DEFENDING collegiate division champion University of San Carlos (USC) remained unbeaten and at the top of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) football tournament after another win over the weekend.
USC totally outclassed University of Cebu (UC), 4-1, on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at the USC Talamban Campus Stadium.
USC went up 2-0 in the opening half with back-to-back goals from Jaire Dave Tanjay and Jasch Mari Tabar in the 36th and 39th minutes, respectively.
UC fought back with a goal by George Cabalida in the 42nd minute. It was the closest that UC would get as USC controlled the second half.
Gianrenzo Custado hit the back of the net in the 55th minute, while Ludwig Badayos joined in on the action and scored a goal in the 68th minute.
UC bounced back from that loss and defeated the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R), 2-0, on the second day of a back-to-back on Nov. 26.
USJ-R, in second place, defeated University of the Philippines (UP), 4-0, the previous day.
UC won compliments of a brace by Daniel Floren, who scored in the 29th and 87th minutes.
University of the Philippines Foundation (USPF) also got a win over the weekend with a 6-1 beating of UP.
USC is still at the top of the table with 15 points, followed by USJ-R with 12 points. UC is closing on the second spot with 11 points at third place. USPF is fourth with nine points, while UP stayed at the bottom with a point.
Meanwhile, Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) continued its dominance in the secondary division with another win. DBTC crushed USJ-R, 5-0.
Joseph Kyne Garces scored a hat-trick with goals in the seventh, 19th and 70th minutes. Carsten Pumareja and Kurt Barro added a goal each in the 45th and 58th minutes, respectively.
Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) settled for a 2-2 draw with USC in the only other secondary division match last weekend.
USC went up early with a 10th-minute goal by Alexander Villarosa. But SHS-AdC answered with an equalizer just before halftime from a goal by William Barlow in the 45th minute.
At the start of the second half, USC went up again, 2-1, after Xyrus Lloyd Maraquio scored in the 47th minute.
Jacob Wayne Almendras equalized in the 67th minute to force a draw.
DBTC sits comfortably at the top spot in the secondary division with 15 points. SHS-AdC moved up to second place with five points, followed by USJ-R with four. USC is last with three points.