24 Jan SP17 Champs Quality, Islanders to Play for U18 Elite Title
[November 1, 2017 – Harmon, Guam] – Defending champions Quality Distributors are peaking at the right time to potentially double up on Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League U18 Division titles following a 3-2 upset of formerly undefeated No. 1 Wings Red in playoff semifinals Monday at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.
Quality’s Sam Larkin scored twice in the second half and James Jeong scored the team’s other goal in the 57th minute to amass a 3-0 lead with about 25 minutes left to play.
Though late in the game, Wings Red continued to press Quality’s defense to chip away at the lead. Takumi Odell finished a set play in the 85th minute to score Wings Red’s first goal and four minutes later, Jordan Jasmin went one-on-one with Quality keeper Taka Ward and won to get his team within one goal.
With momentum shifting more to Wings Red in the last few minutes, including three minutes of stoppage time, the team displayed diehard desperation for at least the game-tying goal to force extra time, but Quality’s defense held out enough to eke out the 3-2 victory.
Quality will face the ASC Trust Islanders in the U18 championship match Nov. 6 after the No. 2-ranked team defeated No. 3 Bank of Guam Strykers 4-1 in the division’s other semifinal match, also played Monday evening.
The Islanders tacked on four unanswered goals by the 50th minute; however a Clayton Mitchell header-for-goal for the Strykers about 15 minutes later spoiled a clean sheet for the division’s Golden Glove winner Ryan Root.
Noah Duenas scored twice for the winning team and teammates Brandon Auayan and Devan Mendiola also scored. The Islanders’ defense also managed to contain the division’s Golden Boot winner Micah Hennegan for the duration of the match. Hennegan, last season’s U15 Division Golden Boot winner when he played for the Tigers, moved up to the U18 Division for Fall 2017 with the Strykers and won his new division’s top scorer award with 17 goals in eight matches. Hennegan outscored Mendiola, last season’s U18 Division Golden Boot winner, by five goals.
The championship match between Quality Distributors and the ASC Trust Islanders will kick off at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at GFA. There is no entrance fee to watch the match. After the match, a short awards ceremony will be held for team and individual winners.
Quality Distributors’ Sam Larkin attempts to maneuver with the ball around Wings Red’s Tyler Presto during a semifinal match of the U18 Division playoffs of the Fall 2017 Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Quality won 3-2 to advance to the championship match.
Quality Distributors’ Kanta Terai controls the ball in the midfield as Wings Red’s Kyle Halehale pressures him on defense during a semifinal match of the U18 Division playoffs of the Fall 2017 Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Quality won 3-2 to advance to the championship match.
Wings Red’s Tyler Presto passes the ball back to a teammate for a give-and-go play as Quality Distributors’ Camden Camacho tracks him on defense during a semifinal match of the U18 Division playoffs of the Fall 2017 Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. Quality won 3-2 to advance to the championship match.
ASC Trust Islanders’ Noah Duenas gets swarmed by Bank of Guam Strykers defenders as he attempts to turn to the goal to shoot during a semifinal match of the U18 Division playoffs of the Fall 2017 Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Islanders won 4-1 to advance to the championship match.
Bank of Guam Strykers’ Clayton Mitchell and ASC Trust Islanders Kennedy Macatuno battle for possession of the ball during a semifinal match of the U18 Division playoffs of the Fall 2017 Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Islanders won 4-1 to advance to the championship match.
Bank of Guam Strykers’ Micah Hennegan attempts to pass the ball facing defensive pressure from ASC Trust Islanders’ Daniel Lanquin during a semifinal match of the U18 Division playoffs of the Fall 2017 Aloha Maid Minetgot Cup Elite Youth League Monday evening at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Islanders won 4-1 to advance to the championship match.