Soccer finals rematch set between HMS and SIS

It feels like déjà vu as the championship matchup in the NMIFA-PSS Girls Middle School Interscholastic Soccer League is set once again between the Hopwood Middle School Hilitais and Saipan International School Geckos.

The Hilitais engaged in a one-sided semis matchup against Tanapag Middle School Tatagas and won, 7-0, last Tuesday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

The Tatagas made it this far into the season but were overmatched against the more well-rounded Hilitais. They did however, keep up with them in the first 12 minutes as it went by quietly—both sides sizing each other up, playing and setting out their game plans carefully.

Then, the Hilitais’ Princess Gariguez, after multiple attacks at TMS’ keeper, finally found the back of the net and opened up the game in the 13th minute.

Just three minutes later and after more attacks at the net, Anica Aquino doubled their advantage in the 16th minute. The Tatagas then regrouped and held the Hilitais to two goals as long as they could, but the Hilitais were relentless and Elyza Brillo fired a no-doubter to put them up, 3-0.

In the second half, action went on mostly in Tatagas’ territory once again as the Hilitais applied the pressure on them throughout the match. Then, TMS defense slipped up anew as the fourth goal was made by Brillo in the 32nd minute.

All that the Tatagas could do at this point was damage control, but the Hilitais pressed on and broke the game even more wide open with three back-to-back goals by Brillo.

She went on a tear as she completed her hat-trick in the 43rd minute and put them up, 5-0. Then, she caught fire in her cleats and burned two more goals a minute after the other in the 45th and the 46th.

The Tatagas still played on despite the losing effort and eventually the game ending whistle sounded off to their last game of the season.

In the last semis matchup, the Geckos’ lone goal was enough to seal their win, 1-0, over Dandan Middle School Tottots for the last finals spot.

Both teams were in a heated battle that went scoreless for a good portion of the first half. They were evenly matched with both unable to break the barrier of their defenses as they tried to get on the board first.

Finally, SIS found the back of the net with a kick by Beatrice Gross in the 14th minute to put them up, 1-0. The Tottots tried to make a break for it after that but couldn’t capitalize and convert on some opportunities.

The Geckos went on double time to try to get more on the board, but in the end, the Geckos hung on by a thread with the 1-0 final.

The championship game is set for Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 5:30pm, while the bronze medal game between TMS and DMS is at 4pm.