A humiliating 1-9 defeat at home to perennial RIFA powerhouse De La Salle Zobel wound up LSFC’s 2004-05 season. Put in perspective, however, the beating had less to do with the team’s abilities than logistical difficulties. Having no choice but to play an exhausting NCAA-South Final match less just over 12 hours the previous day, most of the team’s top players were not in top shape and had to be rested. Most of the first eleven who lined up against Zobel, therefore, were the support players. The previous day’s finals having taken its toll, playmaker Daren Dimaunahan was struggling to cope with a sore back, defensive stopper Kevin Macasaet had both feet covered in blisters and defender Jed Victor Maralit had a bad knee. The extra time exertions the day before had taken its toll, and the players on the pitch wilted as the sun rose above – it is an early and merciless summer. Thus ended a season when the young team won 7, drew 2 and lost seven matches.

Leading 2-1 at the half over Don Bosco - Mandaluyong in the NCAA-South Finals, the young LSFC team found the pressure of defending a one-goal lead too much to bear and capitulated in extra time, 2-3, to hand the NCAA-South title to the defending champions on a silver platter. Goals by Eric Santos and Briggs Jacob in the first half, during which the very same Jacob wasted chance after chance in an unlucky first half display, gave the youngsters a slim one-goal margin. Playmaker Daren Dimaunahan, spraying passes with either foot with diabolical accuracy, had Don Bosco pegged back for most of the half. In the second, cracks began to show in the defence, particularly after Don Bosco scored off a corner – after goalkeeper Gregg Atijon was lucky not to have conceded a goal after failing to toss a long hopeful shot over the bar. Another mindless error Atijon – a carbon copy of the goal he conceded against the same opposition in the eliminations, when he was guilty of leaving his line too early – gifted Don Bosco with the championship trophy.

Knowing there was absolutely no pipping UPLB to the title, LSFC’s college team played out a meaningless match for runners-up honors in the last game of the season’s Friendship & and Solidarity Cup. Having beaten De La Salle - Health Sciences Campus 15-3 in the first round, there was going to be only one result to this match. The fact that the team won 10-nil, with Deney Reyes grabbing a hattrick, only rubbed in the salt into the wound left behind by the unexpected setback to UPLB. Star striker Eldrich de Villa, so woefully off-form, still managed a brace, but was nowhere near the form which made him the high school team’s celebrated record goalscorer. Ryan Avenio, switched from leftback to striker, also took a brace for himself, while the tenth came off a hapless DLS-HSC defender.

Having failed to defend a 1-nil lead in their opening NCAA-South encounter against Don Bosco Mandaluyong the previous Thursday, LSFC turned on the heat – without really reaching top gear – against San Beda - Alabang in the second match of the elimination round. The final score was 6-1, with goals coming from Cyrus Vatcha (2), Briggs Jacob (2), Daren Dimaunahan and Don Earl Hinayon. The result was comfortable for the young team but the sweet flowing passing so typical of the great LSFC teams of the past only came out in spurts – this is still a team under construction, after all. Even a match so totally dominated in midfield still was not perfect defensively as the defenders switched off for a moment – typical of young players – to allow San Beda to pounce off a rebound from a freekick which should never have been given in the first place. In the end, LSFC continued to rule over San Beda, which had won only once – in 2002, over a team that featured now national youth player James Dimaculangan – in 23 seasons of LSFC football.

The college team surrendered the Friendship & and Solidarity Cup for only the second time in six seasons after a spineless 0-2 loss to the University of the Philippines at Los Baños. The Greens shirked away from the physical challenges of the visiting team and never got into first gear. UP’s desire was so much more evident, although two glaring goalkeeping errors were to blame for the ludicrous defeat in the afternoon heat. The real story was the failure of captain Eldrich de Villa to get into the game, so totally dominated was he by UP’s tough no-nonsense approach. In the end, UP deserved to win a tournament that LSFC’s college team did not have the guts to defend.

A young LSFC team showed no inferiority complex against a full varsity team from Don Bosco Technical College of Mandaluyong to open its account in the NCAA-South with a brave 1-all draw. The defending champions of Mandaluyong had beaten LSFC 4-2 last season, but such is the growing stature of the young team that a 1-all draw, after the team led 1-nil at the half, was something of a letdown. Despite Briggs Jacob playing only at third gear – the young striker had missed almost two weeks of training – he still managed to give his team a deserved first half lead. Don Bosco was limited to morsels with Daren Dimaunahan and Ramon Rodelas commanding in midfield. In the second, ‘keeper Gregg Atijon left his line unnecessarily to let in a bizarre equalizer, and the youngsters of LSFC were fighting to hold on afterwards. In the end, the draw more or less reflected the ebb and flow of the match.

The central defensive pairing of Kevin Macasaet and Karl Abrugena, so valiant in the 5-2 defeat of Southridge, was comically ineffectual in the second encounter against San Agustin on 12 February in the Candidates League of the RIFA. A penalty was conceded by Macasaet inside ten minutes, and despite a stirling fight back at the other end, all the goodwork was undone by yet another guffaw by the same defender 20 minutes into the game, when CSA was gifted with another goal. A third conceded when goalkeeper Gregg Atijon failed to collect a routine freekick gave the hint of game, set and match, but the young LSFC played much better in the second to at least salvage some semblance of pride. Two goals by Don Earl Hinayon put CSA under pressure, and when one considers that both Macasaet and midfield general Daren Dimaunahan hit the crossbar – not to mention the fact that CSA’s fourth goal was 2 yards offside – perhaps the 2-4 defeat was not as bad as it looked on paper. For the record, top goalscorer Briggs Jacob was injured and did not even travel with the team.

A second half goal by veteran striker Eldrich de Villa against an expectant UP Los Baños side ensured that LSFC’s college team stayed top of the three team heap of the Friendship & Solidarity Cup. With key players Deney Reyes and Oliver Aguila failing to arrive, LSFC had to play the game with only 10 men. Things looked bright for UP when a mistimed interception by Valiant Almonte allowed them to sneak in with the opening goal. LSFC closed down shop after that and while UP enjoyed the majority of territorial possession, in fact La Salle had the more dangerous thrusts at the other end. The game ended on a sour note when La Salle had to finish the game with only nine after defender Andrew Calso had to leave the pitch with bloodied lips after a collision with a UPLB player.

The college team finally made its debut this schoolyear with a 15-2 rout of De La Salle Health Sciences Campus. Halftime was a mere 4-1. Captain Eldrich de Villa and midfield maestero Deney Reyes, neither of whom were match fit, had enough firepower between them to share the goalscoring honors with 5 goals apiece. A little more silkiness and DLS-HSC would really have known how much a rout could be. Restless in the first half, the college team started stringing passes together in vintage LSFC style only in the second half, when the DLS-HSC defence started to crumble. Tyron Anciano, Richard Manalo and Joel Hernandez were the other goalscorers.

The last time Southridge School visited Lipa, their Aspirants team inflicted a painful 7-1 footballing lesson on the young LSFC team. On 29 January, the very same LSFC Aspirants team, with the exception of captain Paolo Alamillo, played a Candidates team from the same school and won by 5-2. The visitors' goals came towards the end of the game when defeat was staring them in the face. Briggs Jacob nonchalantly lobbed the Southridge ‘keeper in the first half for a narrow halftime 1-nil lead. But despite territorial domination, Southridge was kept out by the outstanding form of central defender Kevin Macasaet and fullbacks Glenn Escalona and Mark Cayson Caldo. At the other end, Jacob and Alamillo both missed sitting ducks. Rapier-sharp counterattacking, orchestrated by young midfielder Daren Dimaunahan, meant that La Salle had the more dangerous chances. In the second half, Eric Santos came off the bench to tuck in two vital goals, with Macasaet contributing a penalty to complete an outstanding debut in the 2005 RIFA Candidates season for the plucky youngsters.

An Aspirants team placed fourth in the RIFA Youth Cup at the Ateneo de Manila High School grounds on 28 November. But for a hideous refereeing decision in the semis against Xavier School, the youngsters might have gone on to the finals. The score was 0-1. Earlier in the elimination round, the team defeated Claret and Marist and drew against Springdale, Xavier and Southridge. The only blot in the team's record was a 0-1 reversal against San Beda after 'keeper Gregg Atijon failed to collect a routine cross. In the 3rd place playoff against San Beda, Atijon had a role to play in initially blocking the winning shot but failing to recover quickly enough to prevent the follow up. The team, thus, lost the match 1-2.

Not a vintage LSFC performance this, but the striking combination of Cyrus Vatcha and Briggs Jacob were both in hattrick form on 19 November to send Canossa packing from the Division Meet in typical lopsided fashion... and both missed enough sitters to really have given the Canossians nightmares in broad daylight. As things were, it was left to midfielder Daren Dimaunahan and central defender Kevin Macasaet to add to the day's goal tally. Restless in midfield, unable to string together passes, LSFC relied on its vast advantage in experience and firepower in front of goal to ensure that the club remained undefeated at division level for the 22nd straight season.

An early morning workout against the University of St. La Salle, a team last encountered in 1995, saw LSFC win 5-3. Goals by Daren Dimaunahan, Briggs Jacob (3) and Brazilian exchange student Caio Ricardo ensured a comfortable victory. Sloppy central defending again cost the team three more goals, but USLS were never potent enough to really rattle the youngsters of LSFC.

Bigger, more skillful and experienced, Zobel was the expected winner of this second Inter-La Salle contest for the young LSFC team. The final score, 0-6, did not, however, fully reflect the Lipa booters' performance. The youngsters defended better as a unit, even cheekily passing the ball around on several instances early on, but some dreadful goalkeeping errors from Gregg Atijon sent the youngsters sprawling into a heavy defeat. That the Zobel booters only managed two more in the second half showed how much better the team defended than in the first match, but the lack of experience showed in each of the six allowed in.

Little striker Briggs Jacob had given LSFC what was, perhaps, an undeserved two-goal lead against the "B" team of La Salle Greenhills, but comical defending continued into the second half as the home booters rallied with four goals as the game lapsed on. Looking nervous and, surprisingly, weary after the early morning trip from Lipa, the young LSFC booters never really got out of third gear in what was, probably, the sloppiest performance of the season.

A young LSFC lines up against La Salle Greenhills "B", DLS Zobel "A" and the University of St. La Salle in the revived Inter-La Salle competition, due to be hosted by LSGH in San Juan from 3-7 November. The youngsters from Lipa tangle with the second team of LSGH on 3 November, then square off against USLS the following day. Perennial tormentors DLS Zobel are last among the team's group games on 5 November. If the youngsters somehow make it to the semis, they will have to travel for a fourth time to Greenhills on the 6th. LSFC fields practically the same team that featured in the RIFA Aspirants Division, with the exception of senior Paolo Alamillo and John Carandang from the Midgets team.

LSFC paid Don Bosco Technical Institute of Makati a visit for the first time since 2001 and went home with mixed fortunes. The Midgets, losing midfielder Paolo Medina early with a dislocated shoulder, were overrun 1-7, John Carandang keeping up his outstanding goalscoring record this season with the youngsters' only goal. The Aspirants got the Greens even with another two goals from little Briggs Jacob, one from Cyrus Vatcha, a stooping header from Don Earl Hinayon, a stabbed goal from Kevin Macasaet and a cross from Jacob turned in by a hapless Don Bosco defender.

It was a miserable morning for LSFC at perennial bogey school DLS Zobel this 16 October as both the Midgets "A" and Aspirants teams crashed, 1-5 and 0-5, respectively. John Carandang put the Midgets cheekily ahead in the 8:00 encounter, but, playing with only 10 boys, holding off Zobel was always going to be a tough job. It was no stroll in the park for the Aspirants, either, as Zobel cruised to a 3-nil halftime lead. All goals were defensive errors. The team improved admirably in the second, pinning Zobel back for long periods inside their own half, but two more silly defensive errors had the youngsters reeling in a performance that was markedly different from the first half.

LSFC completed a double over San Beda College on 10 October at the Southridge School field, routing the Taytay-based squad 11-1 in the Midgets "A" Division and 5-nil in the Aspirants Division. John Carandang was in hattrick form with five goals for the Midgets, and but for some bad judgement in goalscoring opportunities would have easily have gotten a double hattrick for himself. In the Aspirants engagement, little Briggs Jacob, so off-form in the home rout by Southridge, again found his goalscoring boots with four, all scored in the first half. The fifth goal was scored by Nicolo Balahadia, who swept inside from the left wing to shoot home captain Jed Maralit's last contribution to the game, a well taken cross from the right wing.

LSFC teams seldom play well at home, and it was homecourt disadvantage once again on 8 October as the Aspirants team got torn apart by a powerful Southridge side. Anxious to please a curious afternoon home crowd, the young LSFC booters never got into any sort of rhythm although, cheekily, the team took the lead against the run of play. At halftime, though, the score was 1-4. The team improved its attacking clout somewhat in the second half, but were ironically caught thrice on the break by Southridge's fleetfooted strikers. The team hopes to redeem itself in a Sunday encounter against San Beda College away from home.

Losing captain Jed Victor Maralit to illness and striker Cyrus Vatcha to injury meant that the Aspirants team travelled to perennial bogey team Colegio San Agustin with exactly 11 players. But midfielder Daren Dimaunahan, deputizing as captain for the day, was in outstanding form, dominating midfield from start to finish. Little Briggs Jacob was also in great goalscoring form, hitting 5 in a sensational show of striking power. Kevin Macasaet towered above everyone else in the second half to score off Jacob's corner. He was La Salle's only other goalscorer. The final score was 6-nil. In the Midgets "A" Division, La Salle played with only 10 players and lost 1-8 to the bigger Agustinians. Regular striker John Carandang, down for a week with conjunctivitis, did not travel with the team.

LSFC High School 2001 product Joel Hernandez rejoined the college squad for training on 15 September after a two year-hiatus. Hernandez, who lined up beside college regulars Andrew Calso and Oliver Aguila in the successful high school team of 2001, is capable of playing either as leftback or as the holding midfielder. He played during his freshman year for the college squad before taking a break for reasons only he would probably understand.

High School 1984 LSFC members Ignatius Tee Jr., a.k.a. "Penga," visiting the Philippines from Phoenix, Arizona, where he is now based, and teammate and friend Gary Gardoce joined the Aspirants team for scrimmage today, 10 September. They were accompanied by another teammate, Eric Manglo, now Councilor of the City of Tanauan, who admitted that he had not played the beautiful game for quite sometime because of back pains. We did not, unfortunately, have a digital camera handy to document the visit for this web site.

Both the Midgets "A" and Aspirants teams drew their opening matches against Philippine Christian University - Dasmariņas in the Rizal Football Association's opening weekend played at the Southridge School football field on 04 September. Both games ended in 1-all draws, with the two LSFC teams playing catch up in both matches. John Carandang, the outstanding striking prospect of the Midgets, scored when put through in the second half to give the youngsters a share of the points. In the Aspirants match, LSFC dominated possession throughout the match but conceded a goal when Kevin Macasaet and Karl Abrugena got their defensive duties mixed up early in the second half. A tempting crossfield pass by Daren Dimaunahan 15 minutes later was played across the face of goal by Cyrus Vatcha for the arriving Glenn Escalona to score the equalizer with a simple tap in.

LSFC fields an Aspirants team as well as a Midgets "A" team in the coming new season of the Rizal Football Association, due to begin on 4 September. Coaches Rex Torrecampo and Eldrich de Villa join hands managing the older team, while Deney Reyes has been placed in charge of the Midgets. Neither of the two teams has an scheduled match on opening day.

Deney Reyes and Eldrich de Villa, stars of last year's double-winning college team, have teamed up with long-time coach Rex Torrecampo in the La Salle F.C. coaching staff. Reyes, now an employee of DLSL working at the Institutional & External Services Division, is assistant coach assigned to the Midgets teams. De Villa, meanwhile, continues his studies at the DLSL Tertiary School, while at the same time helping to train the high school teams as well as help out with the Midgets teams.

High School Batch 2004 Goalkeeper Oliver Dumigpe and striker Richard Manalo are the two new La Salle FC high school recruits to join the club's college teams. Dumigpe has enrolled at the Tertiary School under the BS Computer Science Program while Manalo is in college studying to be a nurse.