PHOTO: Referee Julius Pongay receiving the award
By Jerome C.Willie, Jr, boyzwill26@gmail.com
Referee Julius Pongay has bagged the Best Refree award in the 2020/2021 edition of the second most prestigious soccer festival in the Barnesville Township and Its Environs, outside Monrovia.
It is the mock UEFA Champions League climaxed over the weekend.
At the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 15 at the Barnesville Estate Sports Pitch, trophies and medals were given to the 1st and 2nd winner including referees along with individual awards Julius Pongay clinched the Best Referee of the 2020/2021 Edition of the Barnesville Estate And Its Environs UEFA Champions League.
The Barnesville Estate And Its Environs UEFA Champions League officially kicked off on 25 July, 2021, with 32 teams playing spectacular football at the Barnesville Estate Sports Pitch with several referees including FIFA-BADGED .
In the grand finale on Sunday 15 August, Benfica won AC Milan 5-4 in penalties shootout after a 1-out draw during regular time.
Referee Julius Pongay in action on the pitch
Sholie Deco Quiah of champions LPRC OILERS puts AC Milan in front in the early minutes of the second half after a goalless draw. But substitute, Lawson Wesseh of Mighty Barolle levelled the score 1-1 from a beautiful touch that beats Juanito Sayee of LISCR FC to end the score 1-1 during regular time of play.
Julius Pongay served as an assistant referee number # 2 during the grand finale between Benfica versus AC Milan.
The young Liberian referee Pongay officiates eight games as center referee and served as assistant referee for over four games in the tournament.
Pongay joined the Liberia Footaball Association as a referee in 2019 and is a full member of the Liberia Football Referee Association (LIFRA).
The young and energetic referee, Pongay has since been participating in the Orange National League most especially the Orange National-2nd Division and also has county meet experience(s).
He was a member of the team of referees 2019/2020 in Maryland County which was his first experience and of recent in Sinoe County during the just ended 2020/2021 National County Sports Meet which was won by Lofa County in the male’s edition.
Pongay has also won the most talked about Barnesville Estate And Its Environs Area League’s Best Referee award in 2019.
He told this Reporter: ” I am grateful for such another award and I hope to achieved my goal in becoming a FIFA-Badged Referee.”
Julius Pongay’s role model is Liberia FIFA-Badged referee, Hassan Corneh who he said has played a major role in his career.
The Barnesville Estate And Its Environs UEFA Champions is an annual tournament before the most traditional competition of the Township of Barnesville the Barnesville Estate And Its Environs Area League which will officially kickoff on 29 August.
The 2020/2021 Barnesville Estate And Its UEFA Champions League was oragnized by the Beh-Wein Youth Social And Atlehtic Club (BYSAC) with Montserrado County District # 11 Rep.Richard N.Koon serving as its sponsor, along with Excutive Committe member of the Liberia Football Assocaition Pawala Janyan as Co-chair.
BYSAC was established 11 February 2019 and it has a membership of over 50 members.
Other Individual Awards:
Hakeem Jabateh – MVP
Benfica
Abdullai Yaya Bility- Highest GoalScorer
Juventus
Allenton Sembeh-Best Goal Keeper
Benfica