FEU booters’ dramatic win punctuates NCR championship

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The National Capital Region remained the lord of the Palarong Pambansa for the 17th straight edition.

It was officially sealed by a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Western Visayas in the secondary football finals at the Borromeo-Dynamic Herb Sports Complex at the close of the annual multi-sports meet for grade school athletes.

The Far Eastern University-Diliman booters came back from two goals down with a three-goal rampage in the second half in winning the crown and the overall championship for NCR with a magnificent 98-gold, 66-silver and 74-bronze medal harvest.

It took the Big City bets a couple of days though before they got going.

When they did, there was just no stopping the NCR juggernaut as it struck from various fronts including gymnastics, swimming, chess, archery and ballgames like football, volleyball and the sport that mattered the most – basketball.

The last time NCR didn’t win the overall crown was in Tubod, Lanao del Norte 21 years ago with a token delegation beaten by Davao for top spot in the medal tally.

When NCR returned the next year, there was no stopping it from reclaiming its old place at the pedestal.

Calabarzon had a strong start and even led NCR for a couple of days but it got buried by the NCR landslide the rest of the way and wound up at distant second with a 57-51-53 haul.

Western Visayas was No. 3 with a 56-41-41 while Davao Region No. 4 with a 32-25-35 and host Central Visayas No. 5 with a 29-42-39.

Rounding up the top 10 were Central Luzon (25-37-45), Eastern Visayas (18-14-22), Socsargen (17-23-31), Northern Mindanao (14-27-43) and Bicol (14-15-20).

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte declared the weeklong meet closed in extravagant rites that was also attended by Cebu City acting mayor Alvin Garcia and Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc, whose province will host next year’s edition.