ANS closes in on overall title

CEBU, Philippines - The Abellana National School (ANS) representing Unit 9 moved into the threshold of clinching the overall championship after piling up 262.5 points in the penultimate day of the 21st Cebu City Olympics yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.

ANS athletic director Francis Ramirez said the last time they took the overall title was three years ago where they won by just a hairline against Unit 5, which was anchored by the University of Cebu (UC).

This time, UC is a distant second with 171.5 points followed by the University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BEd) with 142 points.

 “With our standing now, we’re way ahead of UC and other schools. We are expecting more points tomorrow (today) since most of our team events made it to the finals. I believe that our victory will serve as an inspiration to other public school teams that with the right program, kaya diay namong pildihon ang mga private schools,” said Ramirez.

ANS was considered virtual champions as of yesterday as they are expected to earn more points in volleyball and football.

On the other hand, Unit 8 paced the elementary division with 151.5 points followed by Unit 1 with 87 points and USC-BEd with 85 points.

With the new system that they made this year, CCSC manager Ricky Ballesteros said the weaknesses and strengths of both private and public schools were revealed.

“We’re happy that public schools also shine in the Cebu City Olympics. That means to say level ang playing field. I heard feedbacks before na ang kakuyawan sa public schools that private schools will dominate and it turns out the other way around,” said Ballesteros.

Swimming

Karen Mae Indaya of Labangon Elementary School (Unit 4) and Annita Monterola of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) broke two records as eight new records were reset at the conclusion of the swimming competition.

Indaya registered a time of five minutes and 33.57 seconds in the 400m freestyle, eclipsing Lyh Ann Navarro’s time of 5:34.58. She also set a new record in the 200m freestyle relay in two minutes and 37.37 seconds, breaking Paula Vega’s 2:38.95 mark in 2004.

Monterola secured the 50m breaststroke title in record time of 39.19 seconds, shattering Khalyla Khun’s 40.66 seconds in 1997. She set another mark in the 100m breaststroke with a time of one minute and 28.21 seconds, breaking Danielle Ballesteros’ 1:28.99 in 2009.

Anthony Linn Navarro of Cebu Eastern College (CEC) and Leanne Mancira of Bright Academy lorded it over in 100m backstroke. Navarro clocked in one minute and 7.43 seconds, breaking Raul Zamar’s 1:10.39 in 2003 while Mancira registered 1:20.34 to erase Paula Vega’s 1:22.77 mark in 2004.

The other record holders were Keith Ocampo of USC-BEd, who broke his own record from 10:53.30 minutes last year to 10:12.02 in the 800m freestyle and USC-BEd’s 200m medley relay team anchored by Ocampo, Cynthjune Goden, Kyle Nemil and Ray Lister Tungala. They clocked in 2:13.42 to break Unit 8’s 2:16.10 in 2009.

Basketball, Sepak takraw and Arnis

Cebu Eastern College (CEC) dominated the elementary division after defeating USC, while Apas/DepEd Selection reigned supreme in the secondary girls division after fending off ANS.

The Rey Jhey Ortoste-manned ANS topped the sepak takraw event while UC made waves in arnis courtesy of Charlemagne Zosa and Nichole Angelie Tamayo in the elementary class and Mica Grava and James Kyle Murillo in the secondary class.

Dancesport

The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) dance athletes swept the elementary division titles the other night.

USPF's duo of Andrew Yola and Christine Camacho danced to victory in the Latin American category, while their teammates Bruce Baxter Cartin and Gracian Lee Giango topped the modern standard.

In the secondary division, the Deluvio siblings Jason Klein and Kathlene Joy of the University of the Visayas (UV) ruled the modern standard, while University of Cebu’s John Paul Mocorro and Therese Andrei Quilaton won in the Latin American category.

Scrabble and Chess

USJ-R swept the elementary and secondary titles in the scrabble competition, while USC-BEd got three out of four titles in chess.

In the elementary division, USJ-R of coach Junrel Zarco overpowered UC and UV, while the secondary squad of coach Marvin Tubalado outwitted Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U).

In chess, USC-BEd topped the secondary boys and girls and elementary girls classes. The other title went to UC in the elementary boys division.

Football

Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) elementary and secondary booters booked championship tickets after thrashing their respective foes at the USC-TC field in Talamban.

Defending champion DBTC blanked Maria Montessori International School (MMIS), 14-0, while their younger comrades fended off elementary division’s defending champion Paref Springdale, 3-1.

In the other semifinal matches, ANS routed Paref Springdale, 1-0, while Bright Academy trounced City Central School (CCS), 6-0. (FREEMAN)