Photo: St. Jude RC boys of Camalote – 2x National Primary Schools Football Champions 2024
by William Ysaguirre
BELIZE CITY, Sun. Dec.8, 2024
The St. Jude RC boys of Camalote, Cayo District won their 2nd back-to-back national football championship in the tournament organized by the National Sports Council and hosted by the Football Federation of Belize at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan on Friday, December 6.
In Game 1, MVP Ethan Vargas (1’) struck the winning goal to lead the Jude RC boys to their first win, 1-0, over the Corozal champions – the Concepcion RC school boys.
Photo: Wesley Methodist boys of Belize City – National Primary Schools Football Sub-Champs 2024
In Game 2, the Belize District champions – the Wesley Methodist boys won, 1-0, over the Orange Walk champions – San Estevan RC School boys, with a goal by Keiffer Thurton (30’).
In Game 3, Saul Vides’ brace (19’ & 26’) led the Stann Creek champions, the Santa Cruz Government School boys to their first win, eliminating the Corozal boys, 2-0.
In Game 4, the Toledo champions, the St. Peter Claver RC boys of Punta Gorda Town came from behind to win, 2-1, over the San Estevan RC boys with goals by Shane Canelo (25) and Lobraun Chub (37’), after Bayron Tox (26’) had struck first for San Estevan.
In Game 5, MVP Ethan Vargas (1’) and Jaylen Guzman (31’) led the Camalote boys to their 2nd win, 2-0, over the Stann Creek boys.
Photo: Ethan Vargas – MVP for 2nd year
In Game 6, pint-sized Kyrone Martinez scored a hat trick, (2’, 6’ & 26’) to lead Wesley boys to their 2nd win, 4-0, over the Toledo boys, and Nelton Swazo (29’) drilled home a 4th goal.
In Game 7 of the semifinals, MVP Ethan Vargas (1’) and Jaylen Guzman (27’) led the Camalote boys to their 3rd win, 2-0, relegating the Toledo boys to the 3rd place match.
In Game 8 of the semifinals, the Wesley boys outgunned the Stann Creek boys, 3-2, in a penalty shootout, after a scoreless draw in regulation, with goals by Akeem Bermudez, Keiffer Thurton and Lionel Soberanis. Goalkeeper Lebraun Gonguez came up with 3 big stops, and only Saul Vides and Amilkar Areces, Jr. converted for Santa Cruz.
In Game 9 the consolation match for 3rd place played at the FFB Stadium, Samuel Perez (6’) scored the winning goal to lead the Santa Cruz boys of Stann Creek to a 1-0 win over the St. Peter Claver RC boys.
In Game 10, the championship final at Isidoro Beaton Stadium, Jaylen Guzman (36’) struck the winning goal to lead the Camalote boys to their 4th win, 1-0, in pouring rain over the Wesley Methodist boys.
National Sports Council’s tournament coordinator Marvin Ottley presented team trophies and individual medals to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in the closing ceremony after the finals; and Ethan Vargas won the Most Valuable Player award for a 2nd year.