USC rules Girls 17 of Sun.Star Cup

THE University of San Carlos bagged its second ladies title, overwhelming a young Cebu International School team, 4-0, in the finals of the Girls 17 division of the First Sun.Star Football Cup at the Cebu City Sports Center yesterday.

USC, which advanced to the finals thanks to Stephanie Leaño’s penalty in a sudden-death shootout with St. Theresa’s College, was simply too organized and skilled against CIS.



Elsie Juezan, the eventual MVP, ran circles around the CIS defenders and got the first goal in the third minute, curling in a shot from 20 yards. A minute later, Juezan connected with Gail Colina, the MVP of the Girls 19 division, for the first of her back-to-back goals.

CIS coach Warlou Sabella put Phoebe Smith, who was playing as a striker, on goal, and though she conceded a quick one to Shain Gerobiese, the plucky keeper was able to stem the tide, stopping all USC shots in the second half.

“She’s really good and she can play a lot of positions,” Sabella said.

So good that the 15-year-old was the reason CIS, a team with an average age of 15, was in the finals.

CIS beat USC girls high, 2-0, via shootout, with Kiara Amarga and Smith scoring the two goals. Smith also saved both penalties. Against Bright Academy in quarterfinals, Smith, playing in the field, scored two goals in their 2-0 win.

On the other hand, USC beat STC, 4-3, via shootout in the semifinals, and blanked Reunited Fc, 4-0, in the quarterfinals, with Colina getting two and Juezan and Gerobiese scoring once.

Aside from the scorers, the other members of the team are keeper Sandy Miyagi, Chim Caumeran, Chikay Romualdez and Tracy Cirunay.

In the Girls 14 division, San Roque FC (SRFC) blanked Ateneo in their final game to overtake Ateneo A for the title.

Ateneo, which drew SRFC, 0-0, was at eight points in the league-type format after a 2-1 win over Dinamo, just one ahead of SRFC. However, the win against Ateneo B got SRFC the title as it finished with 10 points. Karylle Rebrero was named the MVP and got the P1,000 Sun Savings Bank account as part of her prize.

Age group powerhouse Don Bosco Technological Center also asserted its dominance with three titles in Players 6, 8 and 10 division. Don Bosco G beat Giuseppe, 3-1, in the Players 6 finals late Saturday to win the title, while yesterday, they beat BMALV to win the Players 8 title. Ash Ballesteros got the MVP award in the Players 6, while Andre Custado got the nod in the Players 8 division.

In the Players 10 division, Don Bosco, which beat Warshock in the semifinals, blanked emerging youth team University of San Carlos-Basic Education Department, 3-0, for the title, with Joaquin Buyco earning the MVP.

USC-BED, which is starting to become one of the powerhouse teams in age group football, beat Don Bosco B in the quarterfinals, and Dinamo in the semifinals.

In the Boys 19 division, the USC boys survived a disastrous start to win the title over Barili FC. Only three teams signed up and they played a double-round robin with the team earning the most points getting the title.

After blanking Balamban, 4-0, USC lost to Barili FC, 2-0, in a physical contest but the Carolinians got back after beating Balamban anew, 2-0, and Barili, 2-0, to finish with nine points. Barili got second with six points.

Matches in the Boys 14 and Boys 17 division were still being played at press time last night.

The major sponsors of the first Sun.Star Football Cup, which attracted 155 teams, are Radisson Blu, Mizuno and Thirsty Shakes and Juices.