THE Lapu-Lapu City Heroes are slowly introducing themselves in the football communities outside of their comfort zone, this time in Bacolod City as they fished out a runner-up finish in the Under 11 Division of the Dolphins Cup over the weekend.
Bannered by Devin Jasper Gildo, Austin Tyller Arong, Mark Daniel Bacla-an, Spencer Sven Lomadilla, McJohnston Singh, C-Raghnall Bendaño, Rua Hoshino, Asriel Josh Heredia, Kyle Nakagawa, Julian Clark Rustia, Yno Javen Nudalo, Denver Himaya, and Josiah Christian Peligrino, the team won four of five matches in the group stage to book a spot in the quarterfinal round.
The Heroes defeated the Peacekepers, 2-1, University of Negros Oriental-Recoletos, 4-0, Classico de San Carlos, 2-0, and GPV, 4-1. They suffered their lone loss to ADA Bacolod, 6-0, but they would earn sweet revenge later.
The team, coached by John Dave Regner, Lops Tumulak, Joseph Estremos, Rylle Ancajas, and Khent Vincent Sotto, 2-1, in the quarterfinal round to earn a rematch with ADA Bacolod, which they this time beat, 1-0, to advance to the final.
However, in the final, the Heroes failed to find their mark and lost to the Bacolod-based UNO-R 2-0, and settled for second in their first foray in the Dolphins Cup, one of Bacolod’s biggest football events.
The Lapu-Lapu City Heroes FC, which also joined the U9, U10, U13, U15, and U17 dicisions, is sponsored by The Haven of Peace Memorial Garden, DATA (Don Aubert Tennis Academy), Floyd Salazar, Sakura Auto Parts Trading Inc., D L S K | 5 Kings Poultry Farm, Alesund KAMPSPORTKLUBB, Dan Enrico Depot, Firstank, Winjoy Travel, and the Olango Island Sports and Amusement Center