Cebuano booters figured prominently in the recently held football finals of the 77th Season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
Two of those who were given special awards in the juniors football competition—Dominique Canonigo and Mark Joseph Arranguez, used to be stalwarts of the Abellana National School (ANS) football team under coach Francis Ramirez.
Canonigo was named Most Valuable Player. He was also named Best Midfielder for the second straight year.
Named Best Striker is Arranguez, who scored the winning goal which stretched Far Eastern University’s (FEU) reign in UAAP’s junior football for five years.
The FEU Baby Tamaraws had defeated Ateneo, 2-1, for the title. Ateneo had scored first but FEU was able to equalize on the goal of Chester Gio Pabualan, a former Little Azkals. Then Arranguez won it for the Baby Tamaraws.
FEU had scouted Canonigo back in 2011 while Arranguez followed in 2012.
Another Cebuano booter who also received an award in the men’s football is Paeng de Guzman, who was named best Goalkeeper, a consolation after his team, De La Salle University (DLSU) lost the men’s title to FEU.
De Guzman is a former Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) player under coach Glen Ramos. He had a brief stay with the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) before transferring to DLSU after his stint in the Philippine Under 19.
