NMASA lauds top athletes for November

Four athletes stood above the rest during Thursday’s monthly Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association general membership meeting at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Beach volleyball phenom Jess Palacios, soccer star Emily Griese, cager Preston Basa, and multi-sport athlete Gabrielle Race were recognized during the meeting as the top athletes for November, while several were honorable mention for their efforts.

Palacios was selected Male Athlete of the Month after leading his team to the top of the recently concluded 8th Miller Lite Co-Ed Four-Person Beach Volleyball League.

The veteran, who was first to be drafted during draft night at the start of the season, showed why he was first to be picked as he spearheaded the Dingleberries to the title last Nov. 30 at the Pacific Islands Club.

With Palacios pounding away, the Dingleberries were able to stop Pulullun Part II in straight sets, 11-9 and 11-6, for the title.

Palacios wound up earning most valuable player honors.

For her part, Griese was phenomenal on the soccer pit and led the UMDA Hot Salsa to the best finish in the regular season of the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association Women’s League to win the Female Athlete of the Month Award.

NMIFA representative Brenda Schultz had nothing but positive words on Greise’s performances, stressing the role she played for her team in their impressive run.

“It’s her first season playing with us and she came off college ball in States, where she was selected First Team All State. She came here and she’s really put that to good use, not to show off, but to develop women’s soccer,” Schultz said.

“She’s taken her team under her wing and help develop their program, teaching them skills, getting them fit, and teaching them team cohesiveness. Her team was the top seed going into semifinals, so her teammates appreciate all that she’s done for them. She’s been a solid midfielder, assisted on a lot of goal scoring plays, and is also one of the top scorers in the league as well as on her team,” Schultz added.

Meanwhile, Race won the Female Student Athlete of the Month Award. She was nominated by Northern Marianas Athletics for winning the 9-and-under girls division in the annual Turkey Trot Fun Run held on Thanksgiving morning.

The young runner was able to tackle the tough 3.7-mile challenge that started at the beach across the Division of Fish and Wildlife Office in Lower Base and ended at the peak of Mount Tapochao in a sterling 1:13:00.

She also won her division in the third leg of the 2006 Cross Country Series, and placed first runner-up in the 9-and-under girls division of the 2006 Fall Classic Junior Tennis Tournament.

Basa won the Male Student Athlete of the Month plum courtesy of his performance in the recent 2nd Annual DFS-Northern Youth Basketball Association Invitational.

Leading an underdog 670 team, Basa fueled a shocking run that featured his team finishing atop Pool A of the boys’ 19-and-under division, and thus, earning the top seed entering the playoffs.

Basa sprained his ankle in the final game of the elimination round, but despite still suffering from the injury, was able to suit up in the championship game against the Southern Sonics.

“He had his ankle wrapped, but still dominated the game,” said Basketball Associaton of the Northern Mariana Islands representative Elias Rangamar. “They threw different defensive schemes at him, but he was just unstoppable and ended up taking the MVP Award.”

Others recognized were Thea Minor and James Camacho for winning their divisions in the 2006 Fall Classic Junior Tennis Tournament; Chelsea Ruluked for winning MVP honors and leading her team to the title in their division in the NYBA Invitational; and David Bautista, Mamiko Okashima, and Stuart Smith of athletics for topping their divisions in the Turkey Trot Fun Run.