Cebu ladies go for national titl
AFTER the senior team faltered last year, the hopes of bagging a national title rests on 18 young Cebuanas as Cebu opens its bid in the Philippine Football Federation National Women's Under-17 Championships in San Carlos City.
The team is led by mainstays from the Cebu International School, led by the diminutive but fiery Gabi Mercado, who is also the team captain, and coached by Eleazar Toledo and Dexter Arrojado.
"The team is ready, we have been practicing everyday for the past five weeks," said Toledo.
Cebu is in Group A together with Masbate, Bukidnon and Davao, whose senior women's team whipped Cebu, 5-0, to take the national title in home turf last year.
"I can't really gauge our chances since this is a new category and we haven't played a team from Bukidnon or Masbate. Though we have played against Davao, it was in the Under-19 category," Toledo said.
Other members of the team are Mia Arcenas, Merrille Watson, Presley Cunningham, Danika Ronquillo, Stephanie Sharpe and Gabby Aboitiz of CIS; Julienne Canoy, Erika Casas, Patty Liu, Bea Maximo, Mitchella Muller, Jackie Ting and Jovannah Yu of Sacred Heart School for Girls; Nikki Sembrano of Paref-Southcrest; Christine Mantos, Monica and Maritoni Trebol of San Roque FC.
Despite coming from different teams, Toledo said the team has bonded well.
Other teams in the tournament are Iligan, Iloilo, South Cotabato and Negros Oriental in Group B, Cagayan de Oro, Rizal, Negros Occidental and Muntinlupa-Parañaque-Las Piñas (MPLP) FA in Group C.
Maritoni Trebol and Aboitiz are the youngest members at 12, while Mercado is the oldest at 16.
Cebu opens its campaign against Masbate in the first game today, while Iligan plays Iloilo, Davao faces Bukidnon, South Cotabato takes on Negros Occidental and Cagayan faces Rizal.
The top team in each group and the best second-ranked team will advance to the semifinal round.
The team is led by mainstays from the Cebu International School, led by the diminutive but fiery Gabi Mercado, who is also the team captain, and coached by Eleazar Toledo and Dexter Arrojado.
"The team is ready, we have been practicing everyday for the past five weeks," said Toledo.
Cebu is in Group A together with Masbate, Bukidnon and Davao, whose senior women's team whipped Cebu, 5-0, to take the national title in home turf last year.
"I can't really gauge our chances since this is a new category and we haven't played a team from Bukidnon or Masbate. Though we have played against Davao, it was in the Under-19 category," Toledo said.
Other members of the team are Mia Arcenas, Merrille Watson, Presley Cunningham, Danika Ronquillo, Stephanie Sharpe and Gabby Aboitiz of CIS; Julienne Canoy, Erika Casas, Patty Liu, Bea Maximo, Mitchella Muller, Jackie Ting and Jovannah Yu of Sacred Heart School for Girls; Nikki Sembrano of Paref-Southcrest; Christine Mantos, Monica and Maritoni Trebol of San Roque FC.
Despite coming from different teams, Toledo said the team has bonded well.
Other teams in the tournament are Iligan, Iloilo, South Cotabato and Negros Oriental in Group B, Cagayan de Oro, Rizal, Negros Occidental and Muntinlupa-Parañaque-Las Piñas (MPLP) FA in Group C.
Maritoni Trebol and Aboitiz are the youngest members at 12, while Mercado is the oldest at 16.
Cebu opens its campaign against Masbate in the first game today, while Iligan plays Iloilo, Davao faces Bukidnon, South Cotabato takes on Negros Occidental and Cagayan faces Rizal.
The top team in each group and the best second-ranked team will advance to the semifinal round.
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