CEBU, Philippines - A total of 89 teams will see action in the 3rd San Roque 9 Aside Football Tournament this weekend at the San Roque Parish field in Brgy. Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
Engr. Neil Ferraren, one of the event organizers, said the bulk of participants came from the men's open division with 20 led by Sinulog Open and Thirsty Cup back-to-back champion KTEC Trading.
The rest are Rising Sun, ASTRA SU, Erbuz FC, San Roque Nawanao, Lions FC, KNF Design, Arkitects FC, ERCO FC, Aerophone FC, K-Tech FC, University of San Carlos, Danao FC, Queen City United, Barili FC, University of Cebu-ERCO FC, Moalboal FC, SR Arsenal, Futbolitos FC, and the University of Southern Philippines (USP) Alumni.
The Inter-BPO class drew 14 entries in Tsuneishi FC, FC Timex A and B, KNF Design, Teradyne FC, Teletech, Innodata FC, Stream FC, AXA-ASI FC, Convergys, Arkitects FC, NCR and Xlibris A and B.
The boys 17 category attracted the third largest number of entries with 12 followed by the players 12 with 10.
Seven teams will slug it out for top honors in the girls 17, eight apiece in players 9 and boys 15 and five each in the men's 36 and 40-above age brackets.
The tournament follows a festival-type format wherein the contending squads will be divided into brackets. The top qualifiers will then go up against the second-ranked squads in the crossover semifinals, with the winners slugging it out for the championship.
For divisions with only one bracket, they will play in a single round robin series. The team with the best record at the end of the elimination round will automatically be declared as champion.
Each team is allowed to field in a maximum of 15 players who must participate and play during the elimination phase. Only in semis and final round that the team coach can choose the best players to suit up for his team.
On the other hand, protests relative to the lineup of other teams will be entertained only in the first two games during the elimination round. The coach or team manager are the only persons who can file a protest before the match coordinator or the tournament commissioner.
For further details, one may contact tournament director Engr. Nilo Ferraren at 0922-8899443 or match consultant Sherwin Rodriguez at 0922-2084405. (FREEMAN)