LINGAYEN --- Western Visayas claimed 71 golds, 75 silvers and 61 bronzes to seize its second straight overall championship, capped by its women's volleyball team's victory Saturday at the close of the National Private Schools and Athletics Association Games at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.

The Region VI volleybelles, mentored by Roger Banzuela, scored an impressive 25-17, 25-11, 25-22 triumph over Southern Mindanao to bag six more golds and seal the overall crown for Western Visayas.

"This victory is very overwhelming. This year has been a greater challenge because we really wanted to retain our overall title," Fr. Emilio Jaruda, president of the Western Visayas PRISAA, told the DAILY STAR.

Southern Mindanao, last year's first runner-up, posted another second place finish with a 61-52-50 medal count, highlighted by 8-2 win over Bicol in the finals of the baseball competitions Saturday. Southern Mindanao, which also sent its women's basketball team to the finals Saturday, would have won the overall championship had it swept all of its championship duels.

But the Southern Mindanao cagebelles also bowed to their National Capital Region rivals that denied them of six additional golds.

Central Visayas ended up in third place with a 47-30-56 medal-haul, while Calabarzon and host Northern Luzon (Ilocos) placed fourth and fifth, respectively, with 33-40-30 and 26-29-20 medal tallies.

Nerissa Bautista, who emerged as the Most Valuable Player and best attacker in women's volleyball hostilities, was a recipient of the tournament's best setter Ola Lopez' precise setting as she registered 10 points on 7 kills.

"The players were really committed and determined to win. This victory (overall crown) is a product of the long period of training," Banzuela, who is also the coach of the Region VI lady spikers and chairman of the WV technical committee, said.

Another key to WV's triumph is the absence of top-notch varsity athletic from among others, the UAAP and NCAA that would have competed in the medal-rich swimming and athletic events.

The Western Visayas tankers, led by Kristine Cabasac and Nianhlyn Acain, spearheaded the campaign of Region VI after bringing home 30 golds, 24 silvers and 17 bronzes.

The 18-year-old Cabasac, a student at the University of San Agustin-Iloilo, was the most bemedalled athlete for Region VI by posting golden finishes in the women's 200-m freestyle, 4x100-m free relay, 800-m free, 100-m free, 400-m free and 4x100-m medley on top of her silver in the 50-m free event.

The National PRISAA rookie Acain, a 17-year-old freshman from the University of St. La Salle, booked top honors in the women's 4x100-m free, 200-m backstroke, 100-m butterfly, 200-m individual medley and 4x100-m medley. She also had silvers in the 200-m fly and 400-m IM.

The Region VI athletics teams registered a 16-20-14 medal-haul, while the Western Visayas shuttlers accumulated 10 golds, three silvers and five bronzes.

Cecil Joy Papa of Iloilo powered Region VI's campaign in athletics after winning four golds and two silvers.

USLS standout Jonalyn Pula grabbed two golds and three silvers for Western Visayas.

The Stephen Patrona-mentored men's volleyball squad gave six silvers to the coffers of Region VI Saturday after suffering a 17-25, 22-25, 25-21, 23-25 setback at the hands of powerhouse Calabarzon in the finals.

The Western Visayas spikers seemed to be on their way to force a deciding fifth set leading 16-9 in the fourth set before committing a string of miscommunication errors that allowed Calabarzon, bannered by De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, to claw its way back and take the set and title.

The men and women's basketball squads of Region VI hoarded 10 bronzes after defeating their separate opponents in their respective battle for third games.

The Western Visayas cagers from West Negros College and University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, demolished Norhthern Luzon, 71-55, for third place, while its women's basketball team trounced Calabarzon, 47-35, to win five bronzes.

The Lilybeth Castor-mentored sepak takraw team, which was led by MVP and best attacker Archel Blancada of La Salle, snatched six golds for Western Visayas after beating Southern Mindanao, 21-12, 21-13; 21-19, 21-12, in the finals Friday.

La Sallian Miguel Arsenio Ruiz and Catnerine Samonte of Riverside College won the taekwondo golds for Region VI, which also took three silvers and three bronzes in the sport.

The Western Visayas table tennis squads of father and son tandem George and Mark Francis Jimenez registered a 1-9-8 medal count as the lawn tennis teams got four silvers and four bronzes. Adding color to the victory of Region VI was Rizza Liz Catigan of Riverside College who was adjudged the second runner-up honors in the Mutya Ng PRISAA '06 Friday night. The 17-yaer-old Catigan also won the Best in Talent and Best in Sportswear awards. Western Visayas has been designated to host the 2007 edition of the national meet. *CIT

back to top

Western Visayas bets bag overall title anew
Prisaa high school tournament mulled
TBA, AMG clip rivals in TKP Cup