A NEW champion will be crowned, today, as Region 9 bowed out of the annual Amerindian Heritage football competition at the Carifesta Sport Complex, yesterday.

The ten-time champions who went straight to the semifinal lost to Region 10 on a penalty shootout after the semi-final encounter was deadlocked 1-1 at the 60-minute regulation time.
Region 10’s  first goal was from the penalty spot by Deshaun Joseph after 14 minutes of play, but the Rupununi boys kept their hopes for an eleventh title as Shurland Davis found the net in the 22nd minute.
He finished the rebound off the crossbar from three metres out. Mark Marshall took the first shot outside the left edge of the box but the ball crashed onto the wood-work.
When no goal materialised in the second half, the referee directed that the match be decided from penalty kicks because darkness ruled out extra time.
The Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo boys’ first taste of possible defeat came in the third penalty kick when former national player Peter Parks soft shot went straight to the goalkeeper and Region 10 went ahead. Defeat seemed imminent when Ricardo Martin sent another soft shot outside the left of the goal. But Terrence Huggins missed two shots, the first outside the left side of the goal, and the re-kick high over the crossbar.
Former National mid-fielder Emerick kept his team in the game, but Teddy Huggins sealed Region 10’s place in the final with the last kick of the evening.
In the preliminary, Region 10 turned back Region 4, 2-1, the match decided in the first half. Colwin David hit a double, one minute apart, the first in the 29th minute, and Kenny Morris got the consolation in the 31st minute.
Region 10 will meet former champions Region 1 in the final from 20:30 hrs this evening. The Northwest boys, who beat Rupununi 3-2 to claim the crown back in 2004, took care of Region 7 in the first preliminary match, 2-1, after the game was deadlocked 1-1 at half time.
Leroy Domingo put in the first goal in the sixth minute but Region 7 equalized off Glen Williams in the 22nd minute. Dwayne Lowe hit the winning in the 41st minute.
In the semifinal, Region 1 sent a strong signal that they would get the crown a second time with a 5-0 drubbing of last year’s runner-up Region 8. They were 4-0 at half time, with goals from Earl Gill (7), Albert Smith (11), Dwayne Lowe (20, 35), and Quamey Gordon (23).
On the distaff side, Region 7 beat Region One, 2-0, with second half goals from Merlyn Isaacs (34) and Odessa Nasario (48).
In the other semifinal, Region 4 needled Region 9, 1-0, with the lone goal coming from Barbara Abrams.
The women’s final will kick off at 18:00 hrs.
Cricket is, also, on today. Mainstay come up against Moraikobai and Orealla take on St Cuthbert’s, and on the distaff side, St Cuthbert’s meet Laluni and Capoey clash with Moraikobai. The action starts at 9:00 hrs.
In volleyball, Region 6 meet Region 2 A in the first semifinal, and Region 7 meet Region 7, while on the distaff side, Region  7 will battle with Regional 9 in the final.