UNIT 6, powered by Ateneo de Davao University (Addu), lived up to its billing, scoring a rare five-peat via a 4-3 shootout victory over Unit 4 in their Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) Meet 2016 secondary boys football championship match at Tionko field in Davao City recently.
Both teams, with Unit 4 composed mainly of players from the Mintal Comprehensive National High School (MCNHS), held each other to a scoreless draw at the end of regulation, forcing a 20-minute extension.
But they tightened defense anew, foiling each other’s attempts at the goal to end up with another scoreless deadlock in overtime, thus, leading to the inevitable shootout.
Each team fielded five kickers.
Unit 6 first striker Justin Luis Uy missed his shot but Unit 4’s first kicker netted a goal for the latter’s squad to lead, 1-0. Second kicker Jose Antonio Lopez scored Unit 6’s first goal while a Unit 4 kicker failed in his attempt to level the match at 1-all.
A series of ties followed as Joshua Jericho de Luna and Amir Andre Amaikurut gave Unit 6 back-to-back goals in the third and fourth attempts but were countered by their Unit 4 rivals for a 3-all draw.
Unit 6 fifth kicker Enrico Miguel Magno also made his goal but Unit 4’s fifth kicker’s attempt failed as Unit 6 goalkeeper Gabriel Dominic Leyson caught his ball.
Unit 6 head coach Alex Adolfo, in a phone interview with SunStar Davao Tuesday, November 15, said, “Every shootout really is a showtime for the goalkeepers. Gihimo ra jud ni Leyson ang dapat nyang himuon (Leyson did what he had to do).”
He also lauded all his players for pulling off with another title triumph after crowning themselves champion in the recently-concluded Jesuit Athletic Meet (Jam) 2016.
“Motivation nalang ang nagdala sa ila. Burn out na kaayo ang mga bata gikan pa sa Jam og high spirit pud although daghan na kaayo mga injury sa mga player wala gihapon sila nisuko sa dula (The boys were motivated to win. They were burned out after the Jam but their high spirit to continue with the game despite injuries was also a key factor),” Adolfo said.
Ateneo’s Jam championship hero Joshua Royce Lim got himself injured again during the DCAA title match. He, however, thanked God for giving his team another championship in less than a week.
“It was a hell of a campaign for us considering the amount of time for recuperation due to the continuous games we played from Jam to DCAA. All of us were tired but we didn’t let our minds and bodies accept defeat and give up that easily. We chose to keep our heads up and fought until the last whistle of the match,” Lim said, adding that he felt sad with his injury but prouder for their victory.
Coach Adolfo also leaned on the services of Kyrt Anton Dimaandal, Naz Raphaele Angelo Pascual, Martin Robert Antepuesto, Jigger Nicole Martinito, Kynan Andrew Dimaandal, Hanz Jerish Denzel Banta, Miguel Francisco Royo, Billy Jhon Venus, Antonio Fagel, Stan Allen Calawigan and Enrico Luis Abear. Ruel Sasuman served as assistant coach.
Adolfo said he is upbeat for his team to represent the city to the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet where they aim to win the gold.
He is positive that his reinforcements from Emar Human and Environmental College, Rizal Memorial Colleges and University of Mindanao of Unit 5 and Mintal Comprehensive National High School of Unit 4 will beef up their Davraa title chances.