sunday, December 13, 2009
The Belize Times
29
Belize #1 Sports Page
BDF wins 2009 BPFL championship Belize City, December 6, 2009 The Belize Defense Force won the 2009 Belize Premier Football League championship, blasting FC Belize 4-0 in Game 2 of the series at the M.C.C. garden on Sunday, to win 5-2 on goal aggregate after a 2-1 loss to FC Belize in Game 1 of the series. The BDF offensive was spearheaded by Orlando “Lichy” Jimenez and Dion Macaulay, backed up by Evan Mariano and Denis Serano on the wings, with David Trapp, Gilbert Swazo and Khalil Velasquez holding down the midfield. “Lichy” Jimenez gave the BDF a 2-0 lead when he headed in the 1st goal in the 12th minute, and embarrassed the FC Belize goalie Elroy Rowley a 2nd time in the 24th minute when Jimenez put the finish on
a corner kick executed by David Trapp with a header into the back of the net. The BDF led 2-0, but Ian Gaynair compounded FC Belize’s problems when he took down Deon Macaulay in the goal area in the 35th minute, and Macaulay issued no pardon as he converted the penalty to give the BDF a 3-0 lead at the half time break. FC Belize got 2 opportunities for easy goals when the referee awarded them 2 penalties in the 2nd half, but Ryan Simpson missed the first penalty and goalie Elroy Rowley choked on the 2nd. Jerome “Jaro” James and Byron Usher entered the ball game for Simpson and Sergio Gilharry in the second half, but the FC Belize lost first Nigel Franklin and then Gaynair to red card ejections. Elroy Rowley was caught with his pants down when Macaulay tapped a 4th goal past him into the net in the 85th minute for the 4-0 win. The widow of the late Sir George Brown presented the individual awards to: Most Valuable Player- BDF sweeper Vallan Symns, who also won Best Defense. The Most Valuable Player award for the playoffs went to BDF striker Dion Macaulay, who also won Best Forward. The Best Goalkeeper award went to BDF’s Woodrow West. Hankook Verdes’ Danny Jimenez won the Most Goals award: 10, while Verdes’ Norman “Tilliman” Pipersburgh won Best Midfielder, Verdes coach Peter Jones won Best Coach, and Verdes’ Sergio Chuc won Best Manager.
Greg Lovell wins 13th Alpheus Williams HIV/AIDS Day Cycling Classic Belize City, December 6, 2009 Team Santino’s Greg Lovell won the 2009 Annual Alpheus Williams AIDS Day Cycling Classic, sponsored by the Ministry of Health on Sunday. Lovell clocked 1:54:33 on the 50-mile ride from in front of the Belmopan Comprehensive School to Leslie’s Imports in Belize City to win the $500 1st prize and a trophy. There were no breaks in the peloton, which proceeded down the highway at a Tour de France pace and Lovell only edged out former teammate Marlon Castillo, now riding for Team Zamir Cycling, at the finish. Castillo claimed the $300 2nd prize and a trophy. There was some controversy as Benny’s Megabytes’ Panamanian import Christian McNish protested that Lovell had bumped him in the heated sprint to the finish. After a review of the official videos, the officials concurred
that McNish was blowing smoke and awarded him 3rd prize of $200 and a trophy. Team Typhoon’s Jairo Campos of Orange Walk won the $100 4th prize while his teammate Nissan Arana claimed the $50 5th prize. Team Zamir Cycling’s Mateo Cruz was 6th, Team Typhoon’s Hipolito Flores pulled in 7th , Sugar City Stars’ Rodrigo Leiva was 8th, Team Santino’s Domingo Lewis - 9th and Deezan Spence completed the top 10. The 6th to 10th place winners won a $25 prize each. Deezan Spence also won 1st place in the Youth category, and Ethan Neal was 2nd, finishing 30th overall. The Cayo High Road team swept all 3 top places in the Junior Category, Daniel Choto was 1st - 11th overall, Kyle Gentle was 2nd - 14th overall, and Darren Williams was 3rd - 26th
overall. Defending women’s champion, Team Sagitun’s Shalini Zabaneh clocked 1:11:59 as she won the female race from La Democracia Village at mile 30 on the Western Highway to the finish at Mile 2 for a $250 1st prize and a trophy. Team Swoosh Telemedia’s Anthea Sutherland finished 2nd to win a $150 prize and a trophy and Fiona Humes Gonzalez won the $100 3rd prize and trophy. D o m i n g o L e w i s wo n t h e Category 3 race with Team Typhoon’s Allen Castillo taking 2nd and Team Indeco’s Geon Hansen was 3rd Team San Cas Red Bull’s Steven Bissett clocked 1:10:59 to win the Masters’ category; Team Pediatric’s Barney Brown clocked 1:11:59 to place 2nd and Bissett’s teammate Andrew Cuthkelvin took 3rd place.
San Felipe Barcelona & Tex Mar Boys win thru to Superleague finals San Felipe Village, December 6, 2009 San Felipe Barcelona takes on the 2007 super league champion Tex Mar United in Game 1 of the Belize Bank Superleague football championship finals at the San Felipe field on Sunday, December 13. The San Felipe squad eliminated defending champs Valley Renaissance 7-2 on goal aggregate, following up on their 3-1 win over Valley the week before with a 4-1 blast on their home turf. Harvey Cruz delivered the first death blow to the champs in the 22nd minute, but Alex Peters soon equalized for the valley in the 23rd minute. Damian Ku made it 2-1 with a 2nd goal in the 45th minute as the San Felipe squad took a 2-1 lead to the locker room at the half. In the 2nd half, Chris Hendricks added
another nail to the valley coffin with a 3rd goal in the 78th minute and it was not quite over as Harvey Cruz embarrassed the Valley keeper with a 4th goal in the 88th minute. Tex Mar United recovered from a 2-0 deficit to Kraal Road FC in the first half to snatch a 3-2 win out of the jaws of defeat. Delroy “Thinman” Andrews embarrassed Tex Mar goalie Charlie Slusher with the 1st goal for the visitors in the 2nd minute of play, and Albert Thurton drove home a 2nd goal in the 20th minute to give the city boys 2-0 lead at the half time break. In the 2nd half, Bernard Linares put the Tex Mar boys on the score board with their 1st goal in the 53rd minute and Carlos Valle tied the score at 2-2 in the 72nd minute. Wilmer Garcia delivered the game winner in the 87th minute.