Sagaral and Rayas reach final in Lapu-Lapu Fiesta tennis tilt

CEBU - Nanding Sagaral and Valas Rayas of GMC Tennis Club prevailed over Kevin Padilla and Nathan Pongase of Virlo TC by the slimmest of margins, 8-7, to advance into the final round of the C Minus category in the 2008 Lapu-Lapu City Fiesta Tennis Tournament billed as “1st Mayor Arturo “Boy” Radaza Cup at the city’s tennis courts.

Sagaral and Rayas, thus, set up a championship duel with Marcial Trangia and Leonil Gelig of MAR TC, whole eliminated Joel Molina and Obeng Galario of Timex TC, 8-6.

In the C Plus division, Rommel Pinote and Titing Augusto of Mactan Island Lawn Tennis Sports Club, Inc. (MILTSCI) crushed Nelson Dayuday and Rey Bacolot of PAL, 8-1, to gain semifinal berth.

They were joined into the Final Four by Pablito Tumulak and Pepe Dungog also of MILTSCI, Boy Malingin and Arnold Ecoy of Cecille’s TC, and Raymund Sambas and Mike Odi of Timex TC.

Tumulak and Dungog whipped Marvin Padilla and Dodong Lumanta of Virlo TC, 8-4, Malingin and Ecoy squeaked past Titing Pejo and Jetjet Lagura of MILTSCI, 8-7, while Sambas and Odi escaped with a razon-thin 8-7 victory over Norman Pesodas and Arnold Amodia of MILTSCI.

The fancied tandem of Cecille Rizon and Marlyn Cortes of Cecille’s TC rolled in the Ladies semis alongside MILTSCI’s bets Cindi Chan/Edna Base and Maricor Paden and Procy Buanghug.

Rizon and Cortes dumped Connie Salcedo and Ruby Espere of MILTSCI, 8-2. Chan and Base, on the other hand, clobbered teammates Cheche Vergara and Shalyn Tunacao, 8-2, while Paden and Buanghug bundled out Tina Quinahan and Bing Escoton, 8-2, of Cecille’s TC.

In the Century Old bracket, it will be a MILTSCI-Cecille’s TC showdown in the semifinals. MILTSCI’s Nonie Kilantang and Boie Kilantang kicked out comrades Rene Abrea and Celoy Rusiana, 8-4, while Billy “Boy” Deen and Titing Pejo thwarted Dilbert Barraquias and Pablito Tumulak, 8-3.

Not to be outdone, Cecille’s Boy Malingin ang Andy Escoton kept their title hunt in motion with an 8-5 thrashing of MILTSCI’s Narci Ybañez and Rene Pal, 8-5, in the same way with Mario Rizon and Gil Montesclaros, who terminated Dr. Epifanio Tac-an and Sol Zulueta, 8-4.

The month-long tilt, which is among the highlights of the annual fiesta celebration of Lapu-Lapu City in honor of its beloved patroness Virgen de la Regla (Our Lady of the Rule” on November 20-21, is organized by city councilor Junard “Ahong” Chan assisted by tournament director Junjun Clarito. All the championship matches will be contested on November 23.—EBV (THE FREEMAN)