Mwaliyas clinches high school title

The SKN players were in a good position to extend the series in Game 4 of the best-of-five World Organized Rocball High School League championship yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium, but a late charge by the Mwaliyas enables them to close the match, 39-37, and take home the coveted 2005 title.

Needing to win the match to keep their title hopes alive, SKN put up a furious attack, despite the absence of regular season heavy hitter Danny Peter, and took the opening set, 12-5.

The loss served as a wake-up call for the Mwaliyas strikers, who showed better form and closed the gap to just three points in the overall tally, 19-22, with a 14-10 win in the second set.

Pedro Iguel began the team’s impressive run with a goal, and managed to hit another late in the set. Dennis Camacho also gave the SKN crowd something to cheer about, smacking a goal in the set.

Mwaliyas was not able to come closer as SKN remained determined and widened their lead with a 12-9 win capped by a couple of aces. Entering the final set of regulation, SKN was up 34-28.

Mwaliyas needed to win the fourth set to force o-kon. Iguel and company, however, had other things in mind and set their sights on closing the win without an extra set.

SKN built an early 3-1 lead before Mwaliyas turned the tables and unleashed a 6-0 salvo for a 7-3 advantage. They finally leveled the overall score after nailing their ninth point of the set, and Darrel Roligat connected from the goal area to end the match and lift his team with a kee.

“We just had good communication and everyone played really hard,” Iguel said shortly after the match. “We just really wanted it.”

Iguel led Mwaliyas and finished as the game’s heavy hitter with 12 points on a xunk, two kees, and two goals, while Roligat had an ace and two kees for six points.

Irekson Made led SKN with eight points after connecting for an ace and three kees, while Camacho nailed an ace and a goal for five points.

Last Thursday in the community league, two-time defending champion Ghasias Brothers notched another victory, this time beating archrival Shag 73-41 in four sets.

The Brothers had an easy time taking the first set, 23-12, with Ben Pelisamen nailing a goal, and increased their lead with a 17-7 win in the second set.

Despite allowing a goal to Ernest Rangamar and Fred Pelisamen, Shag managed to put up a good fight and took the third set, 17-9. Shag’s Val Taisakan also found the back of the goal to highlight his team’s push.

The Brothers then closed the match with a 16-13 win in the fourth set as Shag struggled and twice failed to convert on first- serve opportunities.

Fred Pelisamen followed up his master blaster performance with another huge outing, tormenting the opposition for 22 points courtesy of nine kees, a goal, and a jam. Brother Ben also poured in solid numbers with four kees and a goal for 11 points.

Darrel Roligat led Shag with 10 points on four aces and a xunk.