Three-peat for Shirley’s FC

Shirley’s FC’s Jerlyn Castillo, right, dribbles away from two Kanoa FC defenders during their girls U15 game in the NMIFA youth league last Saturday at the San Antonio Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Shirley’s Football Club earned its third straight girls U15 championship after beating Kanoa FC, 2-1, last Saturday in the 2016 NMIFA Youth Spring League at the San Antonio Middle School Field.

Shirley’s, which ruled the youth league’s spring and fall seasons last year, finished the 2016 spring season with a 9-0-1 win-draw-loss record to foil Kanoa FC’s bid for its first-ever division crown. Kanoa, entering last Saturday’s crucial match, was breathing down Shirley’s’ neck with its 6-1-1 record against the eventual champion’s 8-0-1. A Kanoa win against Shirley’s and another one versus Paire (this Saturday) would have given the former the girls U15 tiara.

Kanoa, which incidentally handed Shirley’s its lone loss this season after prevailing in their first meeting in the double-robin robin contest,4-2, boosted its chance to make it two in a row after taking a 1-0 halftime lead. Princess Alcantara put Kanoa on top with her goal in the 19th minute.

A conversion from Katherine Magat three minutes into the second half tied the match, while Jerlyn Castillo scored the go-ahead for Shirley’s in the 54th minute. Shirley’s then hung tough on defense to preserve its shaky lead and secure the division championship.

Kanoa (6-1-2) settled for the runner-up honors, regardless of the results of its last game this Saturday, while 2014 spring and fall champion Matansa (6-0-4) finished third. MP United (4-1-5) came in at fourth and was followed by Tan Holdings (2-0-8), and Paire (1-0-8).

Matansa and Tan Holdings ended their campaign this season on a winning note.

Tan Holdings played in the second game last Saturday and topped Paire, 4-1. Catherine Joy Barroza had a pair for Tan Holdings, which got one goal apiece from Raina Avelino and Jenny Ann Capayas. Paire drew its lone goal from Guinevere Borja.

In the final match last weekend, Matansa edged MP United, 2-1. Sunny Woo hit the game-winning goal in the second half, while Bernadette Horey knocked in the other goal for Matansa in the first frame. Gillian Villagomez also scored for MP United in the opening half.

In other results, MP United formalized its claim to the boys U17 division championship after routing Kanoa, 14-0, at the Oleai Sports Complex.

MP United, which had already clinched the title two weeks ago after its closest pursuer Matansa fell to Tan Holdings, finished the double-round-robin season with a 6-1-1 mark. Matansa ended up with a 5-1-2 slate, while Tan Holdings (5-0-3), Paire (2-0-6), and Kanoa (1-0-7) were ranked third to fifth, respectively.

Sun Joon Tenorio peppered the hapless Kanoa with eight goals, while Michael Lee had a pair. Joshua Abragan, Chris Aninzo, Alex Park, and Oliver Lee chipped in one apiece.

In the other boys U17 match last weekend, Tan Holdings also eased past Paire, 5-1.

Mark Esalan tallied two goals for Tan Holdings, which drew one apiece from Anthony Fruit, John Tam, and Riko Reyes.