MANILA, Philippines - La Salle’s Jan Nigel Galan humbled Jerad Docena in the sixth round then nipped the top-seeded bet in the tiebreak to capture the juniors crown while Rowelyn Acedo took the ladies plum in the 2012 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship Southern Luzon Batangas leg at SM City Batangas Event Center in Batangas City last Saturday.
Galan outwitted Docena with the black in a duel of unbeaten leaders then swept Angelo Merilles and Robert Evangelista to buck his final round loss to Gil Ruaya for an eight-point total in the nine-round Swiss system tournament in the boys’ 20-and-under division.
Docena bounced back with victories over Kline Surposa, Christian Ranola and Jose Castro to likewise finish with eight points and clinch the last berth in the national finals of the annual nationwide talent-search sponsored by Pilipinas Shell.
Ruaya wound up with 7 1/2 points while Surposa, Kristian Cristobal and Jerome Villanueva ended up tied for fourth with seven points.
Gracing the awards rites were Jackie Ampil, Pilipinas Shell social investment manager, John Ligan, contract and procurement site lead of Pilipinas Shell and Shell media relations manager Toby Nebrida.
Acedo rebounded from her fourth round loss to Mariel Batulan with victories over Melissa Ebora, Arvie Lozano and Eloisa Sta. Rita then edged Gladys Romero, also in the tiebreak, to cop the ladies title with six points and gain the lone berth in the grand finals.
Lozano, Batulan and Mae Mendoza wound up tied for third with 5 1/2 points.
Daryl Samantila posted a rare sweep in the nine-round boys’ kiddies category as he towed runner up Carl Valdellon, who finished with 7 1/2 points, to the national finals in September at SM Megamall.
The top-seeded Samantila outplayed Jesian Mendoza, Rothsen Bautista, Jheomar Mendiogarin and Marvin Laylo to complete the sweep while Valdellon won his last two matches over Diego delos Reyes and Joshua Tan to snatch second place and the other grand finals berth.