Robbie Schorr goes for a backhand return to Moris Villanueva during the second set of their title game in the men’s open singles division of the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic yesterday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan courts. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

CNMI junior player Robbie Schorr had a strong finish in the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic as he bagged two more division titles in the final week of the competition.

Schorr, who took the boys U18 singles crown in the opening week, added the men’s open singles and doubles to his collection after prevailing in back-to-back title matches yesterday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan court. The 15-year-old player first defeated 18-year-old Moris Villanueva, 6-3, 7-6 (2), in their men’s open singles championship match in the morning before Schorr teamed up with Peter Loken in beating Bobby Cruz and Villanueva in the doubles finale in the afternoon, 6-2, 6-4.

Loken and Schorr were seeded first in the doubles and automatically moved to the semifinals. Then in the Final Four, the eventual winners slipped past Guam’s Mason Caldwell and Camden Camacho, 2-6, 6-2, 10-1, to march into the title game. Caldwell and Camacho, before losing to the No. 1 seed pair, came from a tough 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) victory against Saipan’s Steven Goodwin and Vincent Tudela last Friday at the upper half of the draw. At the lower half, the No. 2 seed duo of Cruz and Villanueva made it to the finals after sweeping Tony Kim and Ken Song, 6-3, 6-2.

In the singles play, Schorr was unseeded and qualified to the Final Four after dominating Caldwell, 4-1, 4-2. The Saipan International School student was then pitted against Cruz in the semis and also needed only two sets to win, 6-0, 6-3. Cruz arranged a semis duel against Schorr at the bottom half of the draw following a 4-0 (retired) triumph over Tony Kim.

At the top half of the eight-player draw, the No. 1 seed Villanueva outlasted Camacho, 5-4 (3), 5-3, to make it to the semis opposite Song, a 4-1, 4-0 winner over Tudela. Villanueva then eliminated Song, 6-3, 6-2, for a finals date against Schorr.

Meanwhile, after falling short in the men’s open singles and doubles, Cruz came out victorious in the mixed doubles as he and Isabel Heras survived Villanueva and Malika Miyawaki in an extended finale yesterday afternoon.

Cruz and Heras coasted past their foes in the first set, 6-0, but missed a sweep when Miyawaki and Villanueva labored a 6-3 victory in the second. Then in the super-tiebreak third set, the finalists stood toe-to-toe before Heras and Cruz pulled off a 10-8 win.

The eventual champions moved into the finals after outclassing Conatsu Kaga and Song in the semis, 7-6, 6-0, while Villanueva and Miyawaki also took only two sets to down Tania Tan and Michael Ren in the other Final Four pairing, 6-1, 6-2.

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Marivic Dunlop makes a return during her and husband Donn’s semis game against Karen Ramsey and Landon Nadler in the mixed doubles 50-and-above division of the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic last Saturday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan court. (Contributed Photo)

The husband-and-wife tandem of Donn and Marivic Dunlop needed three sets to put away Lydia Tan and David Lai and win the mixed doubles 50-and above championship in the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan court.

The No. 2 seed pair prevailed in the opening set, 6-3, but the unranked Tan and Lai refused to give up early and eked out a 6-4 victory to bring the title match to a deciding super-tiebreaker third set. In the extended set, the Dunlops regained their bearings and posted a 10-6 triumph to clinch the division title and avoid the upset axe of Tan and Lai.

Before facing Marivic and Donn, Tan and David Lai first stunned the No. 1 seed duo of George Lai and Sally Lee in the semis of the upper half of the draw, 6-4, 6-2. Earlier in the opening round, Tan and David Lai also won over Cleofe Santos and Kam Wah Kwan, 6-1, 4-3 (retired).

At the lower half of the draw, the Dunlops drew a bye in the opening round and then topped Karen Ramsey and Landon Nadler in the semis, 6-1, 6-1, to advance to the finals.

Meanwhile, other doubles winners in the final week of the TanHoldings Tennis Classic were Roy Banados and George Poquiz, Chie Sato and Ken Imaya, and Donn Dunlop and Nicky Nichols.

Dunlop and Nichols also took three sets to get the men’s doubles 60-and-above championship. They won the first set of their title duel against David Lai and Eddie Wu, 6-4, while the latter pair recovered in the second, 6-3. In the super-tiebreaker third set, Dunlop and Nichols proved to be steadier in the homestretch after posting a 10-5 victory.

The No. 1 seed Dunlop and Nicholas made it to the finals following a 4-2, 4-1 victory over Nonoy Masinda and Bert Ventura, while Wu and David Lai gained the other finals ticket after sweeping Toshio Matsumura and Gary Ramsey, 6-2, 6-3.

In the men’s 50-and-above doubles, the winners were decided after three sets, too. The No. 2 seed Banados and Poquiz dropped the opening set of their finals duel against No. 1 Nichols and Joe Quitugua, 4-6, but remained in contention after bouncing back in the second in similar scores. Banados and Poquiz went on to complete their upset over their higher-seeded foes after earning a 10-6 victory in the super-tiebreaker third set.

The eventual champions also took the long route to the finals after slipping past Alexander Martin and Buboy Sergio in the semis, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Nichols and Quitugua had the same tough win, outclassing Art Lopez and Diony Peralta, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 10-8.

In the mixed doubles 4.0, Sato and Imaya prevailed in the finals showdown between the Top 2 seeds in the division.

The No. 2 seed Imaya and Sato swept No. 2 Tan and Sam Lai in the finals, 6-1, 6-3. Sam and Tan earlier eked out a 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 victory over Otobe Mizuyo and Don Castillo in the semis to barge into the title game against Sato and Imaya—a 6-0, 6-1 winner over the Marivic and Nichols in the other Final Four pairing. Nichols and Marivic barged into the semis following a 3-6, 6-4, 12-10 triumph versus Santos and Lacbayo, while Mizuyo and Castillo completed the Final Four cast after eliminating Tisha Ferrer and Noel Biglete, 6-3, 6-3.

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Yasue Nakahara pumps her fist after crossing the finish line first in the women’s division of last Saturday’s 11th Hell of the Marianas Century Cycling Race. (Jon Perez)

Japan’s Yasue Nakahara overcame the Saipan heat and an early crash to rule the women’s pro/elite division of the 11th Hell of the Marianas Century Cycling Race held last last Saturday.

The 31-year-old, a native of Higashihiroshima City in Hiroshima Prefecture, came in 18th overall and was the 17th pro to finish the race that started and ended at the Mariana Report & Spa. Nakahara’s winning time was 4:01:51 as she joined the ranks of five-time champion Mieko Carey of Guam (2008, 2010, 2014-16), three-peat titlist Jodie Willett (2011-13) and Amber Halliday (2009) of Australia, and Guam’s Susan Seay (2007) by having her name inscribed on HOM’s perpetual trophy.

Nakahara’s much-awaited battle with two-time Olympian Jamie Wong fizzled out after the Hong Kong bet failed to finish the 115-kilometer race due to mechanical problems on her bike and a flat tire.

Nakahara also had her misfortunes early in the race, as she crashed with four other cyclists around the 30K mark of the course when she was heading out of the Bird Island Lookout-Grotto turnaround.

“I did not notice that there was someone in front of me. I could not avoid him, it was too late, and four of us crashed. I was focused and concentrating with my ride that’s why I failed to notice the rider,” said Nakahara minutes after crossing the finish line.

Nakahara, who was surprised to learn that Olympian Wong also joined last weekend’s event, suffered a huge cut on her right arm, and other bruises to her knees and feet. After the early crash, she even thought of dropping out of the race, but had a change of heart.

“I didn’t. I just got on my bike and restarted,” the Japanese said.

Nakahara, who rides for Maaslandster International Women’s Cycling Team of The Netherlands in the 2018 season of the European Tour, said the course layout and the extra 15K really pushed her.

“It was a hard and challenging course. It was also a little bit slippery. There are portions where you’re going to make climbs and you must also learn to control while going downhill. This is a good course for those who want to challenge themselves,” she added.

Hong Kong’s Chau Yu Ng stepped in for Wong, but could not catch Nakahara and settled for second place with a time of 4:32:50, while Sang Mi Oh of South Korea was a far third at 5:36:37.

The other female finishers were in the age group of the road bike and MTB divisions, Guam’s Kristian Ingvarsson (40-44) clocked in at 4:15:12 followed by Tsang Hiu Tung of Hong Kong (20-29) with a time of 4:29:20, and South Korean Myung Sook Lee (55-59), who reached the finish line in 4:48:05.

Hong Kong’s Jcy Ho topped the 30-39 age group (4:48:30) ahead of Saipan’s Ayano Braxton (5:16:52). Local bet Emily Northrop was second to Tung in the 20-29 age division with a time of 5:14:55. Kimiko McKagan competed in the road bike and conquered the course in 5:26:22, while Glorybel Tan was in the MTB’s 40-44 division and completed the race in 5:59:25.

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The CNMI Women’s National Team’s Irish Pagarao, left, and Hamid Kawsar ward each other off as they fight for possession during the second half of their semis game in the Division B of the M-League last Sunday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Matansa Football Club and Korean Football Association on Saipan arranged their title showdown in the Division B of the M-League after earning contrasting semis wins last Sunday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field.

In the first semis match, KFAS outlasted Shirley’s FC, 4-3, while in the second Final Four pairing, the unbeaten Matansa dominated the CNMI Women’s National Team, 9-2.

Daniel Jay Duenas and Northern Mariana Islands Football Association technical director Michiteru Mita scored three goals apiece to lift Matansa to the easy victory. Amzad Khan added a pair, while Jacob Montes-Sabino chipped in one.

With multiple Matansa players on target, the top-ranked squad opened a 6-1 halftime advantage. Mita hit the board first with his shot in the 10th minute, while Khan added one more just a minute later. Montes-Sabino then handed Matansa its third goal in the 39th minute, while the squad’s last three were made in a span of three minutes with Mita finding the back of the net anew in the 42nd and Duenas scoring back-to-back (43rd and 44th). The WNT’s lone goal in the first half came from Irish Pagarao.

Then with only two minutes gone by in the second half, Amzad knocked in one more goal, while Mita and Duenas delivered the final two for Matansa in the 74th and 80th minute, respectively. The WNT had another one-goal performance in the second half, courtesy of Sarah Allen’s conversion in the 57th minute.

In the other semis game, Jun Woon Lee registered the winning goal for KFAS in extra time (100th minute) to eliminate the hard-fighting Shirley’s. Chong Koo Lee and Edwin Kim were the other scorers for KFAS, while three different players also made it to the board for Shirley’s.

Dindo Pablo broke the ice for Shirley’s in the 30th minute and their squad went on to establish a 2-0 halftime edge, thanks to Sungbae Park’s goal in the 43rd.

However, Shirley’s failed to hang on to the lead, as KFAS mounted a comeback in the second half with Gil breaking the latter’s silence in the 59th minute to move his team within one. Then two straight goals from Kim—in the 68th and 76th minute—put KFAS on top before Shirley’s forced the second deadlock in the 86th minute off Jerry Tan’s shot.

With the game still tied at the end of regulation (90th minute), game officials gave the opposing teams 15 minutes to settle the match and KFAS went on to complete the come-from-behind win off Jun Lee’s dagger.

KFAS will dispute the Division B championship against Matansa this Sunday.

Meanwhile, in Division A, Kanoa FC took the third semis seat following a 3-0 victory over Paire FC.

Ruselle Zapanta, Ichiro Borja, and Andruw Omelau delivered the goods for Kanoa with the former starting things out for the winning squad after both teams failed to score in the first half. Zapanta lit up the board in the 58th minute, while Borja followed suit in the 66th and Omelau closed out for Kanoa 10 minutes later.

With the shutout win, Kanoa joins TanHoldings and the Teen Ayuyus to the Final Four. Okadaya and Sun Palace battled for the fourth and last semis berth, but the winner of last Sunday’s game has yet to be decided due to technical issues.

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Richard Steele serves to Seung Jin Paik in their game in the boys U14 singles event of the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic during the opening week of the tournament at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan court. Steele teamed up with Maria Gregoire in the final week and they won the mixed 4.0 doubles title. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Junior players Maria Gregoire and Richard Steele bested five other pairs to take the mixed doubles 4.0 division title in the 9th Annual TanHoldings Tennis Classic last Sunday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan court.

Gregoire and Steele clinched the division crown following a 7-6, 6-3 victory over fellow junior players Hye Jin Elliot and Anthony Gregoire in the finals. Maria and Steel were the No. 1 seed players in the group and drew a bye in the opening round for an outright semis berth. In the Final four, the eventual champions registered a 6-3, 6-1 triumph over Ami Miyawaki and Randy Steele, who made it to the semis after a walkover win against Samantha and Simon Sergio.

While Richard and Maria needed only two sets to march into the finale, it took Elliot and Anthony three sets to stun No. seed Grace Choi and A.J. Hudkins, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8, and move into the championship game. Elliot and Anthony earlier swept Japan’s Chiharu and Kosuke Sato, 6-1, 6-4 to set up a semis date opposite Choi and Hudkins, who got an outright semis berth after a bye in the opening round.

In other results, No. 2 seed Martin Jambor and Leith Poole pulled off an upset over No. 1 and father-and-son duo Eric and Joshua Abragan in the men’s doubles 4.0 finals, 6-3, 7-5. Jambor and Poole entered the finals after a 4-2, 4-1 win over Christopher Aninzo and Clayton Izuka, while the Abragans defeated Andy Cho and Alex Park in the other semis pairing, 4-1, 4-0.

Eric Abragan also played in the men’s 4.0 singles and this timed triumphed in the round-robin competition. He took the division crown after downing Edwin Simbulan, 6-3, 7-5, and Gani Cortez, 7-5, 7-5. Cortez settled for the runner-up honors following his 7-5, 6-4 victory against Simbulan.

Mayling Colombo and Vickie Izuka were unbeaten, too in the round-robin contest in the women’s 3.0 doubles to join the champions circle in the annual tournament. Colombo and Izuka won over Ami Miyawaki and Chiharu Sato, 7-5, 4-6, 10-8, and Lina Villagomez and Maro Villanueva, 6-3, 6-1. Miyawaki and Sato placed second following a 6-2, 6-2 win against Villagomez and Villanueva.

In the men’s 3.0 singles, Ambet Omampo was the champion as he topped Arnel Pascua, 6-3, 6-4.

In the men’s 4.0 singles, Ken Imaya prevailed against two other players. He downed Randy Steele last Saturday, 6-0, 6-0, and had a similar shutout win over Simbulan last Sunday to clinch the division crown.

Imaya also played in the men’s doubles 4.0 doubles, but he and Jeff Bristol lost to No. 1 seed Don Castillo and Ronnie Lacbayo in the finals, 6-4, 6-4. Castillo and Lacbayo marched into the title game following a 6-3, 4-6, 10-7 semis victory against Ronnie Decena and Bong Gamamb, while Imaya and Bristol swept No. 2 Roy Banados and Noel Biglete in the other Final Four pairing, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

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It’s 4 versus 1, as Garapan Elementary School players and Mt. Carmel School’s Markus Toves, second left, chase the ball during the second half of their game in the 2017 NMIFA Fall U11 Interscholastic Soccer League last Monday at the GES pitch. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Koblerville Elementary School was perfect in the opener, while defending champion Mt. Carmel School settled for a draw against Garapan Elementary School during their debut in the 2017 NMIFA Fall U11 Interscholastic Soccer League.

Koblerville dominated Kagman Elementary School, 5-0, in the girls division match at the former’s turf last Thursday, while the Umangs also prevailed against the visiting team in the boys game, 8-1.

Monico Claridades powered the Umangs to the easy win over Kagman after scoring a hat trick. Anthony Austria added a pair, while Abraham Jay Saralu, Jared Villagomez, and Keith Torres contributed one each. Keosi Alokoa drilled the lone goal for Kagman.

Koblerville registered six of its total goals in the first half to set the tone in the match, while Kagman averted a shutout loss when Alokoa hit the board in the second.

In the girls division, Koblerville also got off to a good start, firing four goals against none from Kagman. Rosie Saralu delivered back-to-back goals for the Umangs, while Megan Elayda and Tanaya Willy also scored in the first half for the host team. Elayda then added one more in the second half to cap Koblerville’s impressive debut.

In other results, Mt. Carmel School had a scoreless draw against Garapan in the boys division game last Monday at the GES field, while Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School and William S. Reyes Elementary School split their matches.

In the girls division, WSR pulled off a 2-1 win over GTC at the latter’s home field in San Roque.

GTC drew first blood in its debut match after Pia Ngewakl found the back of the net in the 26th minute. However, the host squad failed to keep the shaky lead, as Rizza Relucio saved the day for WSR with her two straight goals, making the equalizer in the 40th minute and the go-ahead goal nine minutes later.

After the sorry loss in the first game, GTC redeemed itself in the second match after nosing out WSR in the boys division, 1-0. Pia’s brother Nolan registered the lone goal for GTC in the ninth minute.

Meanwhile, GTC was eyeing win No. 2 yesterday as it faced MCS in the second game at the Hopwood Middle School Field. In the curtain-raiser, Mt. Carmel and GTC’s girls teams collided. Results of both matches were unavailable at press time.

Two more boys division games were scheduled yesterday with WSR hosting Koblerville at 4:45pm and Kagman and Garapan playing at the Chacha Middle School Field at 3:45pm. In the girls division, the defending champion WSR eyed its second win yesterday as it dueled Koblerville in the 3:45pm match.

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Finals MVP Ron Gamboa of Batang Bear Brand, second left, is surrounded by the Silencer defenders during the third quarter of their title game in the IT&E-sponsored Ali’i Blue Haus caging last Saturday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Black Mamba’s Alex Lauron and Batang Bear Brand’s Ron Gamboa won the most coveted individual award in the 2nd Ali’i Blue Haus Invitational Basketball League.

Lauron was named the regular season most valuable player, while Gamboa took the Finals MVP title during the awards ceremony for the IT&E-sponsored league last Saturday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

The Black Mamba forward averaged in double figures in scoring, leading his squad to a seven-game winning streak in the elimination. Lauron and his Black Mamba were then ranked third after the regular season as it earned a 7-4 record in the round-robin competition.

Gamboa, on the other hand, top-scored in Batang Bear Brand’s 88-69 demolition of the Silencer in their winner-take-all title match last weekend. Gamboa exploded for 33 points, as Batang Bear Brand hardly missed the contribution of Hal Spott with the former stepping up and making rally-halting baskets in the finale.

Both Gamboa and Lauron received trophies and cellular phone presented by Blue Haus’ Cecille Camama and IT&E’s Rob Harell.

Meanwhile, medals were awarded to Mythical Five members Sean Rabasto of Empe Light, Tropang Ridhors’ Ken Viray, White Haus’ Jun Tabora, the Silencer’s Mike Estores, and Lauron.

Other individual awardees in the league were Sixth Man Joseph Galulu of Team Sawi, Best in Sportsmanship Gino Libuw of Vendetta, and Best Defensive Player Yosh Gabaldon of Black Bamba. In the 3-point shooting category, Batang Bear Brand’s Jeff Che and the Gold Ballers Dan Mateo shared the award, while there were also two winners in the most rebounds division—the Silencer’s Kelvin Fitial and White Haus’ Arjay Nonato.

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Thaiphi Austria, right, seen here battling a Hualien Football Club player for possession during a friendly game on Saipan this year, is part of the CNMI Boys U18 National Team that will head to Hong Kong this weekend for a training camp. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Three matches against highly competitive squads await the CNMI Boys U18 National Team as it heads to Hong Kong this weekend for a five-day training camp.

“This training camp is very important for us to prove our current level and improvement and build confidence,” Teen Ayuyus coach and Northern Mariana Islands Football Association technical director Michiteru Mita said in an interview with Saipan Tribune last Tuesday.

The 18-player squad will leave for Hong Kong this Sunday for the training camp that will run until Dec. 14. In the former British colony, the Teen Ayuyus will be playing against Chelsea FC HK U18 and Kechee Soccer Club U18, and the All Blacks.

The training camp was arranged through Chelsea FC Soccer School (Hong Kong) technical director Luam Khen Koo and coach Jacky Lee after NMIFA president Jerry Tan vowed to look for other opportunities for the Teen Ayuyus who missed last month’s AFC U19 Championship 2018 Qualifiers.

“The boys have been practicing hard for the AFC tournament since last year. Unfortunately, we couldn’t participate. However, the boys stayed positive, looking to new vision which is the Marianas Cup 2018,” Mita said.

The Teen Ayuyus were supposed to play against Australia, North Korea, and Hong Kong in the AFC U19 Championship 2018 Qualifiers from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8, but decided to withdraw from the qualifier after a venue change about three weeks before the competition kicks off. Australia was the original host country, but had to drop out of its hosting duties due to travel issues against North Korea. Vietnam was then designated as the neutral host, leaving the Teen Ayuyus with limited time and funds to make new travel arrangements. A neutral venue meant participating teams must pay $25,000 to the host country.

After passing on a chance to square off against Australia, North Korea, and Hong Kong, the Teen Ayuyus will now test their mettle against three tough teams in Hong Kong.

“We will play against Chelsea and Kechee U18, which both have players on the Hong Kong national team. They are also among the top youth clubs in Hong Kong,” Mita said.

As for the All Blacks, the Teen Ayuyus coach said the squad is organized by African players, who are either currently playing or had played in Hong Kong professional league

“All games will be very tough so it will be a very good opportunity to expose ourselves to strong teams and show them how we play football,” said Mita, who wants to see the Teen Ayuyus be more aggressive on offense in their training matches in Hong Kong.

“We try to build our style of play, which is attacking football. Football’s most exciting part is scoring a goal. To score, our team has to possess the ball. We kept training to improve ball possession using the field wide and depths. I want to see how much we can create chances while having possession against strong opponents,” the coach added.

The Hong Kong-bound squad is composed of Joshua Abragan, Kirt Andon, Christopher Aninzo, Thaiphi Austria, Louie Calayag, Jonathan Capayas, Joshua De Leon, Euly James Ermitanio, Anthony Fruit, Hark Joshua Galarion, Eun Syu Hahn, Sebastien Manabat, Joshua Mendez, Dai Podziewski, Ryan Relucio, John Michael Rojas, and Sunjoon Tenorio. Ruselle Zapanta is the team manager.

“I’d like to thank Coach Koo and Jimmy for the arrangement in the HK side, my boys and coaching staff for their hard work, and also the clubs, parents, supporters, and NMIFA for helping us get this opportunity. We will do our best to bring best results for our supporters,” Mita said.

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Okadaya goalie Shunsuke Katagiri kicks the ball during an earlier regular season game against Sun Palace in the Division A of the M-League at the Hopwood Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Okadaya was awarded the fourth and last semis ticket in Division A as M-League officials ruled out that Sun Palace forfeited its playoff match against the former after walking out of last Sunday’s game at the Hopwood Middle School Field.

Sun Palace decided not to play the remaining nine minutes of its duel against Okadaya in protest of a red card charged to Jihu Jin, who was also called for an infraction in a previous play. It was a bad decision for Sun Palace as it was ahead in the make-or-break match, 2-0. Jun Sik Kim scored the first goal for Sun Palace in the 16th minute, while Feng Chung Jin hit the board in the 55th minute.

The team put the results of the game under protest, but M-League officials stood by the earlier decision of the head referee citing league rules on walkouts.

Rule 9 on team no show/forfeiting games states that “if a team walks off the field prior to the end of the match or prior to the referee calling a match, the team leaving the field will be assessed a forfeit (0-3) loss and all penalties associated with the forfeit: all players leaving the pitch will receive yellow cards, these will combine with any other cards accumulated during the match and will count toward yellow card accumulation and the team will be fined $100, which must be paid prior to the following match.”

With Okadaya getting the free pass to the semifinals, it will now face regular season top finisher and undefeated TanHoldings in the battle for the first finals berth on Dec. 17 at 12pm. The Teen Ayuyus and Kanoa will collide for the other finals ticket, also on Dec. 17, at 3pm. Winners of the semis games will square off for the Division A championship on Dec. 23.

TanHoldings and the Teen Ayuyus gained outright semis slots after a Top 2 finish in the elimination, while Kanoa bagged the third Final Four spot following a 3-0 victory over Paire last Sunday.

Meanwhile, in the Division B finals, undefeated Matansa will face Korean Football Association on Saipan this Sunday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field.

KFAS took the first finals seat after nosing out Shirley’s FC, 4-3, while Matansa advanced to this weekend’s title game following a 9-2 demolition of the CNMI Women’s National Team, 9-2.

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Koblerville Elementary School’s Megan Elayda, left, tries to dribble past a Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School defender during the second half of their game in the 2017 NMIFA Fall U11 Interscholastic Soccer League yesterday at the KES pitch. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Mount Carmel School and Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School split their matches, while Koblerville Elementary School and William S. Reyes Elementary School had a standoff as action in the 2017 NMIFA Fall U11 Interscholastic Soccer League continued last Tuesday.

GTC won its girls division game against Mt. Carmel at the Hopwood Middle School Field, 1-0, thanks to Pia Ngewakl’s shot in the second half. The Knights then foiled GTC’s bid for a sweep after escaping with a similar 1-0 triumph. Leland Deleon Guerrero scored the goal for Mt. Carmel, giving his team its first win this season after settling for a scoreless draw against Garapan Elementary School last Monday.

GTC also got its first victory in the girls division, bouncing back from a 1-2 loss to WSR during the league’s opening day last week. In the boys division, GTC dropped to a 1-0-1 win-draw-loss mark, failing to make a followup on its 1-0 debut win against WSR.

WSR missed on its bid for back-to-back victories after a 2-2 draw against Koblerville at the former’s home field last Tuesday. Rizza Relucio and Ana tallied the two goals for WSR in the first half, while Koblerville drew one from Rosie Saralu in the opening frame. Andrielle Coloma made the equalizer for Koblervile in the second half.

In the boys division, WSR topped Koblerville, 4-1. The Kingfishers broke away in the second half, firing three goals, while the Umangs also got their lone goal in the match in the final period.

Meanwhile, Garapan crushed Kagman Elementary School, 11-0. Garapan was off to the races in the first half after knocking in eight goals before slowing down a bit in the second, while Kagman failed to counter to absorb its second straight loss.

Kagman was hoping to gain its first victory yesterday as it was scheduled to challenge Mt. Carmel at the Chacha Middle School Field. Two more matches in the boys division were played yesterday with Koblerville battling GTC at the KES pitch and WSR hosting Garapan. In the girls division, it was also Koblerville vs GTC at the former’s turf, while Mt. Carmel dueled Kagman.

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MP United FC U17 players hoist the perpetual trophy after beating TanHoldings FC in the finals, 4-0, in the 2017 Fall Challenge Cup last Saturday at the Hopwood Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

MP United Football Club topped the 2017 Fall Challenge Cup after shutting down TanHoldings FC in the finals, 4-0, last Saturday at the Hopwood Middle School Field.

Sunjoon Tenorio anchored MP United’s easy victory as he made back-to-back goals to close out the team’s offense. The MP United striker drilled his first goal in the 70th minute and the second and last one two minutes later.

Edwin Kim and Joshua Abragan were the other scorers in MP United’s title victory over TanHoldings, which managed to force a scoreless draw in the first half before folding up on defense in the second. Kim broke the ice in the winner-take-all finale with his conversion in the 65th minute, while Abrahan made it a 2-0 advantage for MP United with his shot two minutes later. MP United remained aggressive on offense, paving the way for Tenorio’s brace.

Tenorio ended up winning the Golden Boot award in the short tournament after earning three goals in two games. He had one in MP United’s 5-1 triumph over Kanoa FC in their semis game last Wednesday. Anthony Fruit, Kwang Jo Lim, and Dai Podziewski were the other players who hit the board for MP United in their match versus Kanoa with the latter posting a pair.

Completing the roster of MP United, which also ruled this year’s spring and fall seasons of the boys U17 league, are Golden Glove awardee Chris Aninzo, Eui Jin Byen, Andy Cho, Eun Syu Hahn, Jun Bum Huh, Clayton Izuka, Oliver Lee, Kevin and Alex Park, Jonah Pohl, Skyler Poon, and Rinto Takahashi. Lydia Tan and Eric Abragan are the team manager and coach, respectively.

MP United had a rematch against TanHoldings for the Challenge Cup after the latter blanked Matansa, 3-0, in the other semis pairing. Mareko Tekopua, John Guiller Canape, and Emmanuel Aniana delivered the goals for TanHoldings.

With MP United winning anew against its perennial rival, the former was awarded the perpetual trophy in a brief awards ceremony after the title game last weekend. Northern Mariana Islands Football Association executive director Ruselle Zapanta presented the trophy to MP United.

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Marianas Baptist Academy’s Hyun Jun Roh drives against a Grace Christian Academy defender during their boys high school division game in the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Mt. Carmel School, Grace Christian Academy, and Agape Christian School earned automatic semis berths in the boys high school division of the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League as they finished in the Top 3 at the conclusion of the regular season.

The Knights led the early semifinalists list as they wrapped up the double-round robin contest with a 7-1 record, absorbing their lone loss at the hands of Agape, 55-59. Mt. Carmel then settled the score with its first round tormentor after whipping Agape last Thursday, 74-21. The Knights are the defending champions and will be gunning for their third straight division championship this year after whipping Marianas Baptist Academy in last season’s finale, 70-35, and Eucon International School, 55-46, two years ago.

The GCA Eagles, on the other hand, had the second best record in the five-team field with their 6-2 mark this season. GCA also won its final game before the playoffs after downing MBA last Friday, 55-44. The Eagles’ two defeats were against the Knights, 55-37, and 48-42.

Matthew Mamaril anchored GCA’s 11-point winning margin against MBA after scoring 22 points, including 11 in the third period. Minsu Park had 21 markers for MBA.

Agape joined GCA and Mt. Carmel to the semifinals after posting an even 4-4 mark. The Torchbearers managed to gain early cushion to make it to Final Four as they won their first four matches before dropping the last four—with the final one against MBA, 56-70.

MBA was ranked fourth with its 3-5 record and will be playing Saipan International School for the fourth and last semis ticket today at 3:30pm at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. The Geckos are winless in the regular season, leaving MBA the highly-favored team to advance to the next round.

In the semis, which will be played this Thursday, the winner in the MBA-SIS tiff will challenge the No. 1 seed Mt. Carmel at 3:30pm. Then in the second Final Four tiff at 4:30pm, it will be GCA versus Agape. The survivors of the pair of semis matches will collide for the title this Friday at 4:30pm, after the 3:30pm finale in the girls high school division.

The girls championship are contested by two Mt. Carmel teams, Agape, and MBA. MCS 1, which was perfect in the regular season with its 6-0 mark, will meet MBA in the first semis game tomorrow at 3:30pm, while MCS 1 and Agape will battle in the other Final Four match at 4:30pm.

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Participating teams and coaches in the National Elite Academy League pose for a photo before the start of their games last Saturday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School ruled the first leg of the National Elite Academy League after earning an unbeaten record in the six-team competition.

GTC posted a 5-0-0- win-draw-loss record in the initial leg of the NEA League that was divided into two parts with the opening set of matches played last Nov. 10 and the final last Saturday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. The Binadus shut down its first two opponents last month, topping San Vicente Elementary School, 4-0, and downing William S. Reyes Elementary School. GTC then registered its biggest winning margin against Oleai Elementary School, 12-0, while the former completed a sweep of the first leg of the league after outclassing Koblerville, 2-1, and Garapan Elementary School, 4-1, last weekend.

With its 22 goals, GTC scored the most out of the six teams and also yielded the least (2) for an impressive showing in one of Northern Mariana Islands Football Association’s grassroots programs. NEA was created three years ago to introduce soccer to elementary school students. NMIFA staff members and other volunteer coaches conduct the program, visiting various elementary schools on Saipan on weekdays, selecting players, and teaching them soccer skills. Once a team from each school is formed, NMIFA coaches train them regularly and then have them compete in the NEA Cup at the completion of the program. This fall season, NMIFA had the NEA League, which is divided into three legs with the second one to start in January next year.

Garapan finished second to GTC in the first leg as the Mallards earned a 4-0-1 record. Garapan got off to a good start after blanking San Vicente, 6-0, and then edged WSR in its second game, 2-1. After a 1-4 loss to GTC, the Mallards swept their last two games, beating Oleai, 6-0, and Koblerville, 4-1.

WSR was ranked third with its 3-0-2 slate. WSR’s three victories were against San Vicente, 3-0; Oleai, 6-0; and Koblerville, 4-1. Koblerville registered a 1-1-3 record, the same mark San Vicente had, but the former won the tiebreak (decided by goal difference) to place fourth and drop the latter to fifth. Oleai was at the cellar of the team standings as it went winless in the first leg of the NEA League.

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Marianas Baptist Academy’s Jeong Min Son, third left, loses the ball against the defense of three Saipan International School players during the second quarter of their playoff game in the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Marianas Baptist Academy took the last semis seat in the boys high school division of the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League after downing Saipan International School in their playoff game, 57-42, yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Dave Lee and Stephen Eo scored in double figures to lift MBA to the easy win and eliminate SIS. Dave had a game-high 20 points, while Eo contributed 15 markers. Min Su Park and Junsik Kim also helped MBA’s cause, as they combined for 14 markers.

Dave and company controlled the win-or-go-home match right from the get-go, as they built an early twin-digit lead after the first quarter, 19-8. Park and Dave teamed up in MBA’s good start as they outgunned the entire SIS crew in the opening eight minutes of the game after firing 13 points. Eo registered the 6 other points of MBA with all of them coming from downtown.

MBA then stretched its lead to as much as 21, 29-8, as it held SIS scoreless in the first three minutes of the second quarter. The Geckos, behind A.J. Hudkins and Eric Kim, then picked up their scoring late in that period after going for a 13-2 windup to stay in the game, 21-31.

However, MBA widened the gap again in the third canto, as Eo waxed hot anew from the 3-point area, knocking down three triples. Dave, who was held to two field goals in the second frame, also regained his form in the penultimate quarter to hand MBA a 50-29 advantage, entering the final period.

The huge lead in the third quarter gave MBA enough cushion against the Geckos’ rally in the fourth. Hudkins and Kim finished with 13 points each on a losing effort for SIS.

With the victory, MBA set up a semis duel against No. 1 seed Mt. Carmel School, which gained an automatic Final Four berth after topping the regular season.

“It will be a tough assignment for us, but we will do our very best. We will treat our game against Mt. Carmel as a championship match, we will play all out,” said MBA coach Brendon Perez.

Incidentally, MBA and Mt. Carmel fought for the division title last season with the Knights prevailing, 50-39. Mt. Carmel coach Francis San Nicolas watched the MBA-SIS playoff game yesterday to scout their semis foe.

San Nicolas and Perez’s players will collide for the first finals berth tomorrow at 3:30pm with the 4-peat seeking Knights heavily favored in the semis tiff. Mt. Carmel defeated MBA twice in the regular season, 43-22, and 58-44.

The winner of the MBA-Mt. Carmel Final Four duel will battle the victor of the Grace Christian Academy-Agape Christian School showdown in the one-game finals this Friday at 4:30pm.

MBA 57— D. Lee 20, Eo 15, Park 7, Jeong 7, Hwang 4, Shin 2, Roh 2.

SIS 42 — Hudkins 15, E. Kim 15, M. Lee 8, Jang 2, Park 2.

Scoring by quarters: 19-8, 31-21, 50-29, 57-42.

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The CNMI Boys U18 National Team’s Joshua Abragan, second left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the goal that gave the Teen Ayuyus the win against Kitchee Sports Club last Monday night at the Mong Kok Stadium in Hong Kong. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI Boys U18 National Team left a good impression in its first training match after downing Kitchee Sports Club’s youth squad, 1-0, last Monday night at the Mong Kok Stadium in Hong Kong.

Joshua Abragan delivered the goal for the Teen Ayuyus around the 10th minute of the second half, but credit half of it to the team’s defense, as his shot came after their midfielders forced the host team to commit an error. The CNMI’s midfield was manned by James Ermitanio, Anthony Fruit, and John Michael Rojas, while the other starters for the team were goalkeeper Christopher Aninzo, Ryan Relucio, Hark Galarion, Dai Podziewski, Thaiphi Austria, Louie Calayag, and Eun Syu Hahn. Sunjoon Tenorio, Jonathan Capayas, and Kirt Andon were the substitutes.

Coming into the game with little knowledge about their foes and dealing with the cold weather, the Teen Ayuyus leaned first on their defense to frustrate Kitchee SC, whose players are either selected to suit up for the Hong Kong national team or its men’s squad that is competing in the Hong Kong Premier League. The club also has the Kitchee Soccer Academy, making the group one of the top youth squads in Hong Kong.

“We arrived early at the facility at 5:30pm (HK time) only to find out that we may need to leave because an athletics group had reserve the venue from 6pm to 8pm. Luckily, with the permission from the athletics group, we were allowed to stay but hidden at one end by the locker rooms. At first we were outside, dealing with the cold, trying to stay warm and waiting for our time to use the field, but after a half hour or so, the grounds keeper had spotted us sitting in the hallway and eventually allowed us to use the locker room. Coach Mita explained to the team that things like this happens, especially when you are the away team and we should do our best to be prepared, adjust to the situation, and stay focused,” team manager Ruselle Zapanta said in a message sent to Saipan Tribune.

The Teen Ayuyus persevered against the odds, holding their ground against Kitchee. Zapanta said the team played pressured defense against the home team and made solid tackles to prevent their opponents from scoring in the first half.

Then after blanking Kitchee in the first half, a more confident CNMI crew showed up in the second part of the game en route to winning their first training match.

“They got more possessions and created more opportunities to score. Eventually, the pressure from our midfield forced mistakes and the team was able to counter with Abragan slotting the ball passed the keeper,” Zapanta said.

The Teen Ayuyus hung on to the shaky lead despite the repeated attempts of Kitchee to score. This time it was the back defenders’ turn to foil Kitchee’s bid to hit the board and avert a loss against the visiting squad.

The close win against Kitchee was timely for the CNMI, as the latter was scheduled to face an equally tough Chelsea FC Soccer School Hong Kong U18 last night for its second training match.

“It was a great result and gave positive vibes to the team,” said Zapanta, who thanked Chelsea FC Soccer School Hong Kong and its coaches and staff for their assistance and warm accommodation.

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Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan’s Paul Quizon, center, is double teamed by Shirley’s Coffee Shop’s Isaiah Bordon, left, and Jess Nicdao during the second quarter of their game in the TanHoldings caging last Saturday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Last year’s finalists Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan and Kanoa Resort won their debuts in the 2017 Tan Holdings Inter-Company Basketball League in contrasting fashion last Saturday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Fiesta, which bowed to the twice-to-beat Kanoa in last season’s finale, eased past Shirley’s Coffee Shop, 75-48, to start its campaign on a positive note. Kanoa, on the other hand, pulled off a come-from-behind 42-40 win over Lower Base.

Troy Ngirarois stood out in his first game in a Fiesta uniform, as the new recruit scored 16 points, muscling his way inside the paint against the much smaller and lankier frontliners of Shirley’s. Four other Fiesta players, who were all part of last year’s runner-up team, hit double figures to whip Shirley’s. Krisgel Arreza tallied 11 markers, while Fradel Sedillo, Arjay Nonato and Paul Quizon chipped in 10 each.

With Fiesta having too many options on offense, the squad did not even need the contribution of its main gunner Elmer Esdrelon, who saw limited minutes in the team’s first game. Ngirarois and company worked together on offense to lift Fiesta to a 33-16 halftime lead. Fiesta was never threatened after that, as only John Jugos stepped up for Shirley’s in his failed bid to keep his team afloat. Jugos finished with a game-high 20 points.

Meanwhile, in the last game in the opening day, Dindo Pablo scored Kanoa’s last 4 points to help his squad escape past Lower Base.

Pablo had a team-high 12 markers, 10 of them were made in the second half, which started with Kanoa behind by 8, 14-22. Pablo and Sonny Encarna then brought the defending champion back into the game and the former completed the come-from-behind victory with his pair of clutch baskets. Encarna matched Pablo’s total output, 8 of them were recorded in the second half.

Ariel Jinang led all scorers with his 16 markers, while Shawn Fujihira chipped in 11.

Second Game
Fiesta 75 — Ngirarois 16, Arreza 11, Sedillo 10, Nonato 10, Quizon 10, Villamena 5, Bernardo 4, Demafelix 2.
Shirley’s 48 — Jugos 20, Bordon 8, Anatacio 7, Alonzo 7, Catungal 4, Palma 2.
Scoring by halves: 33-16, 74-48.

Third Game
Kanoa 42 — Pablo 12, Encarna 12, William 8, Sison 6, Lumauag 2, Bata 2.
Lower Base 40 — Jinang 16, Fujihira 11, Echavez 8 , J. Benavente 3, W. Benavente 2.
Scoring by halves: 14-22, 42-40.

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A Solomon Islands defender, right, keeps a close eye on a Fiji player during their men’s 3×3 game in the 10th Pacific Mini Games last Tuesday night at the Korman Stadium’s Hall 2. Both Fiji and the Solomon Islands defeated the CNMI, which bowed out of competition yesterday after losing to the Cook Islands. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI bowed out of competition in the 3×3 event in the 10th Pacific Mini Games after dropping its last two games.

Jack Lizama, Preston Basa, Dan Barcinas, and Douglas Schmidt lost to the Solomon Islands last Tuesday night, 2-9, and then fell to the Cook Islands, 12-16, yesterday morning at the Korman Stadium’s Hall 2 in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The Commonwealth cagers finished the round-robin elimination with a 3-5 record and missed the cut. Only the Top 8 squads advanced to the single-elimination playoffs.

The loss against the Cook Islands was a heartbreaker for Team CNMI, as the squad was still ahead by 4, 12-8, with a little over two minutes left when their opponents got the breaks in the game and pulled off the win.

“We had our chance against the Cook Islands, but there were just some bad calls that got them back in the game. Our guys were being fouled, but got no calls,” Elias Rangamar told Saipan Tribune.

Meanwhile, the CNMI’s track team is also done with its competition after Beo Ngirchongor, Zarinae Sapong, and Jamie Pangelinan raced in the 200m run yesterday.

Ngirchongor finished fifth on Heat 2 of the men’s 200m race at the Korman Stadium after clocking in at 24.99 seconds. Papua New Guinea’s Charles Livuan topped the heat with his 22.02 seconds and also qualified to the semifinal round along with Vanuatu’s Steve Lolten, who submitted 22.27 seconds.

Samoa’s Kelvin Masoe (22.19 seconds), PNG’s Nazmie Lee Marai (22.35) and Theo Piniau (22.05), Vanuatu’s Bandy Mento (22.50) and Bradly Toa (22.33), and Fiji’s Aaron Powell (22.02) were the other semifinalists.

In the women’s 200m preliminary races, Sapong was also ranked fifth on Heat 1 after recording 26.65 seconds. She missed the cut in her heat by just one notch, as the Top 4 in her group advanced to the next round. PNG’s Toea Wisil (24.90 seconds) ruled Heat 1 and was followed by fellow qualifiers Serenia Raqatu of Fiji and Vanutu’s Lyza Malres and Christelle Kalopoing, who timed in at 25.85 seconds, 26.20, and 26.65, respectively.

Pangelinan was on Heat 2 and finished sixth after registering 29 seconds. The Cook Island’s Patria Taea (24.64 seconds) topped the heat and was joined in the semifinals by PNG’s Afure Adah (25.00) and Leon Beu (25.95), and Vanuatu’s Judithe Alatoa (26.81).

Only one day is left in the athletics competition and two more in the entire event. New Caledonia still leads the medal tally with its 41 gold medals, 14 silver, and nine bronze. PNG (26-19-18), Fiji (19-17-18), Samoa (15-11-5), and Vanuatu (12-23-17) round up the Top 5.

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Coach Michiteru Mita gives instructions to the CNMI Boys U18 National Team players during the halftime break in their training match against Chelsea FC Soccer School Hong Kong U18 last Tuesday night at Tuen Mun Sports Ground in Hong Kong. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI Boys U18 National Team made it back-to-back following a 2-0 triumph over Chelsea FC Soccer School Hong Kong U18 last Tuesday night at Tuen Mun Sports Ground.

Starters Sunjoon Tenorio and Sebastien Manabat scored against Chelsea FC to hand the Teen Ayuyus another win. The visiting team edged Kitchee Sports Club U8, 1-0, last Monday night at the Mong Kok Stadium for a good start in their five-day, three-training match camp in the former British colony.

With just a day to recover after a tough match versus Kitchee and prepare against another highly competitive team in Chelsea FC U18, the Teen Ayuyus surprisingly had lots of gas left on their tank to win their second training match.

Manabat put the CNMI on the board in the 34th minute after he sent a hard cross in the penalty box and the shot was deflected by a Chelsea defender and went into the goal. Tenorio made it a 2-0 count nine minutes later as he battled a Chelsea player for the possession and won the fight en route to scoring past their opponent’s goalkeeper.

“The match started on a high note and ended even higher with our consecutive win. I would say the team is much more confident, trust among the players is growing on the pitch and it reflected in their play,” team manager Ruselle Zapanta said.

“The boys were moving the ball much better, building up play from the back and trying to create chances moving forward. Possession of the ball felt quite even between the two teams as they played end to end soccer. Movement as a unit improved and individual players were going into their tackles with confidence, allowing the team to regain possession in key areas,” he added.

Chelsea HK players tried their best to break the ice and prevent the CNMI bets from getting win No. 2, but the former simply could not penetrate the Teen Ayuyus’ defense.

“The Chelsea boys were no doubt just as skilled or better than our boys as they tried to put the ball over our defenders but the unity of the players was tough to breakdown,” Zapanta said.

The team manager also noted that no CNMI player got injured during the one-hour match and they were free from cramps. Last Monday, starter Thaiphi Austria had to be relieved in the second half due to a calf injury, while Joshua De Leon is still nursing an ankle injury.

Joshua Abragan, who scored the goal in the Teen Ayuyus’ victory over Kitchee, started anew for the squad in their game versus Chelsea and was joined in the first 11 by Tenorio, Manabat, John Michael Rojas, Anthony Fruit, James Ermitanio, Eun Syu Hahn, Hark Galarion, Ryan Relucio, Dai Podziewski, and goalie Christopher Aninzo. Kirt Andon, Joshua Mendez, and Jonathan Capayas were the substitutes.

Meanwhile, the CNMI crew will close out their series of training matches today when they face the All Blacks—an adult team that has players who suited up or are still with Hong Kong’s professional squads. Yesterday, the Teen Ayuyus had a team-building and sightseeing activity.

“Our fourth day here was for team building and finally some recreation for the boys. The coaches have devised a race/competition for the boys. With the team in good spirits and I am sure feeling even better at the end of the game against Chelsea, hopefully we can come up with a great result against our toughest opponent in this trip—the All Blacks. We hope to end the camp without a loss,” Zapanta said.

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Koblerville Elementary School, left, and Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School players battle for possession during their game in the 2017 NMIFA Fall U11 Interscholastic Soccer League at the KES pitch last Dec. 7. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School and Mt. Carmel School continued to have a strong showing in the boys division of the 2017 NMIFA Fall U11 Interscholastic Soccer League.

GTC, after losing to Mt. Carmel last Dec. 5, notched two straight wins, downing Koblerville Elementary School first last Dec. 7, 2-0, and then whipping Kagman Elementary School last Tuesday, 10-0, for a 3-0-1 win-draw-loss record. The Binadus were scheduled to close out their elimination round assignment yesterday with a game against Garapan Elementary School at the Hopwood Middle School Field.

Mt. Carmel, on the other hand, was unbeaten after four games, holding a 3-1-0 slate, pending its last game in the round-robin elimination yesterday against Koblerville. Besides their close win over GTC, the Knights prevailed over Kagman, 7-0 (Dec. 7 game) and versus WSR last Tuesday, 2-0. The defending champions drew Garapan in their season debut early this month.

With Mt. Carmel and GTC likely to finish in the Top 2, they are already assured of the semis berths and will be paired against lower-seeded teams (No. 3 and 4) in the Final Four round, which will be played on Dec. 19 at the Hopwood pitch.

Carvin Cruzat, Nolan Ngewakl, and Wataru Kadokura teamed up in GTC’s demolition of Kagman with the former scoring four goals. Ngewakl and Kadokura chipped in three goals each. Cruzat also knocked in the pair of goals in the Binadus’ victory over Koblerville last week.

In the Mt. Carmel-WSR tiff last Tuesday, Markus Toves drilled the two goals for the Knights and registered four in their lopsided win over Kagman.

In the girls division, WSR was on the winning end of its duel against Mt. Carmel, as the Kingfishers escaped with a 1-0 triumph.

Koblerville also had a close victory versus GTC last week, thanks to Tanaiya Willy’s goal in the first half.

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Edwin Kim, seen here attacking the defense of Shirley’s Football Club, scored one goal in Korean Football Association on Saipan’s 4-3 win against Matansa in the Division B finals of the M-League last Sunday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Korean Football Association on Saipan dealt Matansa Football Club a heartbreaker after posting a 4-3 victory in the Division B finals of the M-League last Sunday’s at the Hopwood Middle School Field.

Chong Koo Gil hit the insurance for KFAS, making his second goal in the 81st minute of the title match to foil Matansa’s comeback bid in the second half.

The loss was first for Matansa, which swept the regular season and extended its winning run to seven after a 9-2 triumph over the CNMI Women’s National Team in the semifinals before KFAS beat the former in the most important match in the competition.

Matansa absorbed the disastrous defeat, as it could not get its offensive game going in the first half with one of its main scorers—Michiteru Mita—missing the finals. Mita left for Hong early Sunday morning to join the CNMI Boys U18 National Team in its training camp in Hong Kong.

Sans Mita, Matansa managed to score only one goal in the first 45 minutes of play against the three of KFAS. Gil posted the first goal in the match in the 21st minute, while Matansa’s lone goal was courtesy of Al-Amin Fnu in the 33rd minute.

Two minutes later, Jun Woo Lee broke the tie, while Edwin Kim stretched KFAS’s advantage to 2, 3-1, with his conversion in the 36th minute. KFAS hung on to keep the upper hand at the break, as Matansa failed to counter in the remaining nine minutes of the first half.

In the second half, Matansa moved within one anew when Jacob Montes-Sabino found the back of the net in the 54th minute. However, KFAS got the one goal back, thanks to Gil’s second conversion, which made the difference, as two minutes before the finale wrapped up Matansa’s Daniel Jay Duenas scored to cut the deficit to one. Matansa ran out of time to force another deadlock, while KFAs used the ticking clock to keep its shaky lead and win the division crown.

Meanwhile, the finalists in the Division A title game will be known this Sunday as four teams fight for survival.

In the first semis match at the Hopwood pitch at 12pm, No. 1 seed TanHoldings will take on Okadaya, while the Teen Ayuyus and Kanoa will duel in the other Final Four tiff at 3pm. Winners of Sunday’s pair of matches will collide in the finale set for Dec. 23. TanHoldings and the Teen Ayuyus automatically made it to the semis after their Top 2 finish at the end of the elimination round.Kanoa took the third Final Four ticket following a 3-0 win over Paire, and Okadaya got the last via its 3-0 forfeiture victory versus Sun Palace.

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