PALARONG Pambansa veteran Jasper Rex Lim of Ateneo de Davao University lived up to his billing by knocking in the winning goal for Unit 6 to escape past Philippine College of Technology (PCT)-bannered Unit 7, 1-0, in the DCAA Meet 2018 secondary boys football finals at Tionko field over the weekend.
This came on the heels of Unit 6 eking out a 3-0 victory over Crossing Bayabas National High School-Unit 3 in the semifinals.
Unit 6 head coach Ivan Caiña, in a phone interview with SunStar Davao on Wednesday, October 24, lauded 15-year-old Lim for delivering the much-needed goal few minutes left before end of regulation.
"We expected Jasper to create change in the game. He is a different player, he has this understanding and easily picks up instructions to result in tactical change. He played a special role although we really expected PCT to put up a good defense," the newbie coach, who joined Ateneo only last March 2018, said.
Ninth-grader Lim played in Palarong Pambansa elementary division thrice and helped Davraa team win the gold medal in 2016.
Lim said, "I did not expect I would be able to score at all. As a sub, there was of course a possibility that I wouldn't be able to play. So once I was called by my coach to warm up, I felt nervous yet excited."
He got into the game less than 10 minutes left. "Fortunately, I was able to receive a great through ball from Lei Paciente, beat one defender and eventually the goalkeeper."
The team was also composed of Jigger Nicole Martinito, Nicholas Carlo Chavez, Sebastian Rendon, Zane Riznelle Garfin, Yuan Provido, Naz Rafaele Angelo Pascual, Uriel Dalapo, Enea Lucarini, Psalm Emmanuel Loquero, Ronmer Lei Paciente, Raphael Cesar Balan, George Gabriel Cuevas, Ric Simon Guino-o, Kynan Andrew Dimaandal and Francis Paolo Vito Echavez with Marvin Dava as assistant coach.
Unit 6's other victims in the eliminations were Unit 4 (9-0) and Unit 2 (5-0). Caiña's wards, however, drew with Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC), 2-2. The latter lost to Unit 7, 1-2, in the other semifinals match.
Caiña said that they will resume training for the Davraa Meet 2019 in November. "I am working with coaching staff and we are still deciding the best team to represent Davao City."
The Department of Education Davao City's policy requires a Davraa team composition of 70 percent from winning team and 30 percent from other teams.
"We want to solidify our team," Caiña said, eyeing top players from Units 5 and 7 to beef up Unit 6.