USC, Don Bosco rule CESAFI football tilt

CEBU, Philippines – The University of San Carlos Golden Booters staged one great escape in the final 25 minutes of the contest on the way to championship glory in the tertiary level, while the Don Bosco Technology Center successfully defended its throne in the secondary division of the 2014 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. football tournament yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.

USC of coach Mario Ceniza gallantly recovered from a 1-3 deficit in the final half to turn back the top-seeded University of Southern Philippines Foundation Kicking Panthers in the penalty shootout, 5-3, while Don Bosco pulled off a 2-1 thriller over the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu to snare back-to-back titles in the secondary battle.

The Carolinians were down by two points with only 25 minutes left in the regulation period, but weaved one big miracle when it matered most to forge an extension and eventually stun USPF.

USPF's Heinzyll Millebo broke the ice with just 16 minutes gone by in the game. USC knotted the count at the 30th, but not for long as George Laurence de Pablos  found the back of the net at the 36th to push USPF ahead, 2-1. USC’s goal keeper Jupre Aparece seemed to be out of focus as he allowed De Pablos to punch in another goal for a commanding 3-1 USPF lead at the 78th.

USC's game, however, made a 360-degree turn when Ceniza fielded in the likes of Jun Carlo Encorporado, Yves Caballero and Mark Veloso. Their presence sparked a great comeback by the Carolinians that started when Januirious Paglinawan knocked in a goal at the 68th. Encorporado later  tied the score at 3-all at the last minute of the three-minute added time.

“When the three played, the team came alive. We destroyed their (USPF) defense,” said Ceniza.

A 15-minute per half extension was then added to resolve the standoff, but both camps couldn't deliver resulting into a penalty shootout.

In the shootout, all of USC’s first five kickers in Joshua Kwan, Jan Carlo Encorporado, John Daniel Caballero, Januarius Gree Paglinawan and JS Christian Saguin converted their attempts. For USPF, Millebo’s attempt conk out to USC’s delight as the Carolinians finally ended a two-year title drought.

“This victory is indeed very sweet. We were on the verge of losing after being down, 1-3, but in the last 20 minutes of the game, we became a team again. This is also very memorable to me because it’s my first time to coach USC. It feels good to be home again,” said Ceniza, who had three titles as a USC player way back when the CESAFI was still known as the  Cebu Amateur Athletic Association.

Later in the day, Don Bosco gamely bounced back after a not-so impressive start.

SHS-Ateneo actually nailed the first goal, thanks to a penalty kick delivered by Jose Mari Kwan at the 34th minute. Moiselle Alforque, however, tied the game for DBTC at 47th. For minutes after the 1-1 stalemate, John Joseph Rena hit the winning goal for the Bosconians.

“Everytime my boys play against SHS-Ateneo, I observed that they get intimated. I don't know the reason why," said Don Bosco coach Glenn Ramos. "But it was a good thing that they were able to deliver and defend our title.”

In the battle for third place, dethtroned champion University of San Jose-Recoletos escaped past the University of Cebu, 2-1. (FREEMAN)