CVFA wins PFF’s Under-19 Boys Nat’l Championships

CEBU, Philippines — The Central Visayas Regional Association (CVFA) put up a gallant fight against one of the early favorites, Negros Occidental Regional Football Association (NORFA), 2-1, to win the crown of this year’s Philippine Football Federation’s Under-19 Boys National Championships at the Dynamic HERB-Borromeo Sports Complex in Talisay City.

From fourth last year, CVFA powered mainly by players of Don Bosco Technical College worked harder for their ultimate goal.

Winning against last year’s champion in the premiere division, the National Capital Region FA in the semifinal also at 2-1 was a big morale booster for the Cebuano booters going into the finale.

It was evident right from the start of the championship match against NORFA as CVFA took command of the early goings of the game even as both squads were scoreless at the end of the first half.

NORFA tried to turn the tables around, posting more attempts at the start of the final half, but CVFA’s goal keeper Eugene Christian Molleno managed to stop them from scoring.

As tension rose, NORFA’s Kent John Parrenas committed an unnecessary foul on CVFA’s Charles Cliff Ventura that paved the way for a penalty kick that was successfully delivered by their team captain Carsten Pumareja on the 62nd minute.

Parrenas though managed to redeem himself from that costly error as he managed to equalize the match for NORFA on the 74th after the ball slipped into Molleno’s fingertips.

Ventura, who was supposedly placed only as a substitute on CVFA’s lineup, proved his worth further by outsmarting Parrenas and posted the winning goal for his team on the 75th.

Several players of CVFA suffered cramps, but NORFA was not able to take advantage of it even with an eight-minute additional time for the host region’s eventual victory.

Earlier, Panay FA got the bronze over last year’s top team NCRA, 3-1.

NCR seemingly failing to overcome from a heartbreaking loss against host CVFA in the semifinals to pave the way for Panay’s comeback.

Aside from having the national crown, CVFA also saw four of its bets taking away individual awards with Pumareja taking home the best mid-fielder award and the Most Valuable Player plum as teammates Molleno was named the best goal keeper and Edgar Paredes III as the best defender as NORFA’s Franz Noel Hervias emerged as the top scorer of this year’s battle with six goals total.

Molleno shares the special award to their defenders although Paredes, the best defender of the event felt he did so many mistakes especially in the first half that he wasn’t even expecting to get such accolade.

Pumareja, for his part said the MVP was not just about him but the entire team as they worked hard to climb from division 2 to fourth place last year under the premiere division and now as champions.

“Today, we were more motivated since it’s our last for (born) 2005 (in the said contest)…The MVP is all about my team, they made me better because they trusted me …that’s why I’m very thankful for my teammates,” Pumareja said.

Winning coach Glenn Ramos thanked CVFA led by Engr. Rodney Orale, DBTC, the parents and everyone who supported them in their quest for gold.

For coach Glenn though, he hopes that the victory that they got this year will be sustained next year. — (FREEMAN)