YOUTHFUL COACH. MARC RACINES (right) WITH FORMER NATIONAL YOUTH TEAM PLAYERS JOIE GAID JR. (center) AND JOSH GO (left) WILL LEAD THE REGION 10 SECONDARY FOOTBALL TEAM CAMPAIGN IN THE DAVAO CITY PALARO STARTING APRIL 27. (photos by Jack Biantan).
FORMER national youth team players Josh Go of Corpus Christi School and Joie Gaid Jr. of Xavier University will lead a powerhouse Regional 10 secondary boys team to the Palarong Pambansa set on April 27-May 4 in Davao City.
DAVAO PALARO BOUND REGION X HIGH SCHOOL BOYS TEAM WITH COACH MARC RACINES (standing right)
Go, the son of businessman Regner Go, played for the Philippine U16 team which saw action in the AFF U16 tournament in Jakarta, Indonesia in July last year. He played defender for the national team but he plays striker and midfielder for the Region 10 team of coach Marc Racines.
Gaid, son of Del Monte executive Joie Gaid Sr., on the other hand was a member of the Philippine U11 ‘Little Azkals’ team which trained for a month in Loughborough, England in 2013. He is a play maker and will be a pillar in the midfield for the Region 10 boys. He is the only player from Xavier University who made the team.
MJ HOJAS JESSE BAJARLA BLAKE CARRERA
Aside from Go, CCS is represented by seven other players, they are Geo Tacandong, MJ Hojas, Emilio Rubio, Thomas Marfori, Blake Carrera , Jesse Bajarla, Aeron Subesa and goalkeeper James Mocorro.
GEO TACANDONG EMILIO RUBIO THOMAS MARFORI
Mocorro is a reliable custodian who led the CCS team to the U17 championship in the Thirsty Cup last January in Cebu City. He was named MVP for his efforts.
MVP. JAMES MOCORRO IS SWARMED BY HIS TEAMMATES AFTER SAVING AN IMPORTANT SHOT DURING THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE BOYS 17 DIVISION OF THE THIRSTY CUP.
Completing the line-up for the North Min high school booters are Joshua Montesino and John Gementiza of Rosevale School, Gems Averia and Eugene Ariolla of St. Mary’s School, Chester Tidor of Misamis Orient Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS), Graig Roxas of Opol National High School, Gelo Loyloy of Bukidnon, and Marvin Tamiat of Oroquieta City.
JOHN GEMENTIZA JOSHUA MONTESINO MARVIN TAMIAT
Coach Marc Racines has done wonders for the Corpus Christi High School team since he was named coach in 2017. His probably the youngest football coach in the City of Friendship, Cagayan de Oro City, but the son of veteran coach Wilbert ‘Webbie’ Racines has gotten out of the shadows of his prolific father.
EUGENE ARIOLA GEMS AVERIA GRAIG ROXAS
In fact his father right now is his assistant while he is also the assistant of his father for the Region 10 elementary boys team.
The youthful coach just took over the coaching realm of the Corpus Christi School High School team two years ago while coach Webbie concentrated on developing the young elementary boys team of CCS.
Immediately his presence made an impact with the CCS high school team as he led them to various local and national titles last school year. He then highlighted his sterling performances with victories in the local Palaro elimination competitions in then captured Regional Palaro gold in 2017 that put his Region 10 team to the Palarong Pambansa in Vigan in the summer of 2018.
The Region 10 team topped its group with two wins and a draw, winning against Davao 4-2, then Central Luzon and drew eventual champion National Capital Region, 2-2.
The North Min boys however, were unlucky as they suffered a 0-1 defeat from the hands of Socsargen in the quarter finals to end their campaign.
Last year was no different story for coach Marc, as he continued his lucky streak leading CCS to victories in the local Palaro elimination tournaments and then capturing the Regional Palaro gold in Tangub City in December of to gain the right to represent North Mindanao in the Palarong Pambansa late this month in Davao City.
“My team now is 90 per cent ready for the Palaro. We have been training in Camp Philips, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and playing against former and current UAAP, NCAA and professional players. We are ready,’’ he said.
He added that he has a better team now compared to last year because they have better chemistry. “My only problem is that some of our new players who do not have Palaro experience are still scared,’’ he said.
Coach Marc and the players will leave for Davao on April 21st. They are ready for the battle ahead and aching to seek vengeance for their quarter finals loss against Socsargen last year. They are this time aiming for the Gold. (l.biantan@gmail.com)
