and Menchu Dy, Jeff Cascara, Aldwin and Quennie Gementiza and Marlon and Marlene Casas few years back to help support the football program of Rosevale School. Other Rosevale parents Ian Lugod, Vince Manubag, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Savio, Amir Mayne, Tonette and Jun Quinito, Mr. and Mrs. Taha, Mr. and Mrs. Simene, Yves Marte Tapalla, Dennis and Yang Bongocan and Jun and Maita Gue are also avid supporters of the program.
“Our efforts have paid off. After four years of joining this tournament finally, we have a championship trophy to bring home,’’ said Charlston Dy, the prime mover of the CDO United FC.
The complete line-up of the title winning CDO United team are Lyle Dy, JL Cascara, Ino Butaslac, John Gementiza, Lance Sunico, Dale Anoya, Zach Orate, Faris Taha, Simon Simene, Anton Gue, Dave Mendoza, and Yash Abdul Rauf.
CDO United FC went to Cebu prepared and brought with them some reinforcements from Davao and Bukidnon. The club signed up reliable and experienced players Dale Anoya of Holy Cross Bukidnon and Lance Sunico from Ateneo de Davao.
Their signing paid off as both players performed well and were used in all the seven matches that they played.
A total of 24 teams from the Visayas and Mindanao played in the Boys 15Under (born 2003 and above) category.