When PAREF Southridge coach Sam Bonney led the debutant Admirals in the Season 87 high school boys’ football tournament, few from the Muntinlupa school could have imagined the level of success that awaited the UAAP guest team.
Guided by current Ateneo Blue Eagles duo Polo Tansingco and Nathan de Ocampo, along with winger Francis Poticano, Southridge reached the Final Four in its debut campaign last season. That breakthrough run set the tone for what was to follow for the Admirals in Season 88.
Beyond football, Southridge became the first-ever guest school to win a UAAP championship after defeating De La Salle Zobel for the high school baseball crown last February 23. The Admirals also claimed a silver medal in fencing earlier this month.
Reflecting on the first batch of Admirals who graced the UAAP, Bonney looks back fondly as his boys gave the league a glimpse of what was to come.
“I think, honestly, it’s amazing,” said the Ghanaian mentor. “I think we paved the way for them. I think it’s amazing; I think we played in a way now [where] there’s a lot of people saying that Southridge has a lot of sports ongoing. They are now competing really well with any school or tournament, but we joined last year and paved the way for them.
“In baseball, they joined as a guest — now they are the champion — and in fencing, a silver medal. It’s a very good thing. I need to commend the school for what they’ve done, that they were able to push for this. Now they’re saying we have to fight, so we have to say a very big thank you to them as well.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Bonney and the Admirals’ success in the UAAP has continued into Season 88.
Last Saturday, the stars aligned for Southridge to enter the Final Four after defeating La Salle 3-1 and witnessing defending champion University of Santo Tomas edge rival Ateneo de Manila University 2-1 immediately afterward.
Making the semifinals for the second consecutive year underscores the strength of the Admirals’ program, which is all the more impressive given that they failed to win their first three matches this season.
“I think that’s an amazing achievement,” said the former United Football League defender. “I mean, no one really expected us to be that competitive when [we] joined, but we were able to show a lot of promise that we can also compete with the big guys.
“I’m very happy. I mean, compare last year to this year: last year, we were a little more individualistic, but this year, they are more mature. So, I’m very happy with them.”
As it did last year, Southridge once again faces top seed Far Eastern University–Diliman. This time, however, the Admirals face an even steeper challenge, needing to upset the Baby Tamaraws twice to reach the final for the first time in program history.
FEU-Diliman’s pedigree is well established, having won 12 consecutive championships from Seasons 73 to 86 while serving as a pipeline for talent from across the country. Daunting as the task may be, the proud Muntinlupa school with a homegrown core welcomes the challenge.
“Against FEU, we understand how they play,” said Bonney. “They’re experienced and recruit from different places. Many of their players are on scholarships — this is their daily bread. For my boys, we work with what we have in the school and develop them from there.
“At the end of the day, this is football,” he added. “I believe we can beat them, and the time will come when we do.
“I have no fear in facing FEU, and the boys feel the same way. Teams change at different moments, so we’ll wait for our moment and see what happens.”
