The race for leading BPFL goleador features two young strikers – Marlon Mesa of Hankook Verdes and Deon McCaulay of Kremandala, and a veteran leader – Derwin ?The Real Deal? Innis, the captain of Calcutta. Hankook Verdes end their regular season with a visit to the Group ?A? leaders, Wagiya, Sunday afternoon at the Carl Ramos Stadium in Dangriga. Kremandala complete the regular season with a visit to the Placencia Pirates on the Peninsula, while Calcutta, eliminated from the playoffs, have finished their tournament schedule, because Juventus, their opponent scheduled for Sunday, December 18, dropped out of the competition. Innis may have only nine goals, because of a BPFL ruling. We are still awaiting official word from the BPFL. If that is so, then it?s a case of Mesa versus McCaulay for the top gunner title. Mango Creek?s Bent Burgess is the nearest challenger, with seven goals. Mango Creek complete their regular season Saturday night, December 17, against the San Pedro Seahawks. Mango Creek (25 points) are presently the no. 2 seed, and San Pedro (23 points) could displace them with a victory. In the case of a San Pedro victory, then the Seahawks would probably meet FC Belize, the no. 3 seed in Group ?A?, in the first round of the playoffs. But a draw or a Mango Creek victory could mean the Independence team clashes with the FC Belize, while the Seahawks could have to contend with the red hot Hankook Verdes, the no. 2 seed in Group ?A?. The no. 1 seed in Group ?B?, New Site Erei, will be challenged by the no. 4 seed in Group ?A?, Kremandala, in the first round of the playoffs. In their final regular season game, New Site have Belmopan United?s playoff fate in their hands, or on their feet Saturday night in Belmopan?s Isidoro Beaton Stadium. Belmopan (16 points) are fighting with BOCA F.C. (19 points) for the final playoff spot, which would be the no. 4 seed in Group ?B?. Here are the possibilities. Belmopan beat New Site Erei and draw with BOCA Thursday night, December 22, in Independence?s Michael Ashcroft Stadium: the BPFL has to find a tiebreaker. Belmopan beat New Site, lose to BOCA: BOCA qualify. Belmopan beat New Site; beat BOCA: Belmopan qualify. Belmopan lose to New Site, beat BOCA: The BPFL has to find a tiebreaker. Belmopan lose to New Site, lose to BOCA: BOCA qualify. Belmopan draw with New Site, beat BOCA: Belmopan qualify. Belmopan draw with New Site, lose to BOCA: BOCA qualify. Except for Cayo pride, the Saturday night game in Benque, which ends the season for Group ?A? non-qualifiers Benque Viejo United and Cayo Avengers, has no bearing on the race. The other Thursday night, December 22 game, Wagiya versus FC Belize, could change the seedings in Group ?A?. Depending on the weekend and Thursday results, Wagiya (29 points) could lose the #1 seed to Hankook Verdes (28 points) in Group ?A?. FC Belize and Kremandala will remain the #3 and #4 seeds, respectively, in Group ?A?, no matter what happens this weekend and Thursday.
