SPORTS BRIEFS

RGA April qualifier moved to tomorrow

Refaluwasch Golf Association has moved its April Ace of the Month Qualifying Tournament from today, Saturday, to tomorrow, Sunday.

According to RGA president Jess Wabol the move was made after he found out that the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands 5th Annual Charity Classic Golf Tournament set for tomorrow would be using both the east and west courses of the Laolao Bay Golf Resort.

Tee time for the Sunday event is set at 10am at the west course. RGA will have slots for the usual 16 participants and entrance fee is $30.

For more information about RGA and its monthly tournaments, contact Wabol at 288-1129. RGA official Tony Satur can be reached at 322-1562/1563, while Sonny Flores can be reached at 234-1748.

Blind draw dart tournament every Saturday night

CNMI Billiard and Dart Association is reminding all members and non-member dart players, that there will be a blind draw dart tournament scheduled at Shooters Sports Bar every Saturday night beginning April 1 at 8pm. Entry fee is $5 and games are only $.50 per player.

Shooters Sports Bar & Grill would also like to call on any organization, or individuals, interested in helping to sponsor any fund raising events for the upcoming 6th Micronesian Games to please drop by or call Fred Prinz at 235-3733 after 5pm.

The CNMI Billiard League is organized and operated by the CNMI Billiard and Dart Association with direct help and services provided by AMPAC, Ltd. and Shooters Sports Bar & Grill.

The association is a non-profit organization set up and run for the billiard and dart players of the CNMI, with regular membership meetings to here the voices and concerns of the players and to schedule upcoming events.

HANMI Charity Golf Classic today

The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands will host its 5th Annual Charity Classic Golf Tournament today, April 1, at Laolao Bay Golf Resort.

The proceeds from this years’ tournament will benefit The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance, the Mariana Tourism Education Council, and the HANMI scholarship fund. The event will be the first major golf tournament of the year and will have a capacity to handle up to 200 golfers for a 7:30am start. Following the game will be an evening banquet featuring dishes prepared by each of the HANMI member hotels.

9-ball and 8-ball tournaments at Top Pool Bar

Top Pool Bar is inviting billiards players of all shapes and sizes to its 9-ball tournament every Saturday and 8-ball tournament every Friday.

Saturday’s games start at 8pm with the two hours prior to the competition reserved for practice (two tables). Entry fee is $10 with the winner taking hope $100, runner-up $50, and third place free entry in the following week’s contest.

Top Pool Bar’s 8-ball tournament every Friday also begins at 8pm. The hour before the games are reserved for practice (two tables).

There is no entry fee and the winner walks away with $50, second place an hour-long free practice, and third place gets 30 minutes of free practice.

The 9-ball competition uses a single elimination format, while the 8-ball tourney is a double-elimination affair.

For more information about the 9-ball and 8-ball competitions at Top Pool Bar, call Zheng Jian Qing at 233-6999 or 287-7676.

Mobil co-ed cage league eyes April 4 start

The 6th Annual Mobil Oil Marianas Co-ed Invitational Basketball League will roll-off beginning April 4 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Like in previous years, the competition among eight Mobil customers and host Mobil Oil Marianas would be played Tuesdays and Thursdays with the first game tipping off beginning at 6:30pm and the second game starting at 8pm, or 10 minutes after the conclusion of the first match.

The Mobil co-ed basketball league was formed in 2001 to give the giant oil company a venue to fellowship with its client companies. Since its inaugural season, the cagefest has grown in popularity and has attracted a following made up mostly of employees and staff of teams participating in league.

It has even survived the demise of league pioneer and 2003 champion Pacific Development Inc. and that year’s second runner-up Pacific Island Aviation.
Last year, Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach (Now Fiesta Resort and Spa) won the championship against host Mobil, 130-114. Empty-handed in its first three years in the league (it didn’t suit up in the league’s inaugural season), Dai-Ichi benefited with its merging with sister team Tan Holding Corp. and fielded a powerful lineup led by 2005 MVP Elmer Esdrelon and a Japanese import in the person of cage belle Noe Okahira.

The Mobil crown was previously worn by Tan Holdings (2001), Microl (2002), PDI (2003), and Aqua Resort Club (2004).

For more information on the 2006 Mobil Oil Marianas Invitational Co-ed Basketball League, contact league chairman Abner Venus at 888-3228.

DFS Cup soccer championships today

Eight teams representing seven schools will vie for the 2006 DFS Cup Elementary School Soccer title today at Garapan Elementary School.

First round match-ups for the boys on Saturday will pit Garapan against Grace Christian Academy and Dan Dan ES against Gregorio T. Camacho ES. Garapan scored a total of five goals during the five preliminary matches, while GCA scored six goals in their preliminary games. Dan Dan scored five goals in their four games, and GTC scored three goals in their five games. The winners of these two games will face off for the championship at 12:30pm.

First round matches for the girls will see Garapan challenging Kagman and Tanapag facing Koblerville. Garapan scored three goals in their four preliminary games, while Kagman scored three goals in their three preliminary games. Tanapag netted one goal in their three preliminary matches and Koblerville scored three times in four games. The winners of these two games will meet in the championship at 11:30am.