14 Nov Rovers Win Di Title, Look Ahead to GFA Cup Tourney
[May 11, 2016 – Harmon, Guam] – Rovers FC are officially champions of two of three divisions of the Budweiser Soccer League based on the latest league standings, released after Week 20 matches by Guam Football Association.
In the Premier Division, Rovers FC captured its third-consecutive championship, boasting a 17-3 win-loss record with 137 goals scored in 20 matches played. The team also had the best defensive record, allowing opponents just an average of 1.2 goals per match.
Guam Shipyard, the defending Bank of Guam GFA Cup tournament champions, finished its Premier Division season in second place behind the Rovers with a 15-4-1 win-loss-draw record.
Shipyard is the only other team in the division to score over 100 goals in the season, finishing with 108 goals. Guam Shipyard’s top scorer, Min Sung Choi, scored 41 goals in 20 matches to win the division’s Golden Boot award. Choi finished four goals ahead of last season’s winner, Ian Mariano, of the Rovers.
In the final week of Premier Division matches held at the GFA National Training Center, Rovers DI defeated Quality Distributors 10-1. Ian Mariano, Jorge Hellu, and Jeremy Boldt each contributed hat tricks in the win. Natsuki Recella scored the team’s other goal. Ryu Topasna scored for Quality.
The Strykers FC defeated the Sidekicks 12-0, led by Marcus Lopez’s double hat trick. Ricky Katsumata scored three in the win and teammate Christian Dickson scored twice. Raymond Macias scored the team’s other goal.
Guam Shipyard defeated the Southern Cobras 7-1. Min Sung Choi, Donald Weakley, and Andre Gadia each scored twice for the winning team. Mark Chargualaf scored Shipyard’s other goal. Ashton Surber scored the Cobras’ lone goal.
Before the kick off of league matches over the weekend, a moment of silence was observed for Mitchell Torre, who recently passed away. Torre primarily played the goalkeeper position for the Southern Cobras.
In other Budweiser Soccer League divisions, the Rovers earned enough points to clinch the Masters Division crown. The Rovers Masters (17-1) lead the current second-ranked Strykers Masters by 11 points with only two matches left in the season. The Masters Division takes a short break and resumes May 12.
The Rovers FC fell short of sweeping the entire league, as Big Blue D2 (17-3-1) clinched the Division 2 championship ahead of second-ranked Rovers D2, with one match left to play.
The league’s teams are currently competing in the Bank of Guam 9th Annual GFA Cup tournament, with eight matches in the tournament qualifiers.
The winners of the eight qualifier matches move on to the main draw of the tournament, where the six Premier Division teams and the top two Division 2 teams await their opponents.
The main draw begins May 5.
The Rovers FC DI’s Takumi Ito looks to send a cross to a teammate facing defensive pressure from Quality Distributors FC’s RC Salas during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Rovers FC DI won 10-1.
The Rovers FC DI’s Jeremy Boldt looks to take a shot as Quality Distributors central defender Dustin Dye closes in on him during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Rovers FC DI won 10-1.
Quality Distributors FC’s Jan-Willem Staman looks to get around the defense of the Rovers FC DI’s Takumi Ito during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Rovers FC DI won 10-1.
The Southern Cobras Ashton Surber attempts to navigate around Guam Shipyard defenders during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Guam Shipyard won 7-1.
Guam Shipyard’s Min Sung Choi sends a pass to a teammate facing defensive pressure from Southern Cobras defenders during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Guam Shipyard won 7-1.
The Southern Cobras’ Keith Surber attempts to advance the ball in the midfield through Guam Shipyard’s Ajay Pothen (left) and Donald Weakley (6) during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Guam Shipyard won 7-1.
The Sidekicks’ Jerick Cruz tries to keep the ball away from the Strykers FC’s Justin Johnson during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Strykers won 12-0.
The Strykers FC’s Marcus Lopez and the Sidekicks’ Michael Damian both look to gain possession of the ball during a final week match of the Budweiser Soccer League Premier Division Sunday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Strykers won 12-0.