SOME 800 children basked in the heat of competition and ignored the murky aftermath of an afternoon rain as the first Mosman Cup got under way Saturday at the Nomad Sports Club in Parañaque City.

The children, aged six to 12, vied for five team titles in the tournament’s inaugural staging.

International School of Manila defeated Holistic Education Center in a shootout after regulation play ended in a deadlock for the boys’ under-12 championship. Paref Southridge School placed third.

Miriam College (girls’ under 12), Nomads FC (boys’ under 10), and Holistic (girls’ under 10) also won in their respective groups. Also, Union FC beat Nomads to win the mixed under-eight division.

A total of 57 teams from various schools and football clubs, including four from a small school near Smokey Mountain in Tondo, competed in the one-day knockout tournament organized by Mosman Communications and sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation.

Jane Walker, chief executive officer of Philippine Christian Foundation (PCF), one of the supporters of the event, said she was “happy” with the turnout of the event. Walker added that she saw the equality of all the players coming from different walks of life through football.

“It was a level playing field,” Walker said. “They have been children in this event. They had much fire in their eyes. I can’t tell you how much it means to be part of this tournament.”

A nonstock, nonprofit nongovernment organization, PCF received donations, including books, school supplies and a motorized bike for their school. It currently educates 857 children of various ages in Tondo, football being a part of its curriculum.

Meanwhile, named best players were International School’s Adilet Segizerov in the boys’ under 12, Nomads’ Sean Christianson (boys’ under 10), Miriam’s Nowa Amonclo (girls’ under 12), Holistic’s Ice Cedro (girls under 10), and Union’s Clarence Limchiko (mixed under eight).

Top-scorer awards went to International School’s Tomoya Kobayashi and Jake Vought in the boys’ under 12, Nomads’ Matthew Custodio (boys’ under 10), Miriam’s Bea Velasco (girls’ under 12), Holistic’s Nicole Salvador (girls’ under 10), and Union’s Ken Diaz (mixed under eight).

In the boys’ under 12, Union FC finished second and International School Manila was third.

In the girls’ division, Saint Pedro Poveda took home runner-up, while Xavier School and Union Football Club tied for third in the under-12 category. In the under-10 division, Saint Pedro Poveda also finished second, while Philippine Christian Foundation-Batang May Laban was third.

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