By Lianna Roc and Solei Vasquez

Soaring to the top step of the podium, the Ateneo High School Girls’ Football/Futsal Team (AHSGFT) clinched the championship at the Rizal Football Association (RIFA) Phase 2, 9-Aside Tournament, High School Open Division on Sunday, March 16.

The tournament was held from December 8, 2024, to March 16, 2025, in the Ocampo Field and Moro Lorenzo Field of Ateneo de Manila’s Loyola Heights campus with competing schools: Miriam College Team A (MC-A) and Team B (MC-B), Assumption Antipolo (AA), PAREF Rosehill Academy (RH), La Salle Green Hills (LSGH), La Salle College Antipolo, St. Theresa’s College (STC), and San Beda Rizal University.

The first phase ran from December 8, 2024 to January 26, 2025, during which the girls secured the top seed in Group B with a record of three wins and one draw. 

The second phase of the tournament began on February 16, which saw the top two teams from both groups compete against one another in a single round-robin.

The team maintained its unbeaten streak throughout the second phase, drawing against AA before delivering a decisive 2-0 triumph over MC A.

Vying for a spot in the finals, Ateneo faced an undefeated Rosehill squad that had six straight victories—dealing them their first defeat of the tournament at 1-0. 

Finally, with the championship on the line, the AHSGFT stepped up with crucial goals, edging RH and sealing their title with a 2-0 victory in the last showdown.

Throughout the tournament, the AHSGFT displayed an impermeable backline, keeping a clean sheet and conceding zero goals to their opponents. 

Despite the victory, team captain Ry Dolor shared the many hurdles they had to overcome to get where they are now.

“We just met this year. We started the school year, we came together, around five members—then from those five members, we were able to grow our family, find other people who were passionate about football.” 

Dolor added that the team refused to let hardships define them, stating that they did not allow their late formation, lack of members, or the challenge of training in futsal instead of football to become excuses for losing or obstacles to their success.

With this, the first year captain hopes that this win will inspire more students, especially young female athletes to take up futsal and football. 

“I want this win to show the ASHS community that we played with our hearts. That we’re a really passionate team full of love, full of fight, full of heart and hard work,” Dolor said.

“I saw some girls during Sportsfest who played football, and you know what, you should try futsal! If you have heart, [it] will bring you a long way. It doesn’t matter how good you are, or whatever. If you have the passion, if you have the fight, and if you have the heart to achieve your goals—then you’ll be able to achieve them.”