Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Monday, October 29, 2012

Nip-and-tuck games for opposing teams

Teams had to sweat it out to get the needed victories in their separate competitions last week.

In the title game in the Saipan Major League Baseball Association/Division of Youth Services' 18U Triple A Championship Youth Baseball League, the Orioles avoided the Rockies' upset axe, pulling off an 8-7 come-from-behind win at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield.

The pennant champion fell behind in the first three innings before starting a rally in the fourth to down the pesky Rockies, who were seeded last in the playoffs, but still made it to the finals after eliminating the Dodgers and the Reds.

In the 2012 Emon Lodge 179 Basketball League-Docomo Brotherhood Cup at Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, the second semis tiff between Hi-Five and pennant champion Pacific Islands Club was decided by only two points. Hi-Five went on to win the closely fought match, 73-71, to arrange a finals duel against Mobil. Hi-Five also came from an 84-81 victory against the Hoopaholics in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the semis.

Still in basketball, Kagman High School played catch up since the opening buzzer of its game against Mt. Carmel School in the 2012-2013 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Girls Basketball League at the Marianas High School Gymnasium and managed to steal the win in the fourth quarter, 59-51.

At the Oleai Sports Complex Field, two games in Division 1 of the M-League ended in draws. In the first game, Wild Bill's and Inter Godfather's settled for a 1-1 deadlock, while the second match between Tan Holdings FC and Korean Football Association on Saipan ended in similar scores. In Division 2, Matansa shut out Kanoa Resort FC to remain undefeated in four games.

Still in soccer, the favored teams in the 2012 NMIFA Youth Fall League lived up to expectations with Shirley's FC and Tan Holdings FC beating Paire and Tan Holdings in the girls U15 game at the Hopwood Junior High School Field.

At the Oleai pitch, MP United and Paire downed Tan Holdings and Shirley's, respectively, in the boys U15, while Paire topped MP United-1 in the first boys U18 match and MP United-2 whipped Tan Holdings in the other U18 tiff.

In the MISO boys volleyball league, Saipan International School's White Geckos remained unbeaten in four games to lead the 8-team field, while in the Rotary caging, the Sonics and Rollers 2 also kept their undefeated slates.

In an off-island tournament, Ruselle Zapanta made it to the quarterfinals of the Men's Masters event of the 26th Asian Intercity Bowling Championships, giving Saipan its best finish in the annual competition.