By Aine Peralta

Marked by a bitter ending in their final juniors tournament last Season 87, then-Far Eastern University-Diliman (FEU-D) Baby Tamaraws Czam Acuesta and Jerby Anito set foot into the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 men’s football scene with the intent of turning an unfinished campaign into growth.

Now alongside the league’s defending champions, the green-and-gold standouts carry with them the residue of a near-historic run, one that saw FEU-D’s 13-peat bid halted by the University of Santo Tomas in their finals showdown last year, March 29. 

This loss marked the end of their time in the juniors and left lessons that continue to shape their transition to the men’s game.

Fueled by defeat

The final season in the juniors’ football tournament left a mark on former Baby Tams Anito and Acuesta, forcing both players to confront the weight of expectations and the aftertaste of missed opportunities.

In an online interview with FEU Advocate, Tamaraw rookie midfielder Anito recalled how losing the 13-peat bid in his last year of senior high school was difficult to accept.

“I knew how much that title meant to the program and everyone who came before us. It was painful knowing [that] that was my last season at the juniors’ level, but it also forced me to reflect on the responsibility that comes with wearing the FEU badge,” he said.

The setback, however, became a catalyst rather than a roadblock for both of these rookies.

In the weeks following the Season 87 junior finals, Morayta-based booter Acuesta channeled the frustration into preparation, embracing the pressure as a stepping stone toward his collegiate debut.

“I had a hard time in the weeks after the finals, especially mentally. Despite that, I continued to thrive under pressure as preparation for collegiate football had already begun,” he mentioned.

What once stung now propels their spark behind their senior season grind, sharpening their drive as they learn what it takes to uphold their place in their first season with the team.

Under the lights

The transition from juniors to the senior team has raised the level of competition, though much of the environment remains familiar.

On the jump to the senior team, Anito admitted that the step-up comes with greater physicality and higher demands.

“Almost the same environment as the juniors. Pero sa collegiate [level], mas mataas ang demand, mas physical, at dapat talagang consistent during training sessions and games (But in the collegiate level, the demand is higher, it's more physical, and you have to be really consistent during training sessions and games),” the green-and-gold booter shared.

With the men’s team aiming to defend its crown, pressure becomes inevitable—but Anito pointed to the guidance of the team’s veterans as a key factor in easing the adjustment.

“Para sa’kin ‘di talaga mawawala ang pressure kasi laging mataas ang expectation, lalo na’t defending champion ang men’s team. Pero tinutulungan po kami ng seniors para maging mas confident inside the pitch at mas magtiwala sa sarili (For me, the pressure will never go away because expectations are always high, especially since the men's team is the defending champion. But the seniors are helping us to be more confident inside the pitch and more self-reliant),” he said.

For the men’s football team, training sessions have become the primary space where rookies are measured—not by familiarity, but consistency and physical readiness.

That standard extends across the squad, where rookies are expected to learn quickly and contribute within the team structure.

For midfielder Acuesta, the adjustment meant starting over—learning new systems, adapting to the pace, and proving himself once again.

“The biggest adjustment for me was that I had to start from zero, since transitioning to the collegiate team was much different from the junior team—especially the difference in system and ‘yung physicality,” he stated.

Still, the Diliman-turned-Morayta booter described the challenge as an opportunity to grow within a program accustomed to winning.

“Medyo challenging pero exciting ‘yung transition from FEU-D to the collegiate level, lalo na sa team na sanay manalo. Malaki ‘yung natutunan ko sa mga seniors namin, kung paano maging consistent, composed, at unahin lagi ‘yung team (The transition from FEU-D to the collegiate level was challenging but exciting, especially on a team that is used to winning. I learned a lot from our seniors on how to be consistent, composed, and prioritizing the team first),” Acuesta emphasized.

Sama-sama

The mantra ‘sama-sama’ has long been more than just a tagline—it is a principle rooted in brotherhood and a family-like culture that has carried the green-and-gold squad from their junior days into the men’s squad—shaping how rookies and veterans alike move, train, and play in unison.

That sense of continuity played a major role in easing the adjustment. Many of the newcomers are familiar faces to one another—and to head coach Jake Morallo, who was at the helm during their heartbreak-filled junior season, and now serves as the lead tactician of the senior football squad.

Acuesta credited Morallo’s continued presence with smoothing the jump to the men’s team, citing how it provides guidance and familiarity that make adapting to senior-level play less daunting.

“It’s really a big help, kasi ‘di na ako masyado nahirapan mag-adjust sa (because I didn’t have too much trouble adjusting to the) team since I’m very close with my teammates, and of course, having Coach Jake as our coach,” the first-year Tamaraw said.

Anito echoed the importance of that shared history, particularly in understanding how the team operates on the pitch.

“Malaking tulong po na si Coach Jake pa rin ang coach namin, kasi kilala na niya kung paano kami maglaro, especially ‘yung mga galing sa juniors team. Mas madali rin makapag-adjust kasi andiyan ang mga former teammates namin dahil kilala na namin isa’t isa at kung paano maglaro at mas madali magkaintindihan sa loob ng pitch (It's a big help that Coach Jake is still our coach because he already knows how we play, especially those from the juniors team. It's also easier to adjust with our former teammates being there because we already know each other and how to play, and it's easier to understand each other on the pitch),” he said.

With round two of the tourney underway, the rookies are staying sharp, treating every training session as a chance to contribute to their team.

As their chance to help defend the title grows near, FEU’s first-years remain guided by one steady force: sama-sama. Together, they aim to turn their juniors’ near-miss into the drive that could define their senior campaign.

(Photo by James Neil Tamayo/FEU Advocate; courtesy of UAAP Media Team)