THE Bukidnon Football Association toppled One La Salle 2-0 recently to bag the overall championship in the first Luzon Cup Under-12 football tournament at the Jose V. Yap Sports and Recreational Complex in San Jose, Tarlac.
The Luzon Cup is the third of a series of football tournaments spearheaded by the Negros Occidental Football Association for Under-12 / Under-13 boys in cooperation with the Central Luzon Football Association, the Philippine Sports Commission, Department of Education Tarlac, and the provincial and city governments of Tarlac.
The first two, the NOFA Cup (on its fourth edition) was held last summer and the second, the Mindanao Cup, was held last October. Bukidnon FA also topped the Mindanao Cup and qualified for the Luzon Cup.
Top winners of Luzon Cup’s First Division (Cup) were One La Salle Salle, first runner-up; Rizal Football Association Quezon City, second runner-up; and Masbate Football Association, third runner-up.
Cordillera Football Association-Baguio secured the Division 1 Plate Championship, with Central Bicol Regional Football Association as first runner-up; Laguna Football Association as second runner-up and Youth Football Academy Muntinlupa as third runner-up.
In the Second Division, the winners were Pangasinan United Football Club, champion; Tuguegarao City Football Club, first runner-up; Camarines Norte United, second runner-up; and Central Luzon Football Association — Tarlac, third runner-up.
Players of Bukidnon FA won most of the individual awards: Jun Dominique Melig was awarded Best Goalkeeper; Jimm Leowell Fabela, Best Defender and Most Valuable Player.
One La Salle’s Fritz Kenzo Chua was chosen as the Best Midfielder. RIFA QC’s Filbert Martin Tacardon got the Best Striker Award with 27 goals.
CLFA President Mr. Alvin Yalung and General Secretary Ed Flaminiano thanked NOFA President Ricardo “Ricky” Yanson Jr., for his efforts in spearheading the Luzon Cup especially since the said age-group tournament is the first in the region in the last three years. “I know in his heart, he wants to develop the young players so they can one day play for the national team,” Yalung said.
