Kanoa sweeps U16 titles
Kanoa Football Club completed its sweep of the U16 division titles in the TakeCare NMIFA Youth Spring League 2022 following a 3-2 victory against MP United Football Club last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.
Markus Toves scored two goals, while Tyler Omelau added one in Kanoa’s title-clinching win in the boys U16 division. Isaiah Hossain and Cody Shimizu delivered the pair for MPU. All five goals in the match were recorded in the first half with Toves earning the go-ahead in the 32nd minute and Kanoa hanging on to the shaky lead in the second half to secure the title.
Kanoa entered the final week of the double-round robin competition in a tight race for the division championship with MP United and TanHoldings FC, which also prevailed in its last assignment of the season after hammering Paire, 16-0. The close battle for the division title ended up with Kanoa narrowly beating TanHoldings, as the former capped the season with an 8-1-1 win-draw loss record against the latter’s 8-0-2 mark. Kanoa finished with 25 points, while TanHoldings had 24, and MP United settled for third place with its 19 markers and 6-1-3 card. Matansa (5-0-5), Paire (1-0-9), and Shirley’s (1-0-9) completed the final standings.
Matansa also played in the last week of the season and topped Shirley’s 7-4. Jerome Mettao led Matansa’s triumph after firing three goals, while Nolan Ngewakl and Carvin Cruzat chipped in two apiece. Shirley’s got two goals from Javin Bisek and one each from NJ Pino and Bennet Haro.
Meanwhile, before Kanoa notched the boys U16 division crown for the club’s sweep in the age group, its girls U16 team played its final match for the season last Saturday and waltzed past MP United, 5-0, to finish the competition with an unbeaten record—8-0-0.
Before facing MP United, Kanoa had already clinched the girls U16 division in the penultimate week of the season, as the eventual champion’s seven victories were two wins ahead of Southern United. Kanoa went on to complete a perfect run in the spring competition after drawing goals from five different players in their game against MPU. Audrey Castro, Deseha Mendiola, Kaithlyn Chavez, Aubrey White, and Vianca Mangulabnan scored in Kanoa’s rout of MP United.
Southern United also closed out the season with a win after downing Shirley’s, 7-2.
Megan Elayda, Brianne Echalico, and Rizza Relucio drilled two goals apiece in Southern’s victory, while Vaniqa Torres contributed one. Southern wrapped up the season with a 6-0-2 record for second place in the final team rankings and is followed by MP United (3-1-4), Shirley’s (0-3-5), and Paire (0-2-6).
Published by Saipan Tribune - May 19 2022
