Thanksgiving week full of action

Thanksgiving week was one to remember as the local sports scene was booming with headlines.

Definitely catching the attention of many was the week-long 2nd Annual DFS-Northern Youth Basketball Association Invitational, which featured 27 teams from Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam vying for the five titles on the line.

The tournament kicked off on Nov. 18 with an opening ceremony at the Marianas High School Gymnasium, and soon after, cagers and cage belles began showcasing their skills in the 12-and-under, 15-and-under, and 19-and-under divisions.

Also making headlines was Japanese triathlete Taro Shirato, who returned to the CNMI and topped the 69-member field in the 13th Annual Rota Blue Triathlon Olympic-distance competition in 2:14:23. Second place went to Naoto Kimura of Japan in 2:24:59, while Russ Cutting of Guam placed third in 2:29:23.

Tinian’s Ken Halliday was the swiftest from the CNMI, finishing sixth overall with a time of 2:41:31. Saipan’s top finisher in the Olympic-distance was veteran racer Joshua Berger, who finished in 3:00:15.

Guam’s Sarah Webb made the trip across the water to top the strong field of females with time of 2:46:02 that was good enough for ninth overall.

While basketball and the Rota Triathlon were certainly taking the stage, the two shared the spotlight with other events such as the annual Turkey Trot Fun Run on Thanksgiving morning, and the annual Turkey Bowl.

A total of 104 early birds challenged the Turkey Trot, which began at Lower Base and ended at the peak of Mt. Tapochao.

Stuart Smith, who competed in the men’s 40-49 division, reigned supreme again after clocking in at an impressive 36:46, while the first female finisher was Mamiko Okashima, who continued to make a name for herself by winning another race as she finished in 45:29 to top the women’s 30-39 division.

Other winners include Butch Sublemente in the men’s 30-39 division, Chris Santos and Shannon Quinn in the men’s and women’s open, David Bautista and Haoting Romolor in the boys’ and girls’ 13-17 division, Kathy Yuknauase in the women’s 40-49 division, Chang Wan Jang and Monica Yamaguchi in the men’s and women’s 50-and-over categories, and Angelo Jones and Gabrielle Race in the boys’ and girls’ 12-and-under divisions.

Meanwhile, two teams of veteran pigskin pugilists met on the Garapan gridiron on Thanksgiving Day for Saipan’s traditional game of holiday football as Berline’s Bruisers edged Brostrom’s Bandits, 14-9, in Turkey Bowl X.

Local tennis star Kana Aikawa was also inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society, while action in the Filipino Community Church 2nd Inter-Color Basketball League, the World Organized Rocball Community League continued, while the 8th Annual Miller Lite Coed Four-Person Volleyball League came to a close at the Pacific Islands Club.