Kanoa, TanHoldings top Summer Cup
Kanoa Football Club and TanHoldings Football Club clinched the championships in their respective divisions in the NMIFA Youth Summer Cup 2022 last Saturday.
Kanoa FC pulled off a 2-1 victory in a penalty shootout against MP United Football Club during the boys U13 finals at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.
Akoni Matsumoto and Aldric John Antonio delivered the goods for Kanoa. Matsumoto’s conversion put Kanoa on top after the opposing teams had a scoreless draw in regulation, but not for long as Taiga Namai-Scoggins countered to knot the count. Antonio then made the go-ahead, while Kanoa goalie Zuriel John Abejo capped the close win with a save in the ensuing play.
Joining Abejo, Matsumoto, and Antonio on the champion team are J.P Binghit, Damien Concepcion, Tahir Shakir, D’Artagnan Enerio, Rooney Gil, Donald Tagabuel, Ronald Manabat, Ryder Mendiola, Aiden Reyes, Arstin and Jayson Tagabuel, Maximus Taitano, and Izaiah Tenorio.
TanHoldings FC players gather for a photo before their finals game against Kanoa FC in the girls U13 division of the NMIFA Youth Summer Cup 2022 last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Matsumoto also scored earlier in their semis win over Matansa, 1-0, to bring Kanoa to the finals. MP United, on the other hand, drew goals from Francisco Maratita, Namai-Scoggins, and Landon Springer to eliminate TanHoldings and set up a division title showdown against Kanoa.
TanHoldings went on to settle for third place after edging Matansa, 1-0, in the consolation match in the boys U13 division. Jerz Navarro made the lone goal for TanHoldings.
Earlier in the girls U13 division finals, TanHoldings was the first one to go through a penalty shootout to down Kanoa, 1-0.
Kaye Anne Costales knocked in the game-winner for TanHoldings in the shootout and was the same player that put the team on the board in the second half. Kanoa took the shaky lead at the start of the second half after getting a goal from Aubrey White in the fourth minute, but failed to hang on to the driver’s seat, as Costales came into TanHoldings’ rescue in the 17th minute. Costales then completed her heroics with a goal in the penalty shootout.
Before her strong finish in the finals, Costales registered a pair of goals in TanHoldings 3-1 victory over Southern United FC 1 in the semis. Alyza Marie De Belon logged the other goal for TanHoldings, while Kaila Mendiola scored the only goal for Southern United FC 1.
In the other semis game in the girls U13, Kanoa eked out a 3-2 win over Matansa.
White had a hat-trick for Kanoa with her third and last one posted in the closing minutes of the game handing Kanoa the semis victory. White had the upper hand in her duel against fellow striker Alyssa Borlongan, who knocked inn the twin goals for Matansa.
Borlongon also nailed a pair in their 4-2 triumph over Southern United FC-1 in the battle for third place. Hailey Benavente recorded the two other goals for Matansa, while Southern got both of its goals from Selena Atalig.
Published by Saipan Tribune - Aug 10 2022
