Vaskuu, Luther Lasagna triumph

Vaskuu and Luther Lasagna ruled separate age group competitions in the 2014 Marianas Kids Cup held last Saturday at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan sand court.

Vaskuu took the U17 age group crown, besting 12 other teams. The champion squad was composed of Phailai Frink, Andrew Johnson, Chris Cepeda, Jehn Joyner, and Tommy Choi, who are all Saipan International School students.

The eventual champion team was undefeated in pool play and clinched the first finals berth after winning their first three games in the double-elimination playoffs. Vaskuu started the playoffs with a 21-15 win over the fifth-ranked Narnia before beating the Gold Diggers in the quarterfinals, 21-11. A 21-10 triumph over the second-seeded Dynamite moved Vaskuu to the finals and gave the latter the twice-to-beat advantage in the championship round.

Vaskuu needed the advantage in its rematch with the Dynamite, as the eventual runner-up stunned its favored foe in Game 1 of the finals, 21-17. Vaskuu then regrouped in the deciding Game 2, notching a 21-14 triumph to foil Dynamite’s upset bid. Dynamite had Angelo Jones, David Ada, Egshiglen Tsatsar, and Quintin Ramsey as members.

Jones and company earned a second crack at Vaskuu after prevailing against Gold Diggers in the loser’s bracket semifinals, 22-20. Billy Hinson led the Gold Diggers and teamed up with fellow Grace Christian Academy students Karlo De Leon, Kenji Yamagata, Rejoice Erbet, and Yui Ho.
Completing the list of participating teams in the U17 division were No Regrets, California Roll, Miley’s Beaches, Queen, Team Briana, Mikasa, Exo, Over the Top, and Amasians.

In the U13 contest, Luther Lasagna took only one game to thwart AJ’s in the finals, 21-15, and top the 12-team field. Luther Lizama anchored the champion squad, joining forces with Julia Ishikawa, Sun Joon Tenorio, Masaki Kitami, Alex Park, and Andrea Ranjo. Luther Lasagna was unbeaten in both the pool play and double-elimination playoffs, defeating Knights in the first round, 21-19; Serena and Grants in the quarterfinals, 21-9; and Francois, 21-18, in the battle for the first finals ticket.

Francois, which had Cole Chambers, Logan Mister, Isabel Heras, and Alan Hinson as players, advanced to the winner’s bracket semis after prevailing against New Chicks on the Block, 21-2, and AJ’s, 21-13. AJ’s, which was composed of A.J. Hudkins, Michael Jones, Malika Miyawaki, Matthew Richardson, and Grace Choi, fought back in the loser’s bracket, downing the Knights, 21-13, and Serena and the Grants, 22-20, to earn a rematch against Francois and nab the second and last finals seat. AJ’s went on to avenge its quarterfinal loss to Francois, notching a 21-19 win.
Francois settled for the third place honors, while Obsidian Warriors, Thunder Cats, 4 SOS, Big 4 Small, The Warriors, and The Ace missed the podium finish.

The Kids Cup culminated this year’s Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival and the 123 players who joined last weekend’s competition topped the 2013 record of 120.