Following a rocky start, the Xavier School Nuvali football team, representing Calamba City, staged a massive comeback in the Regional Athletic Association Meet (RAAM) 2026 Elementary Football qualifiers, capped off by a historic 14-0 demolition of General Trias to officially secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

 

The tournament began with a narrow 1-2 heartbreak against Imus. However, rather than letting the opening loss dampen their spirits, the Calamba side used it as fuel.

 

“We lost in our first game, but that turned out to be the motivation for the team who really wanted to get into the next round,” said Head Coach Lee Lister M. Lanuza.

 

The “Xaverian” spirit ignited in the following matches. Calamba first dismantled Lucena (3-1) before delivering a masterclass performance against Calaca (7-0). These back-to-back wins set the stage for their final group-stage clinical performance.

 

The highlight of the qualifiers was undoubtedly the fourth game against General Trias. Calamba City dominated every blade of grass on the pitch, finding the back of the net 14 times while maintaining a clean sheet.

 

“It was a total team effort. Everyone contributed in all our games, from our defensive line to our offensive players,” Lanuza noted, crediting the entire roster for their discipline and tactical execution.