Blazers capture NCAA football title
COLLEGE of Saint Benilde (CSB) beat Arellano University in a thrilling penalty shootout anew, 3-2, to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA) Season 93 seniors football championship on Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila.
Following another 1-1 deadlock title drought. in 120 minutes of play, goalkeeper “This was a good season for us. Jake Vicen came through with the We ended the drought. The players title-clinching save in the shootout deserve this championship,” said as the Blazers ended a seven-year CSB head coach Marlon Maro, whose squad last won a title in 2010.
The Taft- based booters over their fourth crown in history. After losing 2- 3 in the series opener that went into extra time, CSB outscored Arellano in a shootout, 4- 3, in Game Two to force the winner-take-all match.
“Same thing today as what we’ve discussed in the halftime of last game. My players said, ‘We will get this, Coach.’ They really wanted to win this match,” added Maro who was also named Coach of the Year.
Unlike in the first two games, the Blaz- ers notched the opening goal this time around as Miguel Artillera of the lead in the series.
The Chiefs posted the equalizer through a counter- attack just four minutes past the restart. Top striker Roberto Corsame received a sneaky- through ball from the middle before going for a clinical finish.
Chances came aplenty for both sides in the second half but none was able to score the matchwinning goal, leading to the third extra time in a row.
Fatigue began to take its toll as the deadlock remained at the end of the extension play, setting the stage for Vicen’s heroics.
Arellano got an early 2-1 lead in the shootout, thanks to custodian Jericho Desalisa’s save on Earl Laguerta’s attempt after James Ayuban and Jumbel Guinabang struck from the spot while Daniel
Evander Alquitela and Angelo Guengon shot over the crossbar then Renz Tulayba and Major Dean Ebarle slotted home the ball, giving the Blazers a 3-2 upper hand while the Chiefs were their last attempt.
But the graduating Vicen stopped Corsame’s shot to notch crowd to a raucous celebration.
Vicen capped his collegiate football career with the season’s Best Goalkeeper award while teammate Tulayba copped the Most Valuable Player and Best
Meanwhile, San Beda College’s Nimrod Balabat was named Best Striker and Arellano’s Patrick Bernarte Best Defender. San Beda received the Fair Play award. left with