IFC, Paire split games; MPU downs Matansa

Action in the U18 division of the 2009 NMIFA Spring Youth Football League began Saturday at the CPA Field with Paire Football Club and Independents Football Club splitting their games.

IFC’s U18 boys team prevailed over over Paire FC, 2-1, while Paire bounced back in the U18 girls division with a 2-0 victory.

Willie Brana scored first for IFC, making a goal in the ninth minute. IFC led at 2-0 at halftime after Charles McEntee canned a goal in the 21st minute. Paire broke into the scoreboard with a goal from Dakota Vangelov in the 51st minute.

In the other boys U18 match, MP United blanked Matansa FC, 4-0, behind the three goals of Neri Gutzwiller-Malakut. Bo Barry scored the other goal for MP United.

In the U18 girls division, Madison Schultz and Zoe Jewell knocked down one goal apiece to prevent IFC from sweeping Paire.

In the other U18 girls game, Matansa FC downed MP United, 1-0, on Deveney Dela Cruz’s goal in the second half.

In the boys U13 division game at the Hopwood Junior High School Field, Paire slipped past MP United 2 Blue, 4-3.

Tae Min Jeong and Won Seok Jung scored two goals each for Paire to give their team a 2-0 record. Paire won its debut in the league, beating IFC, 1-0, on April 4.

Jake Lee scored all MP United 2 Blue’s three goals against Paire.

Tan Holdings prevailed in the other U13 boys game, trouncing IFC 1, 3-0, while in the U13 girls, IFC 2 defeated Matansa, 2-0.

MPU-1 White and MPU-3 Silver played an interclub match after the MPU-2 Blue vs. Paire game. A goal from Jehn Joyner in the second half gave MPU-3 Silver a 1-0 win.

In other results, MPU-1 and MPU Blue downed Tan Holdings and Paire, respectively, in the boys U8 division.

In the boys U10, Tan Holdings FC topped IFC-1.

Games in the spring youth league will resume this Saturday at various fields on Saipan.

The league will last for one more month before it holds a youth football festival last week of May. Around 500 kids are playing in the youth league, which also has competition in the U4 division.

The U4 division has two teams from MP United and one from Paire, while U6 features nine teams, three from MP United, two from Paire, two from Matansa, and one each from Independents and Tan Holdings FC.

The U8 and U10 division have 10 teams each. MP United and Paire have three teams apiece in U8, Matansa has two, and Independents and Tan Holdings FC have one each. In U10, Matansa has three teams, MP United, Paire, and Independents have two apiece, and Tan Holdings has one.

The U4, U6, U8, and U10 age groups have co-ed teams, while U13 and U18 have separate competitions for boys and girls.