PRESS RELEASE – The Wings Red managed to wrest the U17 division title of the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth Soccer League from the ASC Trust Islanders Betde after meeting the minimum requirement – a draw – in the final week of upper division matches at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.

A Wings Red draw with the Southern Heat in Week 10 gave the Islanders (9-1-1) a glimmer of hope to repeat for a division title that the team held through 2013, but the urgency of their must-win situation against the Wings Red (9-0-2) came late in Week 11.

After the Wings Red pulled ahead with a 4-1 lead by halftime, the Islanders began their comeback with just 10 minutes left into the deciding half. A pair of goals from Sora Recella put the Islanders within one and in the 80th minute, Nick Cabuhat connected on a rebound from a shot by teammate Ryan Quitugua to force the 4-4 draw.

Isiah Lagutang led the Wings with two goals and teammates Marlon Evans and Kaito Inoue contributed one each. Jared Collado scored the Islanders’ lone goal in the first half.

The Strykers Blue’s Samuel Quan manages to keep the ball away from the Wings’ Tyler Presto in a Week 11 U14 division match of the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. The Wings defeated the Strykers Blue 4-1. (courtesy photo)

“It feels good that the team was able to get the title back this season,” Lagutang said after the match. “What we could have done better was to keep up the pressure on the Islanders through the whole match and not slack off, even when we’re leading.

“Overall, we did well and the Islanders did well. It was a good game, and it was a good comeback for them to force the draw,” added Lagutang, a 16-year-old student at Harvest Christian Academy.

In other U17 division matches, goals from Ian Tumamak, Andrew Baldwin, Joshua Cepeda and Sol Kim helped Quality Distributors Red defeat its Blue counterpart. Tara Usita-Lee and Davilyn Sablan scored for Quality Blue.

Devan Mendiola, Noah Duenas and Kennedy Macatuno each scored twice in the Islanders Apaka’s 8-3 win over its Asut counterparts. Tristin Guile and Daniel Lanquin also scored for Islanders Apaka. Anthony John, Tom Park, and David Okuhama scored for Islanders Asut.

Community First Dededo Soccer Club defeated Sidekick SC 5-2 with two goals from Carlo Cortez and one each from Jesse Rojas, Kyle Lagrimas, and Clark Pacay. Arvin Ramachandran scored both goals for the Sidekick SC.

Chris Cawili, Keita Yoshida, Alexander Errett and Raymond Macias all scored in the Strykers 4-1 win over the Wings Black. Inochi Recella scored for the Wings.

In the U14 division, the Strykers Red completed its dominance of the division, blanking the Wolverines to finish the entire season without allowing any goals. Clayton Mitchell, Xavier Naputi, Anthony Moon, Rhys Paynter, Vince Cruz, Giosue DaPonte, Ethan Elwell, and Elijah Nguyen all scored in the win. The Strykers next will be traveling to the Philippines for friendly matches.

In other U14 division matches, Marley Cruz, Jenna Han, Kein Artero, Caylani Estoy, Shawn Sablan, Emma Naval, Isabella Bass, Bhradley De Leon, and Brwyn Ednaco all scored in the Islanders’ win over the Lil’ Bombers.

The Lil’ Bombers’ Jackson Blackburn attempts to get the ball past a pair of ASC Trust Islanders defenders in a Week 11 U14 division match of the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth Soccer League at the Guam Football Association National Training Center. (courtesy photo)

The Wings defeated the Strykers Blue 4-1 with goals from Konosuke Yoshida, Phoenix Pahl, Masaki Spence, and Yae Kawauchi. Joshua Calvo scored for the Strykers Blue.

The Tigers defeated the Tumon Typhoons Soccer Club 5-1. Seung Min Kim scored a hat trick for the Tigers and Yu Chan Lee added two. Kayfin Christopher scored for Tumon.

Quality Distributors defeated the Southern Cobras 6-0. Dani Crisostomo, William Zheng, Alan Thomas, Samuel Larkin, Matthew Calip, and An Truong all scored.