By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The JB7 Football Team bagged the championship in the 2nd Jovin Bedic Football Club Under-12 Kampeones 2022 at the Barotac Nuevo Football Field in Iloilo province’s Barotac Nuevo town.

JB7 leaned on the conversions of Alfin Bayotas and Kurt Arnel Deoduco to score a 2-1 victory over the Santa Barbara A squad in the tightly-contested championship match.

They opened the scoring in the gold medal game with a close-range conversion from Bayotas but it was tied by Santa Barbara A’s Jaylord Dajay just before the halftime break.

Both teams had chances to take the lead after the break, but the tight defense kept the 1-1 score until the JB7 broke the deadlock in the dying minutes of the contest courtesy of Deoduco.

Deoduco was later named as the Best Midfielder, while Nathan Howard Caligdong was the Most Valuable Player, Finley Nate Bedia as the Best Goalkeeper, James Michael Consular as the Best Defender, and Dajay was the Best Striker.

Also part of the JB7 Football Team were Gean Michael Porras, Ezekiel Joan Surmieda, Vinz Kyro Bragancia, Gem Andrei Dequit, Drystan Alexander Torres, and John Lorenz Segocio.

Completing the squad handled by Bedic and his assistant Ariel Bedic were Jhon Army Gondino, Jeric Jemina, Andrex Martinez, Melro Valderama, Fritz Chavez, and John Vincent Bela-ong.

Aside from JB7 Football Team and Santa Barbara A, also competing in the two-day football tournament were Janiuay Strikers, Sta. Barbara B, Barotac Nuevo Central Elementary School Football Team, and Iloilo Young Voters Football Team.

Jovin, who served as the team captain of Kaya Futbol Club-Iloilo in the Philippines Football League, said this two-day camp was part of his advocacy to discover and help young football aspirants.

“Part din ng program namin sa Kaya-Iloilo is to train more young players here sa Iloilo na pwede nating madala sa Manila or pwedeng maging part ng team in the future,” the former Philippine Azkals call up said./ASC, WDJ