An Ateneo High
Ateneo High School 2 vs. FEU-FERN 0
by rick olivares
Ateneo High School 2 vs. FEU-FERN 0
by rick olivares
February 28, 2009
Erenchun Field
Erenchun Field
There’s something about first times. It’s something you never forget. It’s sweet and it’s a memory that lasts a lifetime.
Last Saturday, the Ateneo High School and Far Eastern University-FERN locked up their first ever UAAP Juniors Football Championship (even if it’s only in its second year as a demonstration sport). The Loyola Heights eleven secured the twice-to-beat advantage for the title after beating the Fairview team 2-1 on the penultimate playing day.
Ateneo paced the four-team field with 5 wins and 1 loss for 15 points. They scored an astounding 28 goals and gave up only 5.
FEU-FERN finished with 4 wins and 2 losses for 12 points. They had the third most number of goals with 19 while giving up only 7.
And both teams had something to prove heading into the season.
Previously in Season 70, twice De La Salle Zobel beat Ateneo en route to the first title in the Juniors Division.
For years the Ateneo program has been the paragon of secondary school football programs as they’ve won titles left and right in different age divisions. The losses to DLSZ in Season 70 had been humiliating and everyone connected to the program couldn’t wait to get back against them. They beat La Salle in the first round of Season 71 but lost in the second round.
Far Eastern University on the other hand, suffered through an embarrassing Season 70 along with the University of Santo Tomas. Ateneo and La Salle repeatedly blew out both squads.
It was worse for UST since they’ve fielded teams before in other competitions. For FEU-FERN it was year one of a four-year program where they were tabbed to win the title and eventually move up to the seniors team. It was the start of a feeder-grassroots program so the school wouldn’t have to rely so much on mass recruiting in the college ranks.
They had a talented team and they beat DLSZ twice including a 9-2 slaughter in the second round when Ateneo could not.
In the Championship match against the Blue Booters, they were able to negate the height advantage by playing smart ball with a disciplined 4-4-2 system predicated on team play and passing.
And for the first half, they seemed to be outplaying the Ateneans. In fact the defense looked sloppy and the players slow and clumsy. There was a near own-goal by Ateneo Captain Carl Mat Llado when he misplayed a cross by FEU’s Arnel Amita. The Baby Tamaraws kept Ateneo keeper Micah Alampay busy all 45 minutes of the first half as FEU had four shots on goal as compared to the nil by Ateneo.
But that all changed in the second half when an accidental handball inside the FEU box gave a penalty to Ateneo barely a minute into the second half. The Blue Booters’ Michael Mabanag sent the FEU keeper left as the ball went high and right for the first score of the match in the 46th minute.
The goal gave Ateneo a huge lift as they went on the attack when their midfield tightened up on its defense. Their opponents had a tough time getting their offense going as they oft found themselves stripped and beaten to the ball.
In the 80th minute, Mabanag slipped through the right wing unimpeded. He beat his defender with a nifty fake then unleashed a brilliant shot just a few yards away from the keeper. The ball dipped below the left side of the goal post where it found the back of the net.
2-nil for the blue and white.
Even with the added three minutes of stoppage time, Ateneo continued to attack. FEU had a few chances to pull one back including one behind Michael Menzi who missed a header off a decent cross by Nash Madjini but they were mostly defender well by Ateneo’s Luis Mendoza, Ranvin Jarina, Gabriel Manalo and Llado.
At fulltime, the bench players in blue lifted the cooler of Gatorade and water and dumped it on their coach Edwin Cabalida.
Mabanag received the Most Valuable Player Award and he pointed up to the sky to thank the Man above. He raised his finger to signify that his team was number one.
And that they had dibs on what they hope is the first of many UAAP juniors football championships.
Last Saturday, the Ateneo High School and Far Eastern University-FERN locked up their first ever UAAP Juniors Football Championship (even if it’s only in its second year as a demonstration sport). The Loyola Heights eleven secured the twice-to-beat advantage for the title after beating the Fairview team 2-1 on the penultimate playing day.
Ateneo paced the four-team field with 5 wins and 1 loss for 15 points. They scored an astounding 28 goals and gave up only 5.
FEU-FERN finished with 4 wins and 2 losses for 12 points. They had the third most number of goals with 19 while giving up only 7.
And both teams had something to prove heading into the season.
Previously in Season 70, twice De La Salle Zobel beat Ateneo en route to the first title in the Juniors Division.
For years the Ateneo program has been the paragon of secondary school football programs as they’ve won titles left and right in different age divisions. The losses to DLSZ in Season 70 had been humiliating and everyone connected to the program couldn’t wait to get back against them. They beat La Salle in the first round of Season 71 but lost in the second round.
Far Eastern University on the other hand, suffered through an embarrassing Season 70 along with the University of Santo Tomas. Ateneo and La Salle repeatedly blew out both squads.
It was worse for UST since they’ve fielded teams before in other competitions. For FEU-FERN it was year one of a four-year program where they were tabbed to win the title and eventually move up to the seniors team. It was the start of a feeder-grassroots program so the school wouldn’t have to rely so much on mass recruiting in the college ranks.
They had a talented team and they beat DLSZ twice including a 9-2 slaughter in the second round when Ateneo could not.
In the Championship match against the Blue Booters, they were able to negate the height advantage by playing smart ball with a disciplined 4-4-2 system predicated on team play and passing.
And for the first half, they seemed to be outplaying the Ateneans. In fact the defense looked sloppy and the players slow and clumsy. There was a near own-goal by Ateneo Captain Carl Mat Llado when he misplayed a cross by FEU’s Arnel Amita. The Baby Tamaraws kept Ateneo keeper Micah Alampay busy all 45 minutes of the first half as FEU had four shots on goal as compared to the nil by Ateneo.
But that all changed in the second half when an accidental handball inside the FEU box gave a penalty to Ateneo barely a minute into the second half. The Blue Booters’ Michael Mabanag sent the FEU keeper left as the ball went high and right for the first score of the match in the 46th minute.
The goal gave Ateneo a huge lift as they went on the attack when their midfield tightened up on its defense. Their opponents had a tough time getting their offense going as they oft found themselves stripped and beaten to the ball.
In the 80th minute, Mabanag slipped through the right wing unimpeded. He beat his defender with a nifty fake then unleashed a brilliant shot just a few yards away from the keeper. The ball dipped below the left side of the goal post where it found the back of the net.
2-nil for the blue and white.
Even with the added three minutes of stoppage time, Ateneo continued to attack. FEU had a few chances to pull one back including one behind Michael Menzi who missed a header off a decent cross by Nash Madjini but they were mostly defender well by Ateneo’s Luis Mendoza, Ranvin Jarina, Gabriel Manalo and Llado.
At fulltime, the bench players in blue lifted the cooler of Gatorade and water and dumped it on their coach Edwin Cabalida.
Mabanag received the Most Valuable Player Award and he pointed up to the sky to thank the Man above. He raised his finger to signify that his team was number one.
And that they had dibs on what they hope is the first of many UAAP juniors football championships.
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