Playing catch-up

Of the three games in the high school division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. football tournament today, the first and the last matches will be the crucial ones. In the second one, third-ranked University of San Jose-Recoletos is expected to collect its second win against guest team Sisters of Mary School Boystown.

In the first game, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) will shoot for its first win against league-leading Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and, in the last game, defending champion Don Bosco Technological Center fights for survival against no. 2 University of San Carlos-Basic Education Department.

Ateneo leads the division at nine points from a perfect 3-0 record, while USC is next at six points with a 2-1 record, its lone loss coming against Ateneo. The chase for the next two spots gets interesting. USJ-R is third at four points, while USPF and DBTC have one point each.

Despite having only a point to show in its first two games, DBTC coach Glenn Ramos isn’t worried. In fact, during their last game, he had to calm the nerves of his players--who seem pressured at the prospect of being the first DBTC team to not make the semis. Coach Glenn shared what happened with UC’s lone title run seven or eight years back. UC lost most of its matches before winning one and earning a spot in the semis against the no. 1 team.

As the lowest-ranked team in the semis, the pressure was on the other side and UC did something no one else has done, go all the way to the finals and win it all as the no. 4 team. Last week, coach Glen shared some of the inside info of that titular run.

All week during that lead-up to the finals, UC kept practicing under the rain. It rained in the final and USJ-R couldn’t use its passing game as the USC field practically rendered it impossible. UC scored a goal and practically parked the bus for the rest of the game.

“Naka-una bitaw mi. Gi-ingnan nako sila ‘depensa ta tanan,’” Glen said.

Coach Glen shared that because like the college division before, the high school division uses a final four format. And in a six-team field, you only need to win once--twice would be more than enough--to make it to the final four. And as what UC has shown, it doesn’t matter if you’re no. 1 or no. 4 in the semifinal round, you’re all on equal footing.

Mind you, the last two teams—USPF and DBTC—are all capable of playing catchup with the rest. So it’s going to be an interesting few weeks in Cesafi football.

Mind you, the last two teams— USPF and DBTC—are all capable of playing catch-up with the rest. So it’s going to be an interesting few weeks in Cesafi football.