Kanoa, Tan Holdings are 17U champs

The 17U girls Kanoa Football Club and 17U boys Tan Holdings Football Club are the 17U soccer champions of the TakeCare NMIFA Youth Spring League 2023 last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

The Kanoa FC girls overpowered Southern United FC, 6-0, while Tan Holdings FC boys defeated Kanoa FC, 3-0.

The Kanoa girls steamrolled through the season undefeated and were the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs. They sat pretty as they waited for the other playoff matches to be determined and faced off Shirley’s in the semifinals, won in a blowout match, and made their way to the finals against SUFC.

Fresh off the 2023 NMIFA-PSS Interscholastic Soccer League championships last Thursday, Andrei Kaithlyn Chavez collected Kanoa’s first two goals just five minutes into the match.

The girls 17U Kanoa Football Club are the 17U girls champions of the TakeCare NMIFA Youth Spring League 2023 after they blanked Southern United FC, 6-0, last Saturday at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Audrey Castro made it 3-0 by the 9th minute as SUFC could not get a handle on the ball.

The ball went to and fro on the pitch after that as both teams struggled for possession, with SUFC trying to put at least one on the board.

However, the first half died down and it was still a 3-0 game. SUFC could not catch a break as Kanoa’s defenses were slick and pressured them to make off attempts at the goal resulting in nothing to show for it.

Then, in the 34th minute, Mia Abuan made it a 4-0 game. SUFC still could not find the back of the net and their goalie eventually gave up two more goals—one more to Castro and the last one to Aubrey White in the 59th minute.

In the lineup with Chavez, Abuan, Castro, and White, are Deseha Mendiola, Julie Anne Chavez, Joselynn Atalig, Aubrey Castro, Sophia Quintos, Elikristiana Iglecias, Vianca Mangulabnan, Ye Lynn Ha, Alejandra Manabat, Ritalynn Lizama, Rionica Lizama, Beatrice Gross, Jessica Mirefel, and Moteisou Hayyn.

In the boys final matchup, top seed Kanoa was silenced as the second seed Tan Holdings stole the W in a 3-0 contest.

Both teams were evenly matched from the get-go as they played the last game of the night.

Only in the 12th minute did the first goal register off the cleat of Isiah Hossain and silence reigned again.

Kanoa could not get a hold of the ball long enough to make accurate and well placed shots at the net, resulting in still no goal, until Hossain made it a 2-0 right before the end of the first half.

Tan Holdings could taste victory as the game went on without any retaliation from Kanoa, but Kanoa pushed their hardest to score—which was all for nought as Tan Holdings’ goalie and defenders were a tough nut to crack.

In the end, Anthony Austria scored the third goal in the 49th minute and Tan Holding held off Kanoa to win the championship.

With Hossain and Austria in the Tan Holdings lineup are Zhi Xiang Lin, Jonne Navarro, Mark Costales, Sernantie Jimenez, Mark Patubo, Monico Claridades, Daniel Sano, Christian Lucero, James Mercader, Jeane Merjilla, Nason Wessel, Anthony Bergancia, Mark Chavez, Terell Kileleman-Hix, Emerson Brillo, and Lerry Marquez.

Results of the 12U and 14U boys and girls championships will be posted in the next issues of Saipan Tribune.

Published by Saipan Tribune - May 16 2023