Story finished: UST ends FEU-Diliman's football reign

c/o UAAP Media Team

AFTER a heartbreaking loss in last season’s final, University of Santo Tomas finished the story, ending the 12-year reign of defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman to emerge as the last team standing in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament.

Joshua Moleje and James Sunog connived to lift UST to the summit, as the Junior Golden Booters accomplished what no other team had managed for over a decade—dethroning the Baby Tamaraws with a 2-1 triumph, Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

“Since day one, we’ve been working on this, and I know these boys deserve it,” said Moleje, the Grade 10 midfielder from Negros Occidental.

“We owe it to our seniors. Last year, we couldn’t give them the championship. Last year we didn’t win. Now, we’re dedicating this win to our seniors. We just played with our hearts, gave it everything, and God gave us the gold," he added, who is set to join Valencia-based club Levante Unión Deportiva, S.A.D after the conclusion of the season.

(“Since day one, we’ve been working for this, and I know these boys deserve it. We owe this to our seniors. Last year, we couldn’t give them the championship. We didn’t win. But now, we’re dedicating this victory to them. We just played with our hearts, gave everything we had, and God rewarded us with the gold.”)

Moleje, the Best Midfielder awardee, broke the deadlock in the 40th minute with a composed finish from close range.

Sunog then tapped the ball home in the 68th minute to seal the Junior Golden Booters’ first-ever championship in the boys’ high school division, delivering UST its first UAAP football crown since the Lady Booters’ triumph in Season 74.

“Masaya po pero mas masaya po na nakuha namin yung gold at champion po” said Sunog. “Hindi ako makapaniwala kasi yung momentum ng FEU-D po, malakas po at hindi basta-basta na kalaban yung FEU-D.”

(“I’m happy but happier that our team won the gold and the championship. It’s hard for me to believe since FEU-D had so much momentum, and they’re not just any opponent.)

The UST duo’s goals offset FEU-D’s equalizer in the 44th minute.

Sambher Nash Abrenica, starting in place of first-choice striker Jerriemy Biton, unleashed a strike from outside the box that slipped past UST goalkeeper Edcel James Lauron.

Biton, who was subbed in at halftime, had a subdued performance in the second half but nearly salvaged the match for FEU-D in stoppage time.

However, Biton’s header went straight into the hands of Lauron, who held firm when it mattered most.

The Baby Tamaraws had one final opportunity to force extra time in the dying moments of stoppage time, but their last attempt hit the side netting.

Seconds later, the final whistle sounded, officially crowning UST as the new kings of UAAP high school football.

UST’s path to the title was anything but easy.

Finishing second in the eliminations with 22 points, the Junior Golden Booters suffered two defeats against FEU-D and had to battle past De La Salle Zobel in the Final Four to reach the championship match.

“So proud of the boys,” said assistant coach David Basa, who led UST from the sidelines throughout the season. “Lahat talaga binigay nila. Last minute, ang daming atake ng FEU-D pero hindi sila bumigay. Gusto talaga nila makuha yung final. Alam nila sa sarili nila na kaya nila manalo sa UAAP eh.”

(“So proud of the boys. They gave it their all. In the final minutes, FEU-D launched multiple attacks, but we held our ground. They really wanted to win the final. They knew deep inside that they could become UAAP champions.”)

This marks the first time since Season 72 that the high school football title does not belong to FEU-D.

The Baby Tamaraws topped the elimination round with 28 points from nine wins and one draw before narrowly edging guest school PAREF Southridge 1-0 in the semifinals. However, their dynasty came to an abrupt end in the final.

Despite the heartbreak, Biton still had plenty to celebrate, claiming multiple accolades in his impressive Season 87 debut. The 16-year-old striker from Negros was named Rookie of the Year, Best Striker, and Golden Boot winner after scoring 10 goals throughout the campaign.

De La Salle Zobel’s Bacchus Ekberg secured the Best Defender award for the second consecutive year, while Southridge’s Paolo Tansingco was honored as Best Goalkeeper for his standout performances during the Admirals’ Cinderella run.

UST’s Stephen Flores earned the Most Valuable Player award for anchoring the Junior Golden Booters’ rock-solid defense.

Aside from the silver medal, FEU-D also took home the Fair Play Award for accumulating the fewest yellow and red cards this season.

Meanwhile, De La Salle-Zobel secured the bronze medal for the second straight year.

UAAP High School Football title set for decider

 

c/o UAAP Media Team

Match Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

5 p.m. — UST vs FEU-D

DEFENDING champion Far Eastern University-Diliman and University of Santo Tomas will clash for the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football title in a rematch of last year’s final today (Saturday) at 5 p.m. at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

For the Baby Tamaraws, the stakes are high as they aim to clinch their 13th consecutive title and complete the school’s fourth treble in history.

Meanwhile, the Junior Golden Booters are determined to claim their first division championship and deliver UST’s first football crown since Season 74, when the Lady Booters last lifted the trophy.

Following FEU-D’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Season 87’s Cinderella team, PAREF Southridge, in the semifinals, head coach Jake Morallo emphasized the importance of maintaining their winning mentality heading into the final.

The Baby Tamaraws, led by rookie forward Jerriemy Biton and his league-best nine goals, are riding an 11-game unbeaten streak this season. However, beyond UST, Morallo knows their biggest challenge is avoiding complacency.

“I think all top four teams deserve naman makapasok sa Final Four,” said Morallo. “So sa makakalaban namin sa finals, pagplanuhan namin 'yung game, (at) pag-aaralan din namin 'yung strengths and weaknesses ng kalaban namin by that time. Prepare lang talaga kami sa training. Kailangan pa rin namin 'yung winning mentality.”

("I think all top four teams deserve to make it to the Final Four. As for our opponent in the finals, we will plan for the game and study their strengths and weaknesses by that time. We just need to prepare in training. We still need to have a winning mentality.")

While FEU-D watched from the sidelines, UST secured the second final berth with a gritty 2-1 victory over De La Salle Zobel.

As the Junior Golden Booters celebrated their hard-earned win, the memories of last year’s 3-0 defeat were nowhere to be found.

Instead, hopes are soaring behind standout goalkeeper Edcel Lauron and Spain-bound midfielder Joshua Moleje, as they look to finally make this season their moment of triumph.

“Syempre i-ready namin 'yung mindset ng players at 'yung katawan ng players,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Nakakapagod din 'yung game na 'to, so one-week recovery 'tong plano namin. Siguro pag-usapan namin kung paano namin paghahandaan ang FEU.”

("Of course, we will prepare the players' mindset and physical condition. This game was exhausting, so our plan is a one-week recovery. We'll probably discuss how we will prepare for FEU.")

Following the championship match, individual awards—including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Golden Boot, Best Striker, Best Midfielder, Best Defender, and Best Goalkeeper—will be presented to the season’s top performers.

Additionally, the Fair Play Award will be given to the team with the fewest disciplinary infractions throughout Season 87.

FEU-Diliman, UST set for finals rematch

c/o UAAP Media Team

Game on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

5 p.m. - UST vs FEU-D

DEFENDING champion Far Eastern University-Diliman and the University of Santo Tomas secured their spots in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Final, Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The Baby Tamaraws, aiming for their 13th consecutive title and a fourth treble in history, edged out the Southridge Admirals, 1-0, while the Junior Golden Booters overcame the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Green Booters, 2-1, to set up a rematch of last season’s final, where UST hopes to finally claim the crown.

Determined to dominate early, the Baby Tamaraws struck just two minutes into the match, with Jerriemy Biton delivering a clinical finish from close range.

Throughout both halves, FEU-D created multiple chances to extend their lead, but a combination of near misses and stellar goalkeeping by Paolo Tansingco kept Southridge in contention.

Biton had an opportunity to double the lead with an open goal in front of him, only for his miskick to send the ball crashing against the crossbar.

Winger Jacob Keleghan also saw his effort cleared off the line by defender Sebastian Paris and had several shots denied by Tansingco.

As time wound down, the Admirals gained more possession in the Baby Tamaraws’ half but failed to produce a clear-cut attempt on goal. FEU-D’s defense held firm, ensuring their place in the final.

“It was a really good game against Southridge,” said FEU-D coach Jake Morallo. “We all know naman na gusto nila may mapatunayan sila sa Season 87. Of course, happy kami despite many challenges.

"It was an early goal pero I think hindi kami masyadong naglaro nang maayos sa second half. We were struggling to score pero may mga chances na kita naman natin na tumama sa poste. Medyo nagkulang pa talaga to win this game para sa akin," he added.

c/o UAAP Media Team

In the evening match, Joshua Balliner and Argos Alingalan powered UST to victory, setting up their much-anticipated clash against FEU-D which takes place on Saturday, 5 p.m. at the same Diliman pitch.

Following a goalless first half, Balliner capitalized on a defensive miscue by Junior Archers goalkeeper Januel Magdangal and captain Bacchus Ekberg to slot the ball into an empty net in the 68th minute.

Just three minutes later, Alingalan doubled UST’s advantage, scoring on a rebound in the 71st minute.

Despite falling behind, La Salle kept the contest alive, pulling a goal back in the 80th minute when Justin Concepcion capitalized on a set-piece, heading the ball past the keeper.

The Junior Green Booters pushed hard for an equalizer, but Ekberg’s free kick struck the wall, sealing UST’s passage to the final.

“Tough game. Binigyan talaga kami ng laban ng La Salle,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Pinaghandaan yung plan namin. Nahirapan kami nung first half. Nilagay nila si (Luis) Montelibano on the left side kasi alam nila na yung bet namin si (Yuan) Maniscan.

"Nagawa nila yun for the first half and early second half. Medyo napagod din yung team nila kasi runners din talaga yung players namin kaya siguro nakahanap kami ng opening to score two goals," Basa added.

With FEU-D and UST battling for the title, DLSZ secured third place for the second consecutive season, while Southridge concluded its debut campaign in fourth.

UAAP set for inaugural HS Boys Football semifinals

c/o UAAP Media Team

Matches Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

4:30 p.m. — FEU-D vs SRG (boys semis)
7 p.m. — UST vs DLSZ (boys semis)

DEFENDING champion Far Eastern University-Diliman and challengers University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle Zobel, and PAREF Southridge clash in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Final Four today (Saturday) at the UP Diliman Football Stadium, with spots in the March 29 final at stake.

The top-seed Baby Tamaraws, seeking a 13th straight crown, will take on the fourth-placed Admirals at 4:30 p.m. while second-placed Junior Golden Booters and third-placed Junior Archers will face off afterward at 7 p.m. with the winners of both matches heading to the final.

FEU-D is coming into the semifinals in impressive form, winning nine of its 10 elimination round assignments.

The only time it dropped points, though, came against Southridge last February 22 in a 1-1 draw, which denied the reigning princes of the pitch an outright ticket to the big dance.

Moreover, the Diliman-based school has rookie striker Jerriemy Biton, who is leading the league’s goal scoring table with nine goals.

After seeing his Baby Tamaraws wrap up the eliminations with a 3-2 victory over last season's final foils Junior Golden Booters last Saturday, FEU-D coach Jake Morallo says that it’s back to the drawing board for his team as they prepare for Southridge.

“I think para samin, i-pre-prepare nalang namin,” said Morallo.

“I think the teams have their own  strengths. Siguro yung winning mentality kailangan ibalik namin. We will (have to) play as a group again. Yung mga problems namin sa game, yung finishing namin, yung attacking pace, kailangan namin i-improve.”

(“I think for us, we just need to prepare. I think each team has its own strengths. Maybe we need to bring back our winning mentality. We will have to play as a group again. The problems we have in our game—our finishing, our attacking pace—those are the things we need to improve.”)

Southridge, one of two guest schools invited for the first time in the league, is eyeing to extend its impressive debut campaign in Season 87 behind the efforts of forward Francis Poticano and goalkeeper Polo Tansingco.

Aside from holding the Baby Tamaraws to a draw, the Admirals’ impressive second round performances saw them earn wins against the Junior Archers and fellow guest team Claret Red Roosters, and formally enter the Final Four last Saturday by drawing the Ateneo Blue Eagles in one of the season’s most competitive matches.

Dethroning the Biton and the rest of the Baby Tamaraws may be a daunting task for most but the Admirals are on a great run and are eager to harness their momentum to extend this breakthrough campaign of theirs.

“We will try to prepare for them,” said Southridge’s Ghanaian coach Sam Bonney.

“It is what it is. Definitely, we want to go to the final. So we'll do our best and see how the game will go. Once we get there, we will know what to do.”

Whoever wins between FEU-D and Southridge will eagerly anticipate the next match between UST and La Salle.

Next to the Baby Tamaraws, the Junior Golden Booters have been this season’s most consistent team, winning seven matches, drawing once, with their two losses this year at the hands of the defending champions with Spain-bound midfielder Joshua Moleje providing inspiration in the attacking third.

Despite seeing the Junior Golden Booters remain unbeaten against the Junior Archers in both elimination round duels this season, UST assistant coach David Basa wants his players to focus and not feel complacent so that they could make the final for the second straight season.

“Feel ko prepared naman na yung boys namin,” said Basa.

“May pina-rest kami para getting ready kami for the semis. Naghahanda na kami talaga sa semis. Syempre score more goals ang need namin ma-practice this coming week then yung build nila as a team. Dapat talaga andun yung concentration.”

("I feel like our boys are already prepared. We gave some players time to rest so we can be ready for the semifinals. We're really preparing for the semis. Of course, we need to practice scoring more goals this coming week, as well as their build-up as a team. The concentration really has to be there.")

Compared to FEU-D, UST and Southridge, La Salle is entering the Final Four on the back of a horrible second round that yielded only one win — the second round opener against archrival Ateneo — and four straight losses to the rest of the competition.

Bannered by defender Bacchus Ekberg, the Junior Archers still have a chance to set things right and achieve an unlikely appearance in the final by upsetting the Junior Golden Booters. They may be the underdogs this time around, but it would be dangerous to count them out.

“Moving into the semifinals, I think we need to prepare,” said La Salle’s Ghanaian coach Ayi Nii Aryee.

“We need to start our preparation as of now to get things done right to be able to match up to UST. They already know what is ahead of them so our preparation would be quite tougher than previous trainings. We have to really prepare well for these semis because it's only one game.”

Southridge draw takes Admirals into inaugural UAAP HS Football Final Four

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

*FEU-D 28 points (+22)
*UST 22 points (+13)
*DLSZ 13 points (0)
*Southridge 11 points (-1)
Ateneo 10 points (-6)
Claret 3 points (-28)

*Final Four

PAREF Southridge’s Cinderella story continues.

The Admirals defied the odds once again, battling 10-man Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles to a hard-fought 1-1 draw to extend their dream run to the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament Final Four, Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Riding the momentum of an unbeaten second-round surge, Southridge’s resilience sealed their spot in the semifinals alongside defending champions FEU-Diliman, second-seeded University of Santo Tomas, and third-ranked De La Salle Zobel.

“I would like to thank God for this,” said Admirals head coach Sam Bonney. “I'm so happy for the boys and the whole Southridge community who came to support us. When we arrived here, Claret had just beaten La Salle, which gave us more confidence. We knew we had to win this game to get that final position, so we gave our best.”

The Final Four matchups will see FEU-D face Southridge, while UST takes on a La Salle side that ended the eliminations on a four-game losing streak, capped by a 3-2 defeat to Claret School of Quezon City—the Red Roosters' first-ever UAAP victory.

Francis Poticano gave Southridge an early advantage with a fantastic finish in the 42nd minute. In the second half, Kendrick Rance had multiple chances to double their lead, but his attempts went straight to Ateneo goalkeeper Timothy Patawaran.

Ateneo ramped up the pressure and found the equalizer in the 74th minute when an unmarked John Molina nodded home a header at the back post.

With momentum shifting to the Blue Eagles, Southridge relied on goalkeeper Polo Tansingco, who produced a stunning save against Andres Dumlao to preserve the draw.

Ateneo's desperation intensified in stoppage time, leading to defender Angelo Liamzon's dismissal for a reckless challenge that earned him a second yellow card.

Liamzon had previously been cautioned in the first half following a scuffle involving Southridge's Gabriel Paris.

Moments later, the final whistle blew, sparking celebrations from Southridge players and their supporters.

“Oh yeah, I mean, (Poticano and Tansingco) are two extraordinary players,” Bonney added. “We always rely on them. We know their qualities and what they can bring to the team.”

Meanwhile, FEU-Diliman closed the elimination round unbeaten after a thrilling 3-2 victory over UST.

The Baby Tamaraws endured a shaky start, with UST's Argos Alingalan opening the scoring just three minutes into the contest. FEU-D responded in first-half stoppage time through Reynaldo Martinez's strike in the 45+2 minute, swinging the momentum their way.

Arvin Alayon fired FEU-D ahead in the 54th minute, and Czam Acuesta added another goal in the 90+4 minute to give the Baby Tamaraws breathing room. UST's Joshua Balliner netted a late goal in the 90+5 minute, but it proved too late for the Junior Golden Booters to mount a comeback.

“It was a good game on our side,” said FEU-D coach Jake Morallo. “Even though it was a non-bearing game, every match matters for FEU. We started slowly, but the players responded well. Despite many of our starters missing, the substitutes stepped up and delivered. I'm proud of the team for doing their best today.”

In the opening match of the day, Claret School of Quezon City capped their debut UAAP campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over La Salle.

Paolo Rodriguez secured the historic win with a 90+5 minute strike, igniting jubilant celebrations from Claret's supporters. The victory was a fitting end to a challenging season for the Red Roosters.

“For now, I can’t describe how happy our team is,” said Claret assistant coach Chevy Celeste. “We spent most of the season at the bottom, but we kept figuring out ways to bounce back. Luckily, today we prevailed. Our goal this season was to gain experience for Season 88, and we achieved that.”

Claret started strong with Haidyn Sante breaking the deadlock six minutes into the match. La Salle quickly responded with Justin Concepcion leveling the score in the 10th minute with a powerful long-range strike.

Jacob Monte restored Claret's lead in the 47th minute with a fine finish. Although La Salle equalized again through Victor Pronove in the 58th minute after Concepcion's initial attempt was saved, they failed to build on that momentum.

The Red Roosters held firm, and Rodriguez's late heroics ensured Claret ended their season on a high note.

Southridge secures inside track to UAAP HS postseason

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

*FEU-D 25 points (+21)

*UST 22 points (+14)

*DLSZ 13 points (+1)

Southridge 10 points (-1)

Ateneo 9 points (-6)

Claret 0 points (-29)

*Final Four

Matches on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. —CSQC vs DLSZ

4:30 p.m. — UST vs FEU

7 p.m. — ATENEO vs SRG

PAREF Southridge moved one step closer into entering the Final Four of the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament by leapfrogging Ateneo de Manila University on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Ahead of both schools’ crunch clash in the final elimination round matchday next Saturday, Southridge dismantled fellow guest team Claret School of Quezon City 3-0 while Ateneo suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of University of Santo Tomas.

Above the two schools chasing the last Final Four ticket are Far Eastern University-Diliman in first place with 25 points, UST in second place with 22 points, and third-placed De La Salle Zobel with 13 points.

“Yes, it's all about the homework and the training that we did before this match or toward this match,” said Ghanaian mentor Sam Booney after his Admirals leapt to fourth in the standings with 10 points with the Blue Eagles narrowly behind them with nine points in fifth place.

“We knew they would come up with a back five and we prepared for it. We trained very hard for all the goals that we scored. Everything we did in training showed up in the game.”

Clinical in front of the goal, Kale Javier’s two-goal performance set Southridge on its way to a 3-0 victory at the expense of the Red Roosters.

The 16-year-old striker latched on teammate Francis Poticano’s assist in the 31st minute and sealed the deal with a cool finish in the 62nd minute. Poticano then wrapped up the rout in the 68th minute to increase his tally to five goals this season.

Behind this win and Ateneo’s loss to UST, Southridge just needs a draw to make it to the Final Four next week.

“We’re playing Ateneo and the objective is to win. There will be a different strategy for Ateneo because we just need a draw to get into the Final Four. We have to do whatever it takes to get there. Whether it is a win or it's a draw—we have to do it. We can't afford to lose the game. That's it,” said Bonney.

The Admirals’ victory completed the perfect afternoon for them as the Junior Golden Booters bucked a slow start to prevail 3-1 at the Blue Eagles’ expense during the day’s early kickoff.

Andres Dumlao’s opener for Ateneo in the 31st minute proved to be a false dawn as Joshua Balliner equalized for UST in the 38th minute to ensure that both squads entered the break level.

Come the second half, Jessy Ramasola gave the Junior Golden Booters their first taste of the lead with an excellent finish inside the Blue Eagles’ box. UST then wrapped up the victory through John Mark Visitacion’s penalty kick in the 83rd minute.

For UST assistant coach David Basa, this performance is a good development ahead of the team’s rematch against Far Eastern University-Diliman next week as well as with the Final Four on the horizon.

“Siyempre gusto namin makabawi (sa FEU-D) pero iniisip namin ung pinaka-importante, which is (the) semi-finals,” said Basa. “Maganda siyempre kung manalo pero kailangan namin maging mautak when it comes to next game.”

Meanwhile, Jacob Keleghan and Jerriemy Biton combined to power FEU-D to a 2-0 win past DLSZ.

Keleghan broke the deadlock in the 51st minute while Biton put the ball at the back of the net again in the 74th minute from close range to extend his tally to nine goals this season.

“Surprised ako sa game ngayon kase kung pag-uusapan natin yung tactics side, hindi namin na-anticipate na mag-iiba silang way of playing nila sa formation (at) sa style,” said FEU-D coach Jake Morallo.

“Sa first (half) naalangan kami. Nahirapan kami because again nag co-compact na naman sila and, of course, they are very aggressive. Nahirapan kami makapwesto sa first half.”

Despite losing for the second straight game, the Junior Archers booked their place in the Final Four by virtue of the Junior Golden Booters’ win over the Blue Eagles.

In contrast, Claret will try to earn its first point of the season against La Salle next week in the final elimination round matchday.

Southridge stuns Zobel to keep postseason hopes alive

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

*FEU-D 22 points (+17)

*UST 19 points (+12)

DLSZ 13 points (+3)

Ateneo 9 points (-4)

Southridge 7 points (-4)

x Claret 0 points (-26)

*Final Four

x Eliminated

Matches on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. —UST vs Ateneo

4:30 p.m. — SRG vs CSQC

7 p.m. — DLSZ vs FEU-D

Fresh from holding defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman to a draw last week, PAREF Southridge broke further ground in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament, overcoming De La Salle Zobel 2-1 in a thrilling all-Muntinlupa duel Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Francis Poticano was the hero once again, scoring a second-half brace and improving his personal tally to four goals this year to help Southridge increase its tally to seven points in fifth place—just two behind fourth-placed Ateneo de Manila University with two matches left in the eliminations.

Southridge also earned its first-ever victory in against a UAAP member team, a remarkable feat for one of the two guest teams competing this season.

“Oh, that’s class,” said the Admirals’ Ghanian coach Sam Bonney. “We've been working on it for for months now. It's so unlucky that when the tournament started, (Poticano) was not getting that movement and the clear shots, but we know his quality and what he can do. So him scoring these goals, it's not a surprise for me. I know he can do it since he's been doing it in practice, just that it's not getting in the game but today he was able to find the back of the net.”

Southridge’s postseason hopes were further strengthened when FEU-D bounced back from last week’s disappointment by edging Ateneo 1-0 to return to winning ways.

Poticano unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box in the 64th minute to give the Admirals a priceless lead against the Junior Archers, who played without the suspended Bacchus Ekberg due to his yellow card accumulation.

The 16-year-old winger then gave Southridge breathing room in the 80th minute by scoring into an open goal after La Salle goalkeeper Jacob Salavante made the mistake of leaving his box too early.

While Renz Partosa pulled a goal back for the Junior Archers in the 81st minute, it was a case of too little to late as the Admirals held on to continue their Final Four push.

“The main goal here is to get to the top four,” said Bonney. “I mean, we started last week and then this week also we were able to come back again with a win. So definitely we are looking up to our next week game against Claret and then let's see what the game has for us.”

Before the Southridge-La Salle game, there was a minute of silence for Rosalyn Lariosa, who was the mom of one of the Junior Archers.

Held to a draw last week by the Admirals, the Baby Tamaraws did them a favor by defeating the Blue Eagles 1-0.

FEU-D captain Francis Sambaan scored the game’s only goal in the 77th minute from close range in a set-piece play as league topscorer Jerriemy Biton started off the bench and came on for Nash Abrenica in the 60th minute.

“Masaya kami sa (pag) bounce back namin from (the) Southridge game,” said Baby Tamaraws coach Jake Morallo. “Almost the same concept sila sa defending, nag-lo-low-block, sobrang mahirap i-penetrate but then nagawan parin ng paraan na at naka-score kami.”

“Although lahat key players, yung plan namin is kailangan muna ibabad muna namin mga subs din namin. Nung game against Southridge, medyo masama yung game (at) di maganda yung  pinakita nila ni Biton and other starters namin. I thought it was time na mabigyan chance ung mga subs namin.”

FEU-D remained in first place with 22 points followed by second-placed University of Santo Tomas with 19 points.

In third place with 13 points, La Salle needs at least a point in its next two matches to earn a place in the Final Four.

Meanwhile, the nightcap game saw UST defeat Claret School of Quezon City 1-0.

Justin Aque scored the game’s only goal in the 16th minute with a cool finish from within close range.

Come the second half, substitute Yuan Maniscan spurned several chances to double the Junior Golden Booters’ lead while Red Roosters striker Rolando Torres saw his free kicks routinely saved by goalkeeper Marco Jalog.

Despite getting the win, UST assistant coach David Basa felt that the Junior Golden Booters had much to improve on in the final third.

“Syempre nakulangan pa kami sa goals,” said Basa. “Kailangan ng boys talaga maging lethal inside the penalty area. “Sana makuha nila ung rhythm nila and yung confidence sa goal. Sa defenders namin, syempre meron tayo lapses eh. Kailangan namin i-remind na every game hangga’t di pa tapos, di pa last whistle, kailangan yung concentration, yung focus mo nandun. Once nawala ka sa game, nagkakaroon ng chances ang kalaban.”

Still bottom of the standings and yet to tally a point, Claret is eliminated from Final Four contention.

Southridge ends FEU-Diliman's sweep aspirations

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

*FEU-D 19 points (+16)
*UST 16 points (+11)
DLSZ 13 points (+4)
Ateneo 9 points (-3)
Southridge 4 points (-5)
Claret 0 points (-25)

*Final Four

Matches on Saturday at UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. —SRG vs DLSZ
4:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs FEU-D
7 p.m. — CSQC vs UST

PAREF Southridge defied the odds and held defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman to a dramatic 1-1 draw in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

With heroics from goalscorer Joziah Kendrick Rance and birthday celebrant Paolo Tansingco, the Admirals denied the Baby Tamaraws an outright ticket to the final—marking the first time a guest school forced a UAAP powerhouse to settle for a draw.

“I’m happy for the boys—they played according to the game plan,” said Southridge’s Ghanaian coach Sam Bonney. “The main goal before we started the second round was to be part of the Final Four. That’s the goal.”

The Admirals stunned the Baby Tamaraws by striking first, with Rance delivering a composed finish in the 17th minute to the delight of the Southridge camp.

However, the defending champions responded just before halftime.

Captain Francis Sambaan capitalized on a defensive lapse, scoring the equalizer in the 45+4th minute after Southridge failed to clear their lines.

In the second half, Tansingco—celebrating his 18th birthday—emerged as the hero for Southridge.

The goalkeeper made a series of crucial saves, denying league top scorer Jerriemy Biton, as well as substitutes John Incocencio and Arvin Alayon Jr., to secure a hard-fought point.

“Tansingco is a machine,” Bonney said. “He really saved us today—not just today, but in all our games. He was fantastic. We’re lucky to have a goalie like him. We thank him a lot, and I wish him a happy birthday as well.”

Despite the draw, the semifinal-bound FEU-D still remained at the top of the table with 19 points.

Meanwhile, Joshua Moleje’s brace powered University of Santo Tomas to a 2-1 victory over De La Salle Zobel, securing their place in the semifinals with 16 points, currently in second place.

Moleje, a Bacolod native, opened the scoring with a penalty kick in the 13th minute and doubled UST’s advantage in the 55th minute.

La Salle responded in the 73rd minute when Justin Concepcion headed in a goal to cut the deficit. The Junior Green Booters nearly forced a draw, but Concepcion’s stoppage-time free kick was comfortably gathered by UST goalkeeper Edcel Lauron.

“Kay Joshua, binibigyan namin siya ng freedom and confidence talaga sa game, so in return binibigyan niya yung team ng goals,” said UST assistant coach David Basa of Moleje, who now has four goals this season. “Tulungan lang. Tinutulungan din siya ng teammates niya to score.”

“Kung pasok na kami sa Final Four, preparation to the Final Four and hopefully championship na ito. Syempre long game and step-by-step.”

DLSZ remained with 13 points with the defeat and now just hold a four-point edge over Ateneo, which edged Claret, 3-2, in the opening match.

The Red Roosters drew first blood when Filbert Tacardon converted a penalty in the 69th minute.

However, the Blue Eagles responded with a flurry of goals. Karl Molina tapped in an equalizer in the 72nd minute, followed by substitute Quintin Angeles’ go-ahead goal just two minutes later.

Ateneo appeared to have sealed the victory when Ethan Roxas scored from a tight angle in the 81st minute, but Claret fought back.

Filmar Tacardon’s header in the 90+8th minute made it 3-2, and substitute Angelo Comla nearly forced a dramatic finish, only for his last-gasp attempt to land straight into the hands of Ateneo goalkeeper Timothy Patawaran to give Ateneo its third win.

“Of course, number one objective going into this game talagang the three points are very important,” said Ateneo coach JP Merida. “We struggled in the first half. In the second half, we conceded an early goal, but good thing their mindset was it’s not the end of the game. They pushed in the last 20 minutes, which was why we scored three straight goals. Then in the latter part, naging complacent kami, kaya nag-end pa ‘yung game sa 3-2.”

Southridge remained in fifth with four points while Claret remains at the bottom, still searching for their first point of the season.

FEU-D secures first Final Four spot in HS Football

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

FEU-D 18 points (+18)

UST 13 points (+10)

DLSZ 13 points (+5)

Ateneo 6 points (-4)

Southridge 3 points (-5)

Claret 0 points (-24)

Matches on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — Ateneo vs CSQC

4:30 p.m. — UST vs DLSZ

7 p.m. — FEU-D vs SRG


JERRIEMY Biton scored twice to lead Far Eastern University-Diliman in a 5-0 drubbing of Claret School of Quezon City in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

Leading the standings with 18 points after six wins, the Baby Tamaraws are the first team to seal a Final Four ticket and also remain on track to clinch an outright final birth, which can only be done by the school that wins all of its matches.

Stealing the show once again, Biton—the leading contender for the Golden Boot award this year—now has eight goals despite being a rookie.

“Ita-try namin (ang season sweep),” said FEU-D coach Jake Morallo. “Every game is important kahit na non-bearing pa yan. Winning is everything sa FEU no? Again, every game is important.  Ayun nga ita-try namin. I think kaya naman so kailangan babalik lang naman kami sa tactics so basically movement and finishing para mapanalo yung games.”

Meanwhile, captain Bacchus Ekberg powered De La Salle Zobel toward a 3-0 win over archrival Ateneo de Manila University while Joshua Moleje’s penalty earned University of Santo Tomas a slender 1-0 victory over PAREF Southridge.

Despite missing an open goal for his first chance in the match, Biton bounced back strongly by putting the ball at the back in the 39th and 60th minutes. The 16-year-old striker opened his account from close range and then performed a fine solo finish to secure his brace.

“Right now, every game si Biton nakakakuha palagi ng score no,” said Morallo. “He's always motivated. Nakikita namin yan ni coach Paolo (Bugas) sa training na every finishing, every konting instances sa harap ng goal, kinukuha niya palagi yung pag-score niya, which is masaya kami. Of course, di lang ako bilang coach kundi buong team (ang rason) na every game nagagawa niya to. We are hoping pa na madadagdagan pa every game yung score niya.”

Jacob Ray Keleghan opened the floodgates for the Baby Tamaraws in the 29th minute while defender James Maxdel Torres scored FEU-D’s fourth goal in the game in the 52nd minute following the halftime break.

Substitute forward Sambher Nash Abrenica then wrapped up the rout with an 86th-minute goal for FEU-D.

Unfortunately for the Baby Tamaraws, Torres had to be substituted in the 72nd minute of the match due to a bad landing. Post-game, Morallo shared his fear that the former Bayawan City East Central School standout possibly tore his ACL.

La Salle inched closer to a Final Four spot by trouncing Ateneo 3-0 behind Ekberg’s stellar goals from outside the box.

The 18-year-old defender scored the Junior Archers’ first goal in the 13th minute that was awarded after his teammate Renz Partosa was fouled. Ekberg then secured his brace in the q7th minute with another fantastic long-range effort.

Geoffrey Marqueses then completed the three-goal rout with a fine finish in the 81st minute to score his third goal of the season.

“Our plan, our objective is to get nine points this second round,” said La Salle’s Ghanian coach Ayi Nii Aryee. “Even six or seven points can put us in the Final Four but we don't have to underestimate any opponents. Even Ateneo, they have hopes of making the top four, even Southridge, even Claret—that's why they are playing right? If Claret can win all their four games they can have a chance so we have to take every game seriously.”

The final game of the evening saw UST prevail 1-0 at the expense of Southridge as the Junior Golden Booters also moved nearer to a Final Four ticket and gave head coach Marjo Allado a winning present for his 47th birthday.

After the goalless first half, the Junior Golden Booters found a way through after a clumsy foul on Moleje in the Admirals’ box. Spain-bound Moleje stepped up to take the spot-kick and he calmly shot past Southridge goalkeeper Juan Paolo Tansingco.

“Nag step-up si Moleje,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Happy for him na siya yung nakakuha ng penalty ar naka-score siya para sa team.”

Midfielder Vincenzo Solidum then had a chance to double UST’s lead in stoppage time, only for Tansingco to deny him with a fine save.

It was another tough loss for the Admirals, who had their bright moments in the match and defended resolutely. The likes of Zechariah Casillano, Francis Poticano and Mateo Mercado all had their sniffs at goal, but none of them found the back of the net.

“Yung game kase nila is nag-settle sila sa depensa so medyo nahirapan kami mag-attack. Na-overload sila sa depensa with five back. So medyo nahirapan pero buti nalang second half nag-adjust ung mga player nag create ng chances,” said Basa.

UST and La Salle have 13 points each with the former in second place due to its superior goal difference of plus-10 to the latter’s plus-5 followed by Ateneo in fourth place with six points.

Southridge remained in fifth place with three points while Claret is yet to tally a point in sixth place.

FEU-Diliman seeks to continue streak with second round HS football

c/o UAAP

Matches Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — Claret vs FEU-D
4:30 p.m. — DLSZ vs Ateneo
7 p.m. — Southridge vs UST

PICKING up where it left off, the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ High School Football Tournament resumes its second round Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium in Quezon City—this time with matches set to be broadcast on Pilipinas Live as the Final Four race intensifies.

League leaders Far Eastern University-Diliman (15 points) will look to inch closer to securing a semifinal spot when they kick off the second round against sixth-placed Claret School of Quezon City, which has yet to register a point this season. Their match is set for 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, fierce rivals De La Salle Zobel and Ateneo de Manila University will battle at 4:30 p.m., followed by the clash between PAREF Southridge and the University of Santo Tomas at 7 p.m.

Despite the wide gap between FEU-Diliman and Claret, Baby Tamaraws head coach Jake Morallo emphasized that his team still has plenty to improve on before even thinking about a 13th consecutive title. FEU and Claret last met on opening day, with the defending champions securing a dominant 6-0 victory.

“Siguro, we have to keep our focus during certain moments of the game,” said Morallo. “Right now, dalawa yung tinitignan natin every time maglalaro si FEU: sometimes the opponents will do a high press and sometimes a low press. Yan yung pinag-aaralan namin, kung paano kami maglaro depende sa opponent namin.”

La Salle Zobel, which edged Ateneo 1-0 in their first-round meeting last January 18, will aim for a repeat to solidify its Final Four aspirations. The Junior Archers currently sit in third place with 10 points and a plus-2 goal difference. Head coach Ayi Nii Aryee remains optimistic but expects more from his players.

“I think this performance looks better compared to last season,” said Aryee. “Last season also, we had a good performance, but this season is better: one loss with three wins and one draw. I think it’s something we need to be proud of, but we have to work more. We have to work more, because if we can really push more, we will be better than how we are doing right now.”

On the other hand, Ateneo head coach JP Merida was relieved to see his squad cap off a roller-coaster first round on a high note. The Blue Eagles, currently in fourth place with six points, gained momentum after a crucial 3-0 win over Southridge, their closest competitor in the standings.

“This win was very important sa amin to finish the first round because it’s really difficult to motivate the players and also the coaches coming from three losses,” said Merida.

“I think they’re very good three points to finish the first round with and, of course, we’re very happy with our players. They started really well all the way until the last minute added in the second half. Hopefully, it’s a good start coming to the second round.”

Wrapping up the day’s action, second-placed UST (10 points, plus-9 goal difference) will take on Southridge, with both teams eager to bounce back from first-round-ending defeats. The Junior Golden Booters and the Admirals are determined to return to winning ways at each other’s expense.

UST previously defeated Southridge 5-2 on opening day, but the Admirals are now better adjusted to UAAP competition and seek redemption.

“Gusto namin ma-improve for the second round is our defending since most of our opponents scored against us,” said UST assistant coach David Basa.

“Need ng boys ng full focus and concentration the whole game, especially sa defensive transitions. Also, we need to create and finish more chances in attack. In training, we teach the boys to find the best option for us to attack. Basically, we trust our players in their abilities—we just need the right adjustments lang to win more games.”

FEU-Diliman remains undefeated after one round of HS Boys Football

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

FEU-D 15 points (+13)
UST 10 points (+9)
DLSZ 10 points (+2)
Ateneo 6 points (-1)
Southridge 3 points (-4)
Claret 0 points (-19)

FAR Eastern University-Diliman reaffirmed its dominance over the University of Santo Tomas, securing a 2-1 victory in their first meeting since the UAAP Season 86 High School Boys' Football Final, Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

With a strong first-half performance, the Baby Tamaraws extended their impressive run, finishing the first round atop the standings with 15 points. Despite conceding their first goal of the season, they head into the second round in formidable form.

Meanwhile, archrivals Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle-Zobel bounced back from their respective losses last week, cruising to dominant wins over guest schools PAREF Southridge and Claret School of Quezon City.

Jerriemy Biton continued his breakout season, striking early in the fifth minute to give FEU-D the lead and notch his sixth goal of the campaign.

Francis Sambaan doubled the advantage in the 24th minute, handing the 12-time defending champions a comfortable cushion at halftime.

“Masaya na tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang panalo,” said FEU-D head coach Jake Morallo. “Masaya na sa first round naging top yung FEU but hindi pa dito tapos yung laban. Good thing lang is gustong-gusto pa rin namin manalo every game. That’s the most important thing.”

UST had chances to claw back in the second half.

Midfielder Nathaniel Absalon squandered a golden opportunity with the goal at his mercy, and as stoppage time ran out, Kurbe Dairo managed to pull one back in the 90+3 minute.

However, it was too little, too late for the Junior Golden Booters.

“Alam naman natin na si UST gustong-gustong manalo,” Morallo added. “There were moments na kaya pa nila mag-score. There were moments na disorganized kami but I think we dominated the game. We had lots of chances and early goals sa first half so maganda yung game today.”

Despite the loss, UST remained in second place with 10 points, holding a superior goal difference of +9 over third-placed La Salle, which also had 10 points but a GD of +2.

Ateneo recovered from last week’s 5-2 defeat to UST with a commanding 3-0 win over Southridge, reclaiming fourth place in the standings.

John Karol Molina wasted no time, opening the scoring in the fifth minute. Substitute Ethan Roxas doubled the lead in the 70th minute before Shawn Perea sealed the victory in stoppage time (90+5).

“This win was very important sa amin to finish the first round because it’s really difficult to motivate the players and also the coaches coming from three losses,” said Ateneo head coach JP Merida.

“I think they’re very good three points to finish the first round with and, of course, we’re very happy with our players. They started really well all the way until the last minute added in the second half. Hopefully, it’s a good start coming to the second round.”

Southridge, however, showed resilience.

Goalkeeper Carlito Vergara denied a penalty attempt from Ateneo’s Andres Dumlao, while Kim Jae Sung had a few promising chances that failed to find the net.

With the victory, Ateneo finished the first round with six points in fourth place, while Southridge remained in fifth with three points.

Like their rivals, La Salle also rebounded from a 3-0 loss to FEU-D last week with a resounding 4-1 victory over Claret.

James Dinglasan led the Junior Green Booterswith a brace, scoring in the second and 42nd minutes.

Geoffrey Marqueses added another in stoppage time (45+3), sending La Salle into halftime with a commanding 3-0 lead. Giomell Gigataras capped the rout with a goal in the 90+6 minute.

Despite the win, La Salle’s Ghanaian head coach, Nii Aryee Ayi, was not entirely satisfied with his team’s performance.

“So, I think this win is good, but I wasn't impressed with the second half (in terms of) how we played. We could have scored more, but the finishing was there. So, again, we have to go back to the training grounds and correct all these little mistakes,” said Ayi.

Claret’s lone bright spot came in first-half stoppage time (45+1), when Filbert Tacardon found the back of the net to momentarily keep the Red Roosters in the game.

However, the loss left Claret still searching for its first point of the season.

FEU-Diliman, UST impress heading into finals rematch

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

FEU-D 12 points (+12)

UST 10 points (+10)

DLSZ 7 points (-1)

Southridge 3 points (-1)

Ateneo 3 points (-4)

Claret 0 points (-16)

Matches on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — SRG vs Ateneo

4:30 p.m. — DLSZ vs CSQC

7 p.m. — FEU-D vs UST

AHEAD of their final rematch, Far Eastern University-Diliman and the University of Santo Tomas secured dominant victories against De La Salle Zobel and Ateneo de Manila University, respectively, in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

FEU-D opened the day with a commanding 3-0 win over La Salle, while UST followed with an emphatic 5-2 triumph against Ateneo.

Meanwhile, in a clash between guest teams, PAREF Southridge clinched its first-ever UAAP victory by routing Claret School of Quezon City 4-0 in front of a packed crowd, split between the supporters of both schools.

Rookie forward Jerriemy Biton delivered a brace to power the Baby Tamaraws to their fourth straight win and increase his personal tally to five goals in just four matches.

“Sobrang saya ko kasi si Biton is a really special striker for us,” said FEU-D coach Jake Morallo after the match. “Every moment sa game, especially sa attacking side, nandun siya. He has the right timing and proper positioning. He’s a very, very special player.”

Unlike in their previous match against Ateneo—where FEU-D struggled to break the deadlock before halftime—Biton wasted no time putting his team ahead. His long-range attempt in the 11th minute was mishandled by La Salle goalkeeper Jacob Salvante, giving FEU-D an early lead. He doubled the advantage in the 39th minute with a swift counterattack.

La Salle's struggles worsened in the second half when defender Armand Lugod was sent off in the 69th minute for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. FEU-D sealed the victory in stoppage time as Reynaldo Martinez found the back of the net in the 90+3rd minute.

“Siguro, this will be a good game against UST,” Morallo added, looking ahead to their next match. “Unang-una, I think sila wala ring talo no? And even from last year, they’re really hungry makuha tong kampeonato, same as sa amin. I think sa game na ito, bibigyan namin sila ng magandang laban.”

Like Biton, Mark Visitacion netted a brace to lead UST to a dominant win over Ateneo.

Visitacion struck twice in the first half, scoring in the 21st and 35th minutes to give UST a comfortable two-goal cushion at halftime.

Joshua Balliner seemingly put the game beyond reach with a goal in the 51st minute, but Ateneo’s James Del Valle responded with a stunning free kick in the 65th minute to make it 3-1.

River Solis restored UST’s three-goal lead in the 75th minute, only for Ateneo to pull one back through an 80th-minute penalty by Andres Dumlao.

However, UST substitute striker Lucky Aque ensured all three points with an 82nd-minute strike.

“Happy ako sa performance ng boys pero (pagdating) sa expectations namin, may kailangan pa i-meet at kaya pa ng boys gumaling. Yun yung hinihintay namin so patient kami game-by-game,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Nag-pe-prepare kami for the last game in the first round. Yung ginagawa naman sa players is to familiarize kung paano maglaro ang FEU at kung paano namin sila tatapatan sa Saturday.”

The Baby Tamaraws solidified their hold on first place with 12 points, while the Junior Golden Booters climbed to solo second with 10 points.

On the other hand, Francis Poticano opened the scoring for the Admirals in the 30th minute with a tap-in and completed the rout in stoppage time with a goal in the 90+2nd minute.

Ramil Fraga extended the lead with a header in the 37th minute, while Joziah Rance added his name to the scoresheet in the 58th minute.

“We thank God for today and for giving us the victory,” said Southridge’s Ghanian coach Sam Bonney. “I think we prepared very well. If you watched our last two games, we came very close with FEU and La Salle Zobel, so I think the momentum is there, and we were able to get the victory today.”

With this result, Southridge moved up to fourth place, edging Ateneo due to a superior goal difference of -1 compared to Ateneo’s -4.

Meanwhile, Claret remains at the bottom of the standings with zero points.

FEU maintains hold atop UAAP HS Football

 

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

FEU-D 9 points (+9)
UST 7 points (+7)
DLSZ 7 points (+2)
Ateneo 3 points (-1)
SRG 0 points (-5)
CSQC 0 points (-12)

Matches on Saturday
(UP Diliman Football Stadium)
2 p.m. — FEU-D vs DLSZ
4:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs UST
7 p.m. — CSQC vs SRG

FAR Eastern University-Diliman continued its dominant run in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament, securing a 2-0 victory over Ateneo de Manila University, Wednesday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The Baby Tamaraws extended their perfect start to the season with three consecutive wins, maintaining their place atop the standings with nine points. More impressively, the defending champions have yet to concede a goal.

Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle Zobel bounced back from last Saturday’s draw with crucial victories over guest schools.

UST overpowered Claret School of Quezon City, 5-1, while La Salle edged PAREF Southridge, 1-0, bringing both teams to seven points in the standings.

With the match still goalless at halftime, FEU-Diliman broke through in the second half.

Striker Joerby Anito opened the scoring in the 48th minute, and substitute Jerriemy Biton doubled their lead just two minutes later, netting his third goal of the season.

For Baby Tamaraws head coach Jake Morallo, the win was especially gratifying after a first half where his squad created chances but struggled to finish.

“Game plan namin was to play direct to get behind yung backline nila,” Morallo explained. “I thought that if we did that, we’d have the advantage (dahil) mas eager at mas mabilis yung attacking side namin. Nagpasok kami ng mga fast players but then hindi siya na-utilize. There were chances pero hindi lang talaga namin na-score.”

“Pero dalawang side yung pinlanuhan namin dun eh—na ma-sustain din namin yung play namin from the first half. Even though walang score dun na nangyari, nagawa pa rin ng boys sa first half. In the second half, I think maganda yung adjustment (at) nagkaroon ng early goals sa first five minutes.”

La Salle’s Geoffrey Marqueses, a product of Villamor Air Base Elementary School, delivered the game’s lone goal with a composed finish from close range.

Junior Green Booters captain Bacchus Ekberg had two opportunities to extend La Salle’s lead from free kicks, but Southridge goalkeeper Juan Paolo Tansingco made crucial saves to keep his team in the game.

Southridge had its chances late in the match, with Zechariah Casillano and Francis Poticano coming close to an equalizer.

However, La Salle goalkeeper Jacob Salavante denied Casillano, while Poticano squandered a golden opportunity from a set-piece play.

“This is the battle of Muntinlupa, right?” said La Salle’s Ghanaian head coach Ayi Nii Aryee. “I think both teams prepared well, and you can see it was a 50/50 game, especially in the first half. We got chances and were able to score one. They had chances but were not able to score.

"Our objective for the second half was if we don’t get to score, then they don’t get to score.”

Junior Golden Booters midfielder Yuan Maniscan led the charge for UST, scoring in the 31st and 40th minutes.

Spain-bound Joshua Moleje added another in the 37th minute, giving last season’s finalists a comfortable three-goal cushion by halftime.

“Yun naman yung hinihintay ng boys eh na may maka-score na una,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Pag wala pa kasi yung first goal, medyo hindi pa sila ganun ka-relax sa game at di pa masyadong nag-wo-work lahat.

"Pero once naka-score (si Yuan), medyo naka-relax na, medyo naka-hold na yung bola at medyo nakaatake na kami.”

After having an earlier attempt saved by Claret goalkeeper Ethan James Moreno, substitute Joshua Balliner netted UST’s fourth goal in the 82nd minute.

 Another substitute, Argos Phrixus Alingalan, capped off the rout with a goal in stoppage time (90+2’).

Claret managed to pull one back through Rolando John Torres in the 59th minute, but it was merely a consolation.

With the win, UST climbed to second place in the standings with a goal difference of +7, edging out La Salle (+2) for the spot.

FEU-D nips Southridge to earn consecutive wins

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament Standings

FEU-D 6 points (+7)

UST 4 points (+3)

DLSZ 4 points (+1)

Ateneo 3 points (+1)

SRG 0 points (-4)

CSQC 0 points (-8)

Matches on Wednesday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — UST vs CSQC

4:30 p.m. — DLSZ vs SRG

7 p.m. — FEU-D vs Ateneo

JERRIEMY Biton found the breakthrough as defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman rose to its familiar place at the top of the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Football Tournament by breaking down stubborn PAREF Southridge School, 1-0, on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The recruit out of Himamaylan Elementary School delivered a fantastic finish at the face of the goal in the 67th minute to propel the Baby Tamaraws to first place in the standings with six points and a plus-7 goal difference.

“Biton, para sa akin, he’s always doing good (and) doing well naman,” said Baby Tamaraws coach Jake Morallo, whose crew is seeking a 13th straight title. “Kailangan lang siguro mag-create (ng) more chances with timing sa penetration and yung focus kase sa first half medyo off talaga siya. I think nag-work out yung gameplan namin sa second half so masaya kami nasunod nila yung gameplan namin.”

On the other hand, De La Salle Zobel and University of Santo Tomas continued their unbeaten start to the competition by canceling each other out with a goalless in the last match of the play date.

Throughout the match, the Admirals defended resolutely against the Baby Tamaraws.

Southridge almost stole a goal early in the second half as winger Joziah Kendrick Rance had an attempt at goal that went straight at Baby Tamaraws goalkeeper Gianne Carlos Abara.

After Biton broke the deadlock for FEU-D, Rance had another chance to put the ball at the back of the net for Southridge, only for his tame attempt to be easily caught by Abara.

Substitute Dionesio Diaz was in a good place to double the Baby Tamaraws’ cushion, yet he could only shoot wide as FEU-D did enough to claim its second straight win this season.

“Para sa akin, maganda yung game to be honest,” said Morallo. “In fairness naman sa Southridge, they are very disciplined (with) having a back five sa defending positions nila. Really difficult na maka-score kami.

“We were struggling sa first half then in the second half, I think mas gumanda yung laban namin. Mas nakikita namin sa second half yung winning mentality namin so happy pa rin sa panalo namin today,” he continued.

With each team coming off an opening-day win, La Salle and UST played an entertaining stalemate to go level on four points in the standings with the Junior Golden Booters claming second place with a plus-3 GD to the Junior Archers’ plus-1.

UST forward Lucky Aque had a chance in the first half to open the scoring but his attempt went straight to La Salle goalkeeper Jacob Salavante.

Come the second half, La Salle midfielder Giomell Gigataras had a shot blocked while the Junior Archers had a penalty claim waived away by referee Ricardo Dela Cruz.

Aque then thought he was through on goal to give the Junior Golden Booters a winner in stoppage time, but he was called for offside as his shot went over the bar anyway due to pressure from a Junior Archer defender.

For both schools’ coaches, the draw was a fair result and a point earned.

“Maganda yung laro ng La Salle,” said UST assistant coach David Basa. “Medyo kailangan pa namin i-improve yung team. Medyo may gusto kami i-execute today. Siyempre yung boys di dapat mag-relax. Yung mabigay namin yung intensity na kailangan for that game, dapat malabas ng boys.”

“UST is a strong contender,” said La Salle coach Nii Ayi, “Last season, they were in the finals. The season before that, we were in the finals and they kicked us from there. Going into this game, they pretty much had the same squad compared to ours.

“We were missing some players but it was a good game. They had their chances but couldn’t score. We had our chances but we couldn’t score. We will accept the draw,” added the Ghanian mentor.

Meanwhile, the first game of the afternoon saw Ateneo enjoy a resounding 3-1 victory over Claret School of Quezon City.

With the game tied at 1-1 during the halftime break, the Blue Eagles banked on John Molina’s 60th-minute strike to regain the lead and Shawn Perea’s clinical finish in the 90+10 minute to seal their first win of the campaign.

Earlier in the contest, Jose Andres Hizon opened the scoring in the 28th minute for Ateneo, which was coming off a narrow 1-0 defeat to archrival De La Salle Zobel last week and finished the week in fourth place with three points and a plus-1 GD.

“I’m so happy,” said Blue Eagles coach JP Merida. “Why? Because after, I forgot when was the last time I was the head coach of the Ateneo juniors, so after how many years, this is my first win again. I am very happy with the result even if we didn't play really good in the first half. Of course, coming from a loss, this is a good bounce back win looking toward the game against FEU-D.”

As for Claret, Filmart Tacardon equalized in the 42nd minute for the Red Roosters to also score the guest school’s first goal in UAAP history.

Southridge and Claret have yet to register points this season with the former in fifth place with a minus-4 GD and the latter in sixth place with a minus-8 GD.

FEU-Diliman show championship form in HS Football opener

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys' Football

FEU-D 3 pts (+6)

UST 3 pts (+3)

DLSZ 3 pts (+1)

Ateneo 0 pts (-1)

SRG 0 pts (-3)

CSQC 0 pts (-6)

Matches on Saturday at the UP Football Stadium

2 p.m. - CSQC vs Ateneo

4:30 p.m. - SRG vs FEU-D

7 p.m. - DLSZ vs UST

FAR Eastern University-Diliman and University of Santo Tomas kicked off the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys' Football tournament with dominant victories over guest schools Claret School of Quezon City and PAREF Southridge, respectively, on Saturday at the UP Football Stadium in Quezon City.

The Baby Tamaraws began their quest for a 13th consecutive UAAP championship with a commanding 6-0 win over the Red Roosters, marking a historic day for the league.

Meanwhile, James Sunog and River Solis led the Junior Golden Booters to a 5-2 victory over the Admirals as they began their redemption bid after last season's runners-up finish.

This was the first time that guest teams were allowed to participate in any UAAP sport.

FEU-D, one of the longest-standing teams in the UAAP, showcased its attacking prowess, scoring four goals from different Tamaraws to take a 4-0 lead at halftime.

"Medyo struggle rin talaga kasi every year maraming gruma-graduate, so maraming bago at maraming kailangang sumabay. I think right now this Season 87, prinepare naming lahat mula sa attacking, defending, at pati 'yung pace naming sa field. We're very happy, kami ni Coach Paolo (Bugas), na nakuha naming 'yung galaw namin. Yung winning mentality andoon, so masaya kami sa pinakita ng mga boys ngayon," said Baby Tamaraws head coach Jake Murillo.

Czam Acuesta opened the scoring with a goal just three minutes into the match.

A swift counterattack saw center-back James Torres and striker Arvin Alayon Jr. each score before the 20th minute, and Jerriemy Biton added another goal to give the Baby Tamaraws a comfortable 4-0 cushion at halftime.

Despite the efforts of Tacardon brothers Filbert and Filmar, who used their speed to challenge FEU-D's defenders, Torres and the rest of the backline turned defensive stops into offensive runs to secure decisive goals.

After a long spell of attacking plays in the second half, winger Joerby Anito opened the floodgates with a fifth goal for the Baby Tamaraws.

Goalkeeper Gianne Abara made a key stop against Filbert Tacardon to preserve the shutout, and an 80th-minute strike from Edgar Renopal sealed a statement win for the defending champions.

"Mas maraming games na ang UAAP juniors, and at the same time, parang nag-iinvite tayo sa community natin sa football. It is growing and it's getting more competitive. Nabigyan natin ng chance 'yung iba na magpakilala. Start pa lang ng season, so marami pang paghahandaan against the other teams," said Murillo, a former FEU standout.

After reaching the final for the first time last season, UST showed its intentions early in its match against Southridge.

"From last year Final, hanggang ngayon, 'yun na yung target namin is mag champion so nag-prepare talaga kami na mameet yun," said assistant coach David Basa.

Southridge goalkeeper Juan Paolo Tansingco initially stood strong, but eventually succumbed to the relentless pressure from UST.

Sunog broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a goal from a well-executed buildup, followed by Solis doubling the lead four minutes later.

The two then completed their braces, with Sunog scoring in the 40th minute and Solis adding another in the 43rd minute, extending the lead to 4-0 by halftime.

Joshua Balliner sealed the Junior Golden Booters' first win of the season with a stunning strike in the 67th minute, restoring their four-goal cushion.

Southridge managed to avoid a shutout just before the break with a free-kick goal from Francis Poticano, and Joziah Rance added another with a well-timed finish in the 71st minute, leaving the final score at 5-2.

"Nung sa practice game namin (friendlies), nagtutulungan naman kami parang ni-ready namin yung team namin na pwede kami mag-grow at mag-improve. Well, sa players, marami silang magagaling na players physically; malalakas yung ang sinabi namin sa players namin na 'yung contact (i-take advantage)," said Basa, a former Golden Booter.

Meanwhile, De La Salle-Zobel joined the day's victors with a 1-0 win over archrival Ateneo, thanks to a header from Brycen Padauan just four minutes into the second half.

"It was a good win. We played them a few weeks before the UAAP and we lost 2-0 to them because it was a friendly game. So, I guess we wanted (the win) more. You know, we wanted it more than anything because last season, our last game was against them and we lost 1-0. We lost one zero to them, so I think it's a sweet victory," said head coach Ayi Nii of his team's first victory of the year.

The Blue Eagles had several chances to score, but the Junior Green Booters' defense, anchored by second-year goalkeeper Jacob Salavante, held firm to secure the win after 90 minutes.

Claret, Southridge make UAAP debuts in high school football

Matches Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — UST vs SRG

4:30 p.m. — Ateneo vs DLSZ

7 p.m. — FEU-D vs CSQC

GUEST schools Claret School of Quezon City and PAREF Southridge School are set for a baptism of fire as they make their UAAP Season 87 High School Boys' Football Tournament debut today (Saturday) at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The Southridge Admirals will face last season’s runners-up University of Santo Tomas Junior Golden Booters while the Claret Red Roosters take on defending champions Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws in the evening match at 7:00 p.m.

Baby Tamaraws head coach Albert Besa acknowledges the challenge of keeping the throne, as they aim for a record-extending 13th straight championship in a league that now features six teams.

“Our target is to give it our best, and hopefully, the results will follow,” said Besa, who is also currently coaching the Philippine Women’s National Futsal Team in its 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup qualification campaign in Uzbekistan.

“There’s a lot of pressure on the team to defend the title and complete the treble, but with hard work and if it’s His will, we will achieve the 13-peat,” he added.

Despite the tough opening fixture, the Red Roosters are eager to prove their mettle.

Head coach Feb Baya, a former University of the Philippines standout, emphasized the importance of a solid defensive strategy.

“We know FEU has been a dominant force and the defending champions, so we’ve prepared by emphasizing defensive stability,” said Baya. “Our priority is to keep our shape tight as a team, especially with our back four. It’s about staying disciplined defensively and being decisive when opportunities come.”

The Junior Golden Booters, meanwhile, are determined to overcome the heartbreak of last season’s 3-0 loss in the Final against FEU-D.

This season, UST is driven to finally claim its first high school football title.

“Objective ng team na makapasok muna ulit sa finals this season,” said UST coach Marjo Allado. “Once na ma-qualify sa finals, try namin yung best na manalo kung sino din yung magiging opponent.”

Like Claret, Southridge is eager to showcase its readiness for UAAP-level competition.

Admirals team manager Ryan Fermin shared how the team prepared extensively over the past four months, including through the holiday period, to make the most of their league debut.

“We’ve prepared very hard to come up with a tactical game plan to hopefully manage UST’s strengths while exploring ways to attack them,” said Fermin.

He also noted the advantage of having played two to three practice matches against UST, saying, “It gave us a chance to understand them better. We also studied how their men’s team played in the first round to identify similar traits with their juniors.”

Between the two matches, the storied Ateneo-La Salle rivalry will take center stage at 4:30 p.m.

The two schools enter the season with contrasting narratives.

The Blue Eagles aim to improve on three consecutive last-place finishes in Seasons 82, 85, and 86.

Despite the success of its collegiate men’s team, Ateneo’s last high school football crown came in Season 72.

“From last year’s result and standing, my goal is to improve Ateneo’s performance this season,” said Blue Eagles head coach JP Merida, who guided Ateneo’s collegiate men’s team to the Season 87 Final last December. “It’s a big challenge because of the competitive recruitment landscape in the high school division, but we’ll try our best to make it to the final match.”

On the other hand, the Junior Green Booters are determined to finally secure the title after narrowly missing out in Seasons 79, 80, and 85.

DLSZ’s only high school football championship came in Season 70 when the event was still a demonstration sport.

“To win, of course,” said Matthew Nierras, part of the Junior Green Booters’ coaching staff. “Our last and only championship was in Season 70 under Coach Hans (Smit). We’ve come close several times, especially in Season 85, so the goal is to finally win it all this year.”

Claret, PAREF-Southridge set to join UAAP High School Boys Football

c/o UAAP

For the first time in its storied history, the UAAP High School Boys' Football Tournament is expanding its reach by welcoming two guest schools—Claret School of Quezon City and PAREF Southridge School.

Known for their strong football programs, these institutions will join the four other high school football teams, 12-time defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman, Season 86 finalist University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle Zobel, and Ateneo de Manila University, in the battle for the championship.

The league welcomed the two schools during a signing ceremony held at the NCPAG Building in UP Diliman on Thursday.

The inclusion of the Claret School of Quezon City Red Roosters and the PAREF Southridge School Admirals not only strengthens the competition but also sets the stage for an unprecedented tournament as the UAAP seeks to enhance grassroots football development and expand opportunities for young student-athletes.

UAAP Season 87 President Carlo Vistan of University of the Philippines expressed his gratitude and excitement for this groundbreaking initiative saying, “Una sa lahat, we would like to thank the two schools who accepted this invitation. Without you, the UAAP won’t be facing an exciting time in its football competitions. As an athletic association composed of our eight-member universities, we always look for opportunities to promote and heighten amateur sports competitions in the country.

"This initiative to invite guest schools not only fills the competition slots but also underscores our commitment to grassroots development. Having Claret and Southridge join us is historic as they are the first guest schools to compete in our tournaments. This partnership reflects our shared vision of fostering young talent and promoting excellence in football. Welcome, and maraming salamat," he added.

This year marks a milestone as the tournament adopts a Final Four format for the first time in its history. The top two teams will enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, raising the stakes and competition level.

Mark Molina, UAAP Board of Managing Directors member and event host representative from FEU, shared how this groundbreaking decision came to life.

“This idea was sparked during a discussion with Ateneo’s Em Fernandez on how to enhance the competitiveness of UAAP high school sports. With our commissioner Rely San Agustin’s guidance, we identified Claret and Southridge as the ideal participants," he said.

"This initiative brings excitement not only for football but also sets a precedent for other sports. We are proud to see it begin here. To Claret and Southridge, we look forward to seeing you on the field.”

For Claret and Southridge, the invitation to participate in the UAAP is both an honor and a challenge they are eager to embrace.

Razerly Ibanez, Principal of Claret School, expressed pride in their football legacy saying, “Claret is honored by the UAAP’s recognition of our long-standing commitment to football. This opportunity will allow our athletes to gain invaluable experience, discipline, and character. Under the leadership of Coach Benj Anicete, we are ready to contribute to the competition’s success and deepen our collaboration with the UAAP.”

Meanwhile, Darrel Arevalo, Sports Director of Southridge, highlighted the excitement surrounding their inclusion.

“We are incredibly grateful to be part of this historic moment. Southridge is a humble institution in Alabang, but this invitation has sparked tremendous enthusiasm in our community. Even our alumni are re-engaging. We are here to provide better competition and foster camaraderie within the UAAP community," he said.

The tournament kicks off on January 18, 2025, at the UP Diliman Football Stadium, which has been the home of UAAP football since Season 85.

UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag emphasized the league’s mission in embracing this change: “It’s about time we give attention to the beautiful game. The UAAP’s core mission is to support the development of Philippine sports. By welcoming guest schools, we are not only enriching the competition but also creating pathways for young athletes to shine on a larger stage.”