BUKIDNON DEFENDER JIMM FABELA (right) WAITS TO WHIP THE BALL TO THE GOAL AS ONE LA SALLE’S PAULINO TOBIAS WATCHES IN THEIR LUZON CUP CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH IN TARLAC.
TARLAC City, Tarlac —Eleven year old honor student Jimm Fabela played the match of his life leading Bukidnon Football Association (BUFA) past the strong One La Salle boys 2-0, to capture the Luzon Cup 2019 title at the Jose V. Yap Tarlac Recreational Park in San Jose, Tarlac.
The son of soccer mom Jayreth Labunog Sambalog of Libona, Bukidnon and businessman Lowell Fabela was all over the pitch the entire match tirelessly defending the backline and also pushing forward to score goals.
His efforts did not go to waste as he led the Bukidnon boys scoring the two goals to bring home their second major title this year after they also won the Mindanao Cup in Davao last month.
The grade five honor student from Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School (OLLES) in Camp Philips, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, found the back of the net from 10 meters outside the penalty box in the first half.
He scored in the 12th minute after a One La Salle defender cleared the ball from a corner. He calmly stopped the ball and whipped a ground shot that went through between the legs of a One La Salle defender and to the goal catching the goalie flatfooted.
Fabela then capped his sterling performance with another long ball from the right plank in the second half. He booted a cross that went in the goal in the 40th minute that saw One La Salle goalie Jacob Salavante colliding with his defender in midair but failing to catch the ball.
“I am a proud mom to Jimm. He is an honor student and also a sports enthusiast. He plays all sports but he is dedicated to football after he started in 3rd grade. He is always busy training but still manage to balance his education and football,’’ said his beaming mother Jayreth after the match.
Fabela’s all around performance earned him the Best Defender award and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award overshadowing his teammate and BUFA’s top scorer Kurbe Dairo who was once again handcuffed by the One La Salle defenders.
Dairo despite of the defence put up by One La Salle against him was still effective controlling the match in the midfield and pushing hard to score and defending from the rare onslaught by their opponents.
His failure to score a goal did not matter however as Fabela stepped up when needed to lift coach Guillier Sumampong’s boys to win the championship.
“Everyone was surprised by his performance. Jim is a workhorse. I am so happy for him,’’ coach Guillier Sumampong said who avenged his elimination 2-4, loss to the One La Salle boys of coach Eric Sardou Yosse.
This time he outwitted the opponent’s Cameroonian coach who said that the Bukidnon boys were very good. They dominated were hungry and they just really want to win.
Guillier Sumampong changed tactic this time compared to their last match. He put One La Salle under pressure from the start of the match and they dominated until the end as the boys from De La Salle Zobel, De La Salle Greenhills and De La Salle Canlubang could not find any answer.
Their top scorer Duke Punzalan was completely cut off and never had any chance to score a goal. But as a consolation to the De La Salle boys, Kenzo Chua was brilliant at the midfield and as he manned to contain BUFA’s top gun Kurbe Dairo, earning him the Best Midfield award.
Bukidnon’s goalkeeper Jun Dominique Melig once again just like in the Mindanao Cup, won the Best Goalkeeper award for keeping a clean slate.
RIFA Quezon City tiny striker Filbert Martin Tacardon got the Best Striker award for topping the scoring contest with 29 goals in the entire tournament.
He was brilliant all throughout the tournament. He also led the boys from Claret School to third place scoring three goals in their 5-0 win over Masbate in the battle for third.
He scored in the 7th, 14th and 37th minutes while Johnson Abinguna Talisog adde two goals in the 15th and 49th minutes.
Eight players of the BUFA 14 players lineup will have no rest when they go home Monday morning as they will have to prepare for the Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA) Regional meet in the first week of December in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.
They are Dairo, Fabela, Melig, Prince Ryu Aseniero, Ricrolly Ortiz, Adriel Algodon, Zacari Verdeflor, and Kirsten Pelvera.
Organiser and sponsor of the three day competition Ricky Yanson Jr. thanked all the participants for making the tournament a great success.
He particularly thanked the Central Luzon Football Association led by its president Alvin Yalung. He also vowed to continue his support for the grassroots development of football in the country.
“Do not forget, football is for everyone. My support for football is un-ending. Thank you also for your support,’’ said the Negros Occidental Association (NOFA) president during the awarding ceremony.
CLFA president Yalung for his part was thankful to Ricky Yanson Jr. for bringing the Luzon Cup in Tarlac. “I hope you enjoyed your stay in Tarlac. We thank the NOFA president Ricky Yanson Jr. for his trust in us. Let us continue supporting his projects and may this Luzon Cup spur the development of the sport not only in Tarlac but the entire island of Luzon,’’ he said.
Inspired by the presence of Cordillera Regional Football Association-Baguio (CRFA) General Secretary and former University of San Carlos striker Atty. Homer Alinsug, the boys from Baguio whipped Camarines Sur 5-1, to capture the Division 1 Plate title.
The boys of coach Rykart Neri Jr. got goals from Jasper Malecdan, Eurie Palamgeo, Iann Siulva, Euan Ramos, and Gideon Tarchayen. Jayden Sayat score the lone goal for the boys from Bicol.
Laguna edged YFA Muntinlupa 3-2 to take home the second runner-up trophy. Fredrich Colderia scored two goals for the Laguna boys including the winning goal in the 46th minute while Christian Brian Lastimado added the other goal. Dave Madrid and Carl Niegel Heria scored the goals for the Muntinlupa boys of coach Bequilllo.
Pangasinan United PC beat Tuguegarao 3-2, to win the 2nd Division Plate. Sheine Yanday scored two goals for Pangasinan while Karl Jay Paz scored the winning goal. Leo Reyes scored the two goals for Tuguegarao.
Camarines United whipped Central Luzon Tarlac to claim second runner-up. John Gaza scored three goals, while Armarc Male and John Custodio added one goal each.
BUFA Line-up: Adriel Algodon, Prince Ryu Aseniero, Kurbe Dairo, Jimm Lowell Fabela, Leojay Jumamoy, James Lagumbay, Jun Dominique Melig, Sean Marco Octobre, Ric Rolle Ortiz, Jerald Marc Pauluga, Kursten Pelvera, Cade Sanchez, Inigo Sevillejo, Zacari Verdeflor, Jaysan Andaga (Assistant Coach) Guiller Sumampong (Head Coach)
One La Salle Lineup: Alessandro Aguilar, Keeno Amatorio, Andre Bacolod, John Capsa, Fritz Chua, Alfonso Cojuangco, Arnel Cutang, James Dinglasan, Paul Hipolito, Peter Mirasol, Tobias Paulino, Duke Punzalan, Ferdinand Reytas, Jacob Salavante, Eric Sardou Yosse (Head Coach) (l.biantan@gmail.com)
