Saipan Tribune

Monday, May 20, 2013

Monday, January 28, 2013

Surprise wins highlight week

Upset was the name of the game last weekend with lower-ranked teams prevailing against favored foes in their separate competitions.

In volleyball, first-time partners V.J. Jones and Christen Steinkuller ruled the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association's 6th Annual Co-ed Grass Volleyball Tournament, besting the tried and tested squads on the island.

Jones and Steinkuller, who just met during pick-up games, won the championship against 2012 winners J.R. Gechig and Charnessa Lizama of Knock Them. The champion pair also went unbeaten in four elimination games, downing veteran players of the island.

In basketball, KFC/Taco Bell and OCM also stunned their favored opponents to advance to the semifinals of the 3rd QQ Car Rental Basketball Cup

KFC/Taco Bell ousted dethroned champion Mobil in a playoff game for the fourth semis ticket, while OCM notched the third Final Four berth after slipping past KB Market.

Still in basketball, QQ Car Rental ended SSFM's three-game winning streak after escaping with a 76-75 victory in Division A of the DLX/Anchor Strong caging.

In Division 2, the Sexy Boys kicked off the competition with a 70-67 win over Chinatown, while Servitek and Adobo also pulled off close wins versus LD Prime, 64-62, and Morales, 70-69, respectively.

Over at the Marianas High School Gymnasium for the MISO caging, Saipan Southern High School also snapped the Dolphins' run in the varsity caging after eking out a 96-86 victory. In the junior varsity and freshmen divisions, MHS remained undefeated.

For the volleyball competition, Grace Christian Academy kept its immaculate mark (6-0) in the girls division, while Saipan International School's Green Geckos (5-1) and MHS Blue Dolphins (5-2) are not far behind after earning multiple wins last week.

The Northern Mariana Islands Cycling Federation's Bird Island January Classic XC MTB also had tight races with winners of two divisions finishing their events less than a minute ahead of their closest pursuers.

In the men's championship course, first placer Charlin Sendin timed in at 45:05 against Erico Castro' 45:48. In the men's sports course, Jerome Diyco submitted 33:07 versus the 33:32 of Edwin Polagame. (Saipan Tribune)