Cebu City reaffirms CVIRAA supremacy

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  – As expected, the mighty Cebu City Niños claimed their 19th straight overall championship in dominating fashion at the close of the 2011 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet yesterday at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex here.

Cebu City, however, suffered some heartaches in secondary basketball after the Niños, manned by players from the University of the Visayas (UV) with reinforcements from Cebu Eastern College (CEC), were dethroned by the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles-manned Mandaue City, 65-67. The Niños' younger counterparts lashed back at Mandaue though, 76-48, to win the gold in elementary level.

Nevertheless, the Niños reasserted their dominance in the annual sports conclave of school-based athletes with 836.17 points.

In stark contrast to last year's rankings, Cebu Province was a distant second this time with 507.75 points. Mandaue City soared to the third spot with 321.5 points, while Bohol dropped to fourth place with 282 points.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Dumaguete (199.5), Lapu-Lapu (134.17), Tagbilaran (110), Negros Oriental (92), Talisay (71.75) and Danao (55.25).

TCC accumulated 60 points for sweeping the titles in secondary athletics, while in gymnastics held at the Maribojoc Cultural Center, Karen Sthea Velez and Gayle Marie Arda powered the Niños to golden finish in the second girls division.

Velez shone brightly in the rope, hoop, ball, all-around and team competition of the rhythmic sportive gymnastics (RSG), while Arda stamped her class in women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) including the balance beam, floor exercise, vault, all-around and team competition along with Jamela Mae Moga and Frances Claire Arda.

In the elementary division, Francin Ly Coyoca also ruled the WAG events as well as the team competition alongside Deseriey Padilla and Diane Sophia Navarro.

In RSG, Mariane Alegado got the gold in rope and Eunice Odag in hoop. They joined Daniela Reggie de la Pisa in clinching the team gold.

The Cebu City taekwondo jins also reigned supreme in their respective divisions namely Asherah Nicole Dayuday (finweight), Danielle Estacio (flyweight), Jeah Maglasang (bantamweight), Micah Marie Mission (featherweight), Angela Nicole Elpa (lightweight), Janica Crezile Ybarra (welterweight) and Keith Brian Fernandez (featherweight).

In arnis, Maximo Caballes, Jr. hauled golds in individual single weapon, individual double weapon, extra lightweight and synchronized single weapon.

The Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC)-powered Cebu City booters snared the secondary boys crown after blanking Bayawan City, 7-0, behind the efforts of Junjay Arizabal, Jerome Vestil and Val Calvo.

The Niños also ruled in the elementary division after they trounced Mandaue City, 6-0, courtesy of the four-goal explosion of Agustin Rafael Roa.

Aside from gymnastics, taekwondo and gymnastics, TCC also grabbed golds in volleyball and table tennis.

Cebu Province’s golds came from girls volleyball and basketball, gymnastics, chess, sepak takraw, baseball and athletics.

Four-time Palarong Pambansa champion Catmon Elementary School stayed unbeaten in the elementary girls volleyball after trouncing Mandaue City, 25-21, 25-20. The championship in elementary athletics, baseball and chess events also helped jack up CP's points.

Aside from secondary basketball, Mandaue also raked in points in boxing, badminton, volleyball and football, while Bohol’s points came from the sepak takraw, softball and athletics.

Lapu-Lapu City was led by its secondary girls volleyball team from Pajo National High School. It took the secondary boys taekwondo title courtesy of Neil Ian Panghulan (flyweight) and Miles Del Rosario (bantamweight). (FREEMAN)