CNMI athletes still had their hands full last week.
A week after mixed martial arts fighters put on show in a grapping tournament at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, they moved to the Taga Hall of Saipan World Resort for Gorilla Warfare MMA's “Confrontation.”
“Confrontation” featured 11 bouts, including the first title belt fight between Tinian's Keli Manglona and Saipan's Syl “The Deal” Teregeyo. Manglona won the middleweight title belt after beating Manglona via tapout at the 2:53 mark of the first round.
Also scoring a first-round win was Guam's Jon “Super Saiyan” Tuck, who knocked down Philippines' Eduard “The Landslide” Folayang after only eight seconds in their main event bout.
Other winners in “Confrontation” were Jay “Tabby” Muna, Lionel Borja, Derrick Augenbaugh, Kelvin “The Big Hit” Fitial, Nate Flores, and Charles “The Predator” Aiken.
Over at the CPA Airport Field, Northern Marianas Athletics concluded its series of cross country series and honored top schools and individuals in various age groups.
Four days after the cross country finale, NMA hosted another running event with the staging of the 24th Annual Mt. Tapochao Thanksgiving Day Run. Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel and Mamiko Oshima-Berge emerged the top overall finishers in the men's and women's division behind their record-breaking runs.
From running, we moved to tennis, which was played from the southern to the northern part of the island, as Guam and CNMI netters saw action at Pacific Islands Club, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, and American Memorial Park courts.
In these four venues, 13 stood tall and won in the first weekend of the Inaugural Tan Holdings Tennis Classic.
More action happened in the northern portion of the island as the REM Centre in Gualo Rai hosted the 2009 Traders Insurance Badminton Team Tournament.
The third edition of the annual tournament the Northern Marianas Badminton Association is organizing featured six teams, namely Katipuneros, Star Aces, TNT Bombers, Magnum Smashers, Sizzlers, and Air Benders.
In Garapan where the JP Centre Basketball Court is located, upset was the theme of the week as Saipan Fresh Market and Diamond Ali'I handed PILCOWA caging favorite Noni Saipan back-to-back losses.
Still in basketball, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs booked the last playoffs ticket after surviving the wild-card phase of the government/business caging. DCCA first won over Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters, then against Commonwealth Health Center, and finally over Bank of Guam to advance to the eight-team playoff round.
Only the Top 5 boats were recognized in the 2009 Wahoo Jackpot Derby. Leading the list was the boat captained by Francisco Reyes, who with anglers Brian Reyes and Nick Muna caught a 37.45-lb. wahoo in Goat Island.
While CNMI athletes were busy doing a show in their own turf, there were three teams from the Commonwealth that went to Guam for separate tournaments.
Saipan Southern Sonics and Rollers Basketball Club competed in the 3rd Annual Barrigada MPC Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament.
The Sonics played better than the RBC team in the boys' 16-and-under competition, as the former finished third out of nine teams and had a 3-1 record in the elimination round. RBC did not make it to the Top 5.
CNMI bowlers were also in Guam for the 23rd Asian Intercity Bowling Championships. The Saipan Bowling Association sent 10 players in Guam and had Simon Manacop as its best performer in the annual tournament. Manacop finished 10th in singles, seventh in doubles (with Kitz Barja), and eighth in masters first block.
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