BELMOPAN, Thurs. Apr. 16, 2015–The semifinals got off to a late start on Sunday, April 12, as a number of us were harassed, roughed-up, and humiliated by the GSU on our way to the game. Yes, big guns being pointed at us unnecessarily, with no explanation accepted or given. This experience makes us question the thinking abilities of some of these officers, and understand why at times people complain about police. It was after they identified someone on a motorcycle and they set chase, we were freed to go. It was scary that there wasn’t a check point, but big guns pointed at us to “pull over” in unmarked vehicles.
The four teams of the ten that racked ‘em up on the pool table in the semifinals of Mike’s 8-Ball Tournament in Belmopan were: Pelayo’s Electricals (seeded #1), Elements (seeded #2), BRC Shooters (seeded #3), and Las Flores (seeded #4). Here’s how it ended in a best-of-two overall matches with 3 players vs 3 players.
Series 1: Pelayo’s Electricals defeated Las Flores. In the first match, for Pelayo’s, Mark “Bukis” Trujillo lashed Julio Hernandez, 4-2; and Luis “Lish” Usher blanked Moises Aguirre, 4-0. For Las Flores, Salvador Orellana hurt Johnny Betancourt, 4-2. So, Pelayo’s Electricals won 2, while Las Flores won 1. In the second match, Pelayo’s continued where they left off, as Mark Trujillo won Oscar, 4-2; and Johnny Betancourt put the icing on the cake by dropping Salvador Orellana, 4-0; which was payback, since Salvador had won him in the first match. Next it would have been Luis Usher and Julio Hernandez, but this game was not necessary; so, Pelayo’s Electricals advanced to the finals from this series.
Series 2: Elements won BRC Shooters. In the first match, for Elements, Larry Lisbey won Clifford King 4-2, after King was up, 2-nil; and Manuel Ramos blanked Tim Banman, 4-0. For BRC, it was Wayne Wiltshire with the win over Wilman Mejia. So, Elements up, 2-1. In the second match, it was exciting, but Larry Lisbey won Wayne Wiltshire, 4-2; and Manuel Ramos zipped Erwin Woodye, 4-0, as he did in his first match against Tim. The only win for BRC came from Clifford King, who banged Angel Vargas, 4-0. So, Elements advanced to the finals.
On Sunday, April 19, at 1:00 p.m., BRC Shooters and Las Flores will play for 3rd and 4th place, while the Big Dance starts at 2:00 p.m. with Elements of Belize City vs Pelayo’s Electricals, which is owned by Arturo Bruce Pelayo of Belmopan, but has a majority of its players from the San Ignacio area.
RACK ‘EM UP!!!!
(Ed. Note: Scary indeed, bro! Who’s in charge?)