Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1st COC football tourney kicks off May 19
FOUR standout collegiate football sides are slated to clash in the 1st Carlos O. Cojuangco Collegiate Invitational Football Tournament, which is scheduled to reel off on May 19 at the Panaad Sports and Recreational Park pitch.
Scheduled May 19 to 25 with matches to be played both at the Panaad and in Bago City, the tournament features multi-titled University of St. La Salle, the reigning National University Games (UniGames) champion team mentored by former RP team coach Fredeie Lazarito, 2004 UniGames titlist University of Mindanao from Davao City, Foundation University of Dumaguete City and Central Philippine University of Iloilo City.
USLS, the four-time UniGames titlist, went into a two-week football camp in preparation for this four-team series considered by many as the Visayas-Mindanao inter-collegiate championship, considering the long winning history of the four contending teams in major varsity competitions in the region as well as nationwide.
Former University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos varsitarian Leo Dayot was named tournament commissioner of the week-long competition with Dennis Estaniel, chairman of the Negros Occidental Football Association (Nofa) Referees Committee, assisting.
USLS will see action minus two of its mainstays -- forward Floriano Pacilan, Jr. and midfielder Arnie Pasinabo -- who were named to the RP national men's team currently campaigning in the 2008 Asian Challenge Cup Group 2 Qualifiers simultaneously being played at the Iloilo Sports Complex pitch in Iloilo City and at the Barotac Nuevo Football Plaza in the football town of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo. (Henry C. Villalva)
