Far Eastern University–Diliman forward Jacob Keleghan made a sensational return in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Football Tournament, scoring twice to lead the Baby Tamaraws to a 3–1 victory over the University of Santo Tomas last Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
Despite missing FEU-D’s earlier wins over Ateneo de Manila University and Claret School of Quezon City due to a knee injury and as a precaution against further suspensions, the 18-year-old standout from Dumaguete showed no signs of rust.
He struck in the 42nd and 81st minutes, not only putting UST away but also securing a twice‑to‑beat advantage for his school.
“Yeah, because I was injured — I had a knee problem — but supposedly, I was okay to play for Claret,” said Keleghan.
“But coach (Jake Morallo) didn’t let me play because I had a yellow card, and he didn’t want to risk me getting another yellow so I could play with UST today.”
For Keleghan, the goals carried personal significance.
While FEU‑D sits atop the Season 88 standings, its lone loss came at the hands of UST last February 11. By scoring a brace, the Filipino-Irish forward fulfilled his role in the Baby Tamaraws’ starting XI and helped the team reclaim some pride, stepping up as one of its leaders.
“Honestly, it feels great because it’s my dream to, you know, score. It’s my dream to play in the UAAP. I did my best.
“I didn’t score in the first half, which I should’ve, but I kept hungry and didn’t give up. I just… I knew I would score eventually, so I was just aiming to score, aiming to shoot, aiming to look for chances and shoot,” he said.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Keleghan was quick to credit his teammates, emphasizing that the performance was a collective effort. Having been a rookie back in Season 86, he knows what it is like to look up to senior players. Now one of the seniors in the current batch, he has adjusted to being the player others look up to.
While there is no such thing as a perfect team, the Baby Tamaraws appear to be building momentum, something evident in their strong bond. That chemistry is reinforced by shared experiences, with players like Keleghan staying in the dorm alongside his teammates.
“It feels really good,” said Keleghan. “The coaches are really happy, the teammates are really happy. I’m really proud of my teammates. They did really good for me, everyone — they did good, they did their job.
“I wouldn’t have scored if it wasn’t for them, so yeah, proud of them.”
Having started playing football at around five years old, the 6-foot forward eventually found his way to FEU after being spotted by program director Vince Santos during a tournament in Bacolod. Along the way, he faced challenges that at times made him consider stepping away from the sport — if not for the support of his father and coaches, as well as his own desire to keep improving.
Like any senior, Keleghan hopes to cap his high school career with a championship, especially as the Baby Tamaraws aim to reclaim the title they yielded to the Junior Golden Booters last year.
Any discussion about which college program he will join can wait, with the focus firmly on the task at hand.
“I feel like we deserve it because we’re really working hard,” said Keleghan.
“Our journey, you know — we’ve had our ups and downs, but going closer to the semis and finals, we’re going upwards. It’s good, even though we’re twice-to-beat. We still need to work hard and not be complacent because the ball is round.”
