Navymen, Banilad bets rule Sinulog eskrima tournament

CEBU, Philippines - Stick-fighters from the Philippine Navy and Banilad Academy shared the top honors in the 5th Sinulog Eskrima Tournament last Saturday at the Academy of Eskrima Mountain Training Park in Brgy. Busay, this city.

The Navymen topped eight categories, while the Banilad mainstays lorded it over in seven events to emerge as the winningest squads in the country's qualifying tilt for this year's 10th World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) Championships in Mexico City.

Among those who catapulted the Philippine Navy to the pedestal of glory were Fernando Parcon, Juan Furiscal, Jr., Peter Dahan, Jessie Candado, Jane Briones and Roldan Ramirez.

Parcon and Furiscal handed over two titles each.

Parcon edged out Agapito Legaspi, Jr. of the Mandaue Stick Fighting Team to rule the bantamweight division and then whipped Hobert Cosquejo of Iloilo Eskrima to clinch the super flyweight crown, while Furiscal outlasted David Arwell Camus of Banilad to bag the lightweight gold, his second after dominating the men's double-stick non-traditional of the forms (sayaw) competition.

Dahan pounded Real Constantino of the Pari-an Aryan Arnis Team to reign supreme in the middleweight class, Candado won unopposed in the welterweight bracket, Briones subdued Angel Aguanta of Mandaue Stick Fighting in the women's double-strick sparring, while Ramirez came out the best in the men's single-stick traditional of the forms event.

Banilad, on the other hand, saw Miguel Mendoza, David Arwell Camus, Steven Atenta, Raphael Quijano and Kyle Clifford Apa-ap prevailing over their respective foes.

Mendoza and Atenta produced two championship trophies apiece. Mendoza crushed Constatino Real of Pari-an to dominate the heavyweight division and trounced Roldan Ramirez for the cruiserweight plum, while Atenta pummeled Paul John Salva of Mandaue to top the featherweight category and then beat Kristian Caba of Mandaue to claim the junior boys gold.

Camus ruled the super featherweight class after vanquishing Joseph James Roiles of Pari-an, while Quijano and Apa-ap ruled in the 8-9 and 10-11 age brackets, respectively, of the sparring single-stick boys children's division. Quijano upended Jhared Perez of Mabolo Eskrima Team in the final, while Apa-ap ran over Justine Cabahug of Mandaue.

Silvano Bombales and Edward Gian Carlo Leyson of BTAD-General Santos City Team also made their Cebu trip worthwhile, in the same way with Hobert Casquejo of Iloilo Eskrima. Bombales nipped Navy's Furiscal for the welterweight title, while Leyson beat Jay Vencent Llanita of Mandaue for the 12-13 age bracket gold.

Casquejo did not go home empty-handed as he tamed Arniel Callao of Busay Warriors to claim the top spot in the superflyweight division.

Mabolo Eskrima Club and Mandaue Stick Fighting each nailed twin victories. Alfred Veil Vellacorta and Francis Padasas delivered the gods for Mabolo Eskrima Club while Kristian Caba and Paul John Salva did well for Mandaue.

Vellacorta outsmarted John Anthony Sumalinog of Mandaue in the 16-17 age category, while Padasas got past Ronly Gonob-Gonob of Mabolo Arnis Group in the 14-15 lightweight. Mandaue's Caba slammed Peter Dahan of the Navy in the middleweight finale, while Salva pounced Navy's Francisco Gomez to snatch the featherweight marbles.

Completing the winners' list were Caming Ralph Tuñacao, Edie Boy Amar of Busay Warriors and Joseph James Roiles of Pari-an Aryan Arnis. Tuñacao bested Denstile Ibarita of Mabolo Eskrima Team in the 14-15 heavyweight, Amar spanked Bobby Catana of Mabolo Arnis Group in the boys division, while Roiles whacked Navy's Roldan Ramirez in the cruiserweight class. -  THE FREEMAN