8 teams sign up BTS volleyball tourney

In this 2019 file photo, Missile-toe’s En Hong Pang, right, spikes the ball over All Set’s Bryan Chlarson, left, and Jericho Castro during the second set of their title game in the Agape Christmas Volleyball Tournament held at the Agape Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

A total of eight teams have signed up for the Back-to-School Co-ed Volleyball Tournament set from Aug. 26 to 28 at the Agape Gymnasium along Middle Road in Gualo Rai.

Coordinator En Yang Pang said the eight teams are Skr Skr, New Kids on the Block, Old School, Ashes, Team Fresh Approach, Agape’s Yang Gang, Nothing But Net, and The Big Ducks 2.0.

Skr Skr is made up of captain Bobby Bao, Bill Li, Alex Liang, Peter Hu, Timothy Yu, Lynn Zhao, Hannah Yan, Ruth Sun, and David Zhao. Comprising New Kids on the Block are captain Tony Liang, Jiahang Wu, T.J. Saures, Sui Yi, Irene Gan, Ruth Zhang, and Joseph Pangelinan.

Old School includes captain Mei Rengiil, Yohei Iwashita, Nak Nakashima, Ryan Camacho, Typhoon Saito, Ko Kumuch, Mike Omar, Ana Ina, and Nakashima Atalig.

Ashes players are captain Jason Cao, Samuel He, Solomon Hu, Steve Qiu, Allen Luo, Joseph Li, Zoe Tang, Angel Ren, Emma Pang, and Abraham Zhu. Steven Balakrishnan is the skipper for Team Fresh Approach that is also made up of Nilo Calimag, John Matias, Bryan Chlarson, Jerry Saures, Jasper Perez, Iszel Estevez, Kat Saures, Jerome Manzon, and Alysa Baquilles.

Agape’s Yang Gang is led by captain En Yang Pang himself and also has David Zheng, Elim Huang, Antonio Li, Caleb Dai, Sally Wu, Cherry Liu, Eason Tang, and Hudson Tan as players.

The Marc Danga-captained Nothing But Net has players Vutherson Arachchige, Richard Waldo, Jermaine Salas, Archie Velasco Jr., Jackilynn Sanchez, Jia Hao, Chen Miley Salas, and Jigger Paragaon, while Big Ducks 2.0 will have Richard Steele as its skipper with Fiona Bucalig, Jeremiah Diaz, Kaia Travilla, Merrick Toves, Sam Ryu, Maury Zon Tybaco, and Fatima Monterubio.

Pang said he’s looking forward to the co-ed tournament Agape Christian School is organizing that starts tonight.

“We’re definitely excited for this competition. We’re trying to organize something for the community so that they can come out and enjoy the sport we all love. We have many teams that are largely comprised of teenagers, so it’s good that amongst the youth, volleyball popularity is growing,” he said.

He earlier said that the competition is open to volleyball players 14 years old or older and teams can have as much as 10 players with two female players suiting up inside the court at all times. The competition will also be using the men’s net height during the duration of the tournament.

For more information about the Back-to-School Co-ed Volleyball Tournament, email Pang at fastswimmer4saipan@gmail.com or Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association board member Shawn Davis at smd4839505@gmail.com