CIS booters nail historic title in ISAC tourney

CEBU, Philippines – After more than a decade of trying, the Cebu International School booters finally nailed one in style, making history as the first team outside of Luzon to win the football event of the country's International Schools Activities Conference over the weekend in Manila.

The victory of CIS became even sweeter after it toppled the toughest team in the field, the British School Manila by the slimmest of margins in the penalty shootout, 9-8.

CIS posted four wins (versus Southville, Faith and Brent Manila and Subic campuses) and two draws in the elimination round.

During the elims, CIS fought to a scoreless draw against British School of Manila.

In the semifinal stage, CIS came up with 3-1 victory over Brent-Subic to set up a title showdown with the five-time champion British School of Manila in a mouth-watering rematch.

Both squads gave their all-out best in the final, with BSM hoping to extend its winning streak to six titles and CIS hungry for its first crown after placing only third last year.

During the regulation period, BSM logged the first goal but CIS' left wing striker James Lotzof surprised their rivals by delivering a goal with only 10 seconds left in the game, thus, the overtime.

In the 10-minute extension, no one was able to score with both sides putting up tough defense resulting into the penalty shootout.

Except for Lotzof, all off CIS' designated delivered the goods including Kevin de Keijzer, Joaquin Suarez, Min Woo Cho, Oliver Booth, Bradley Wistehuff, Ken Nishikura, Brian Shin and Daniel Choi.

CIS, now coached by Oliver Colina and Warlloo Sabella, was up by a hairline, 9-8, but BSM failed to tie the count anew when Booth intercepted the attempt of BSM's ninth kicker to seal CIS first ever crown in the 12-year history of ISAC.

CIS got an additional bonus when its female dribblers coached by its athletic director Ac Pierra and Jimbo Villarosa placed fourth overall, the best finish they had since the inception of ISAC in 2004.

Aside from that, Illeana Marianne Osmeña was also named to the ISAC All-Star team along with Daniel Choi, Kevin Lorenzo Leong, De Keikizer and James Leonard Lotzof. (FREEMAN)