• A.V. DEL CARMEN
The Under-12 team of the Dolphins Football Club of Negros Occidental emerged champion in the Laguna Premier Cup, held in Santa Cruz City on April 13-14.
The Dolphins U-14 squad finished second runner-up.
The Dolphins FC delegation was led by John Carmona, director of the Brazilian Jericho Soccer Academy.
The Dolphins prevailed over Famah Kidapawan, 1-0, in the U-12 titular match after edging Makati FC, 6-5, in the semifinal shootout.
In the qualifying round, the eventual champs also posted a nil-deadlock with Makati and shut out Kings United of Dumaguete against their three markers, and the Davao Crocs against their lone goal.
They also blanked Azkals Development Academy and Apuesto Bueno FC of Santa Cruz against their twin scores enroute to the semifinal match.
The Dolphins took five individual honors – MVP and Best Midfielder (Zhian Enario), Best Goalkeeper (Gerard Dela Torre), Best Defender (Vicente Iñigo Barba), and Best Coach (Jay R Gandel).
The other U-12 players are Francesca Faith Hamili, Zoe Oplas, Reynier Lopez, Kyle Pacatang, Rafael Tambungan, Ken Lo, Jaimie Lim, Henry Beñalon, and Kyann Cunanan.
The U-14 squad blanked their four eliminations round opponents – Apuesto Bueno (1-0), Azkals DA (2-0), Tamasak of Davao del Norte (1-0), and Apo Atletico (1-0), and settled for a scoreless deadlock against Malaya FC of Metro Manila in the qualifying games.
The Negros booters, however, lost to Xavier (Green hills), 3-4, in the penalty shootout in the seminal match and salvaged the bronze medal via a 2-1 triumph over Malaya.
Makati FC took the U-14 title after blanking Xavier against its three markers in the All-Metro Manila finale.
The U-14 team, mentored by Reggie Miraflor, is composed of Seth Raphael Aguilar, Gabriel Antonio Calderon, Romelo Hamili Jr., Uriel Nikolai Rha Merced, Reynvel Regis, Jireh Alvarado, Eril Bagabaldo, Joshua Angelo Casas, Levon Tyreke Lagahit, John Paul Nidar, Edrick Riley Boy, JC Baloco, Ryle Kryzstof Cunanan, Joerry Ezekiel Largo, Hesron Kane Noynay, and Jom Gaddiel Raca. | AVDC
