Ochobu one win away from HS Rocball title

The hard hitters of Ochobu are just one win away from dethroning defending champion Mwaliyas and taking home the title of the 2006 World Organized Rocball High School League.

Leading by 31 points after two sets, and down by three points, 5-8, in the third set, Ochobu returned to the Marianas High School Gymnasium yesterday and dominated the once-again shorthanded Mwaliyas squad to stroll to a 62-37 victory.

With the win, Ochobu holds a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five championship series, with Game 4 beginning today at 11:30am.

After easily dropping the first two sets, Mwaliyas put up a strong attack in the third set and grabbed the early advantage, only to see Ochobu erase the lead and come back for another win, 16-13. As a result, Ochobu seemed headed to sweet victory as the team led by 23 points, 47-24, heading into the final set of regulation.

With their heartbreaking fourth set collapse in Game 2 still fresh in their minds, Ochobu was determined to close on a high note and did so to prevent overtime.

Both teams were evenly matched as Mwaliyas tried to win the set and push the game into o-kon. Darrel Roligat connected on a xunk to subtract a couple of points away from Ochobu and Shane Yamada smashed in a goal. However, Mwaliyas was not able to pull through as Ochobu had just enough juice to juice out, 15-13.

Yamada finished as the game’s heavy hitter with 11 points to lead Mwaliyas with four kees and a goal.

Ramsey Sino and David Tisa led Ochobu with 10 points apiece. Sino connected on two aces, a xunk, and two kees, while Tisa pounded away for two aces and three kees.

Ochobu sizzled at the start of the match as Awes Kawes, Ramsey Sino, and David Tisa spearheaded a furious attack that was too much for Mwaliyas to handle in the opening set. In addition to Mwaliyas having a slow start, Ochobu was able to run away for an easy 15-3 victory.

Mwaliyas put on a better performance in the second set, but was not able to keep pace with their opponents as Ochobu continued with their solid play and doubled up the guys on the other side of the net, 16-8.

As reported earlier, Ochobu won a hard-fought Game 1 that was decided on the second set of o-kon, while Mwaliyas came back to win Game 2 after trailing through three sets.

For more information about high school Rocball, contact the sport’s creator Jim Feger at 237-3235.