The Trequartista Sweeper: Post-scripting Season 75 UAAP Football

With the UAAP about to resume football for Season 76, it is sort of appropriate to look back at the previous season.

I was blessed enough last season with the chance and opportunity to be able to cover the games at the Erenchun and Ocampo Fields inside the campus of my alma mater. It was an enjoyable experience, having been able to watch most of the games and being able to write about them for a consistent basis.

And now, I have been blessed to be able to do that again for this upcoming season. This time, the games will be at FEU-Diliman and its turf field.

Here are some things I took out of the coverage during the course of last season.

I am impressed with how Ateneo handled themselves on their title run. They never made late mistakes that cost themselves games and points. In fact, they managed to even steal some points. Yes, they only lost once, and that was a decisive second half defeat against arch-rivals La Salle to snap a winning streak, but they got some poise and composure that keeps them on even keel and with some swag to boot. (Case in point, their 2nd round draw vs FEU). Kudos to the senior leadership (Murayama, Mabanag and Tuazon) and the coaching staff for setting things straight.

It's impressive how National University performed in their first foray in UAAP football. Growing pains is to be expected, but still, not finishing last is an achievement in itself for the Bulldogs. They have some interesting parts, and knowing how they have been in the other sports, it won't be a surprise if they can figure themselves to be in the chase for the Final Four. What I would like to see is if they can already build a women's team (and a juniors squad) in the future.

Speaking of which, I do hope that Adamson will be fielding a football team soon. They are the only one that does not field a men's team this season. Ditto for Adamson, NU and UE for the women's side.

It remains to be fascinating how the UAAP is unique with their set-up. Going with a playoff to break ties is a classic thing for the league to do. It pretty much rendered the impressive and gaudy goal difference of FEU as irrelevant. I find the Final Four format as okay, since there are leagues (namely Major League Soccer) who have a postseason format.

Here are the winners from the awarding ceremonies last season, in case you have forgotten:

Ladies'

2nd Runner-up: University of Santo Tomas
1st Runner-up: De La Salle University
Rookie of the Year: Toni Zoemima Nolasco (De La Salle University)
Best Defender: Mea Bernal (Far Eastern University)
Best Midfielder: Loreta Ladero (Far Eastern University)
Best Goalkeeper: Inna Palacios (De La Salle University)
Fair Play: University of Santo Tomas
Best Striker: Barbie Ann Sobredo (Far Eastern University)
Most Valuable Player: Barbie Ann Sobredo (Far Eastern University)
Champions: Far Eastern University

Men's

2nd Runner-up: Far Eastern University
1st Runner-up: University of the Philippines
Rookie of the Year: Leo Carlo Liay (Ateneo de Manila University)
Best Defender: Gregory Norman Yang (De La Salle University)
Best Midfielder: Michael Jeremy Mabanag (Ateneo de Manila University)
Best Goalkeeper: Nicholas Michael O'Donnell (Ateneo de Manila University)
Best Striker: Jesus Joaquin Melliza (Far Eastern University)
Fair Play: Far Eastern University
Most Valuable Player: Nicholas Michael O'Donnell (Ateneo de Manila University)
Champions: Ateneo de Manila University

Juniors'

2nd Runner-up: De La Salle-Zobel
1st Runner-up: Ateneo de Manila University
Rookie of the Year: Javier Augustine Gayoso (Ateneo de Manila University)
Best Defender: Audie Menzi (Far Eastern University)
Best Midfielder: Javier Augustine Gayoso (Ateneo de Manila University)
Best Goalkeeper: Dave Parac (Far Eastern University)
Best Striker: Harold Alcoresa (Far Eastern University)
Fair Play: Ateneo de Manila University
Champions: Far Eastern University
Most Valuable Player: Audie Menzi (Far Eastern University)

Here are my choices for the All-UAAP XI in the men's division last season:

All-UAAP 1st Team

Melliza (FEU) - Valmayor (UP) - Da. Diamante (DLSU)

Amita (FEU) - Bugas (FEU) - Mabanag (Ateneo)

Bonoan (Ateneo) - Seguinal (UP) - Yang (DLSU) - Fernandez (UP)

Deyto (DLSU)

All-UAAP 2nd Team

Giganto (FEU)

A. Antipolo (NU) - Liay (Ateneo) - Villasenor (FEU) - Calvo (Ateneo) - Alquiros (DLSU)

Amisola (DLSU) - Chio (FEU) - Noel (Ateneo) - Tuazon (Ateneo)

O'Donnell (Ateneo)

All-UAAP 3rd Team

Rabaya (DLSU)

Celdran (DLSU) - De. Diamante (DLSU) - Gadia (UP) - Felongco (UST) - De Guzman (UP)

Baya (UP) - Marcelino (Ateneo) - Aguinaldo (FEU) -Yatco (UP)

M. Menzi (FEU)