MANILA, Philippines – Eighth wonder.
Perpetual Help extended its dynastic reign to another year as it dominated the 89th NCAA Cheerleading Competition to snare its fifth straight title and eight overall before a huge crowd at the MOA Arena in Pasay City Thursday.
Like the seasons before, the Altas performed everything possible — from tough routines and acrobatic stunts to awe-inspiring multiple tosses — that backed one minor hiccup midway through to routine in sealing the deal.
At the end of the competition, the Las Pinas-based cheerleaders came through with the best aggregate score of 480.8 points, edging an overachieving Arellano U squad and Mapua, which wound up second and third places with scores of 468 and 460.5, respectively.
Lyceum came out impressive with a clean, bedazzling routine but couldn’t land in the top three and settled for a respectable fourth place effort with 450.5 points.
Rounding up the one-day competition were Jose Rizal (426), Emilio Aguinaldo (420.5), St. Benilde (415.5), Letran (384.5), Letran (384.5), San Beda (329.5) and San Sebastian (279).
It was another emphatic performance for the Altas, who topped the event for a record eighth time out of a possible 10 since the country’s oldest league embraced the sport over a decade ago.
“We dedicate this championship to our school, Perpetual Help, for supporting us all the way, we couldn’t achieve this without them,†said Perpetueal Help coach Ruf Vandolph Rosario, who has engineered all of the Altas’ eighth titles.
Rosario said they made sure they made their routines and stunts harder this year.
“We want to challenge ourselves that’s why we did our best to triple or quadruple our effort this year,†he said.
And it’s just the first of the many titles Perpetual Help is aspiring for as it shoots for another one, perhaps bigger, when it plunges back into action in the National Cheerleading Championship on Sunday also at the MOA Arena.