NMITA releases CNMI junior rankings

The Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association released its first official CNMI Junior rankings for the 2007 and 2008 season with the usual faces in Saipan’s winners circle dominating the top seeding.

Ranking points were awarded to local netters that joined NMITA-organized tournaments from May 2007 to April 2008.

The rankings were based on the 2007 DFS Micronesian Championships, 2007 Fall Classic Junior Tournament, Guam Junior Championships, Coconut Classic Tennis Tournament, Pacific Islands Club-Gatorade/Stay Well Tennis Tournament, and the Spectrum Electric/Marianas Medical Center CNMI Junior Tennis Championships.

NMITA vice president and CNMI National tennis coach Jeff Race compiled the ranking points.

Russell Buenaventura is the top-ranked junior netter in the 18-and-under division, besting Ji Hoon Heo. Buenaventura compiled 345 ranking points compared to the 250 by Heo, who was either off-island competing or training in Fiji for most of 2007 and early 2008.

Tinian’s Benjie Decena came in third with 220 points followed by James Camacho’s 165. Woo Suk Chang placed fifth with 120 points while Dominic von Siebenthal had 80.

Andy Nutting, Joseph Jang, Calvin Yang, and Joseph Lee—who only saw action in the Coconut Classic—rounded up the Top 10 with 60, 45, 25, and 10 points, respectively.

Mayuko Arriola remains the top-ranked female 18-and-under netter with 250 points followed by Lila Mailman’s 175 and the 115 made by Jodel Fernandez.

Dina Jones is ranked fourth with 60 points, while Thea Minor and Kisses Aquino had 50 and 45 each.

Christian Miller ran off with the top ranking in the tough 13-and-under division with 540 points. Jake Lee was a far second with 335 points followed by the 305 of Rafael Jones.

Brothers Nathan and Lucas Nutting are in fourth and fifth place with 15 points separating them. Nathan had 195 against Lucas’ 180.

Clay McCullough-Stearns is ranked sixth with 120 followed by the 115 and 100 of Daniel Camacho and Joe Motto Jr. Angelo Jones had 95 points to place ninth.

Andrew Johnson and Kevin Yang are tied for the 10th spot with 55 points.

Other netters in the 13-and-under division are Quintin Ramsey (45); R.J. Ramsey and Joel Jang (35); Cody Race (30); Dylan Ackerman, Tommy Choi, Rovil Florencio, Thomas Lim, Adrian De Luna, and Bill Song (25), Roy Lee and Ji Hoon Choi (20); and John Cano, Sky Izuka, Simel Charfauros Jr., Michael Sison, Jack Sharer, Lemuel Bunao, Christopher Cajigan, Dong Hyun Lee, and Andrew Nutting (10).

Theecel Minor lorded over in the girls’ 13-and-under division with 340 points, while Amy Arenovski came in second with 290. Eight-year-old Neghar Rastguiy, who has been competing against players older than her, compiled 275 points to seize the third ranking.

Ilia Corella is ranked fourth with 235 points, while Melody Johnson and Jeane Bracken are tied for fifth place with 100 apiece. Michaella Grandinetti placed seventh with 70 while Alina Ishikawa scored 65.

Rounding up the Top 10 are Adele Hudkins and Minori Yoshida with 60 and 45 points. Jennifer Uy and Jodel Fernandez had 40 and 20 points to place 11th and 12th.

Chris Cajigan’s victories in the Coconut Classic, PIC-Gatorade/Stay Well Tennis, and CNMI Junior Championships earned him the top ranking in the boys’ 9-and-under division with 460 points.

Colin Ramsey, who fought a number of finals matches with Cajigan came in second with 305, while younger brother Quintin is in fourth with 170 behind third-ranked Raj Ramnani’s 225.

Michael Jones, who competed in all six tournaments, is in fifth place with 160 while Dylan Ackerman and Michael Grandinetti are tied for sixth with 100 markers.

Aaron Lee holds five-point lead over ninth ranked Evzen Pabellon, 95-90, while Elnathan Wong and Carl Dela Cruz are tied for 10th with 75 apiece.

Other 9-and-under netters in the rankings are Thomas Choi (70); Luther Lizama (60); Jayson Gamboa and Steven Goodwin (45); Jordan Butcher (30); Mazi Braig (20); Morris Villanueva (15); Michael Ren, Thomas Lim, Felix Kim, Brian Lee, Tae Jun Kim, Roy Lee, and Kui Lee (10).

Emily Jones, who topped five of the six tournaments she joined in, enjoys a comfortable 225-point lead over closest pursuer Tammy Ackerman. Jones compiled 555 points compared to the 320 by Ackerman.

Elizaveta Atalig is in third with 235 followed by the 140 of Gabrielle Race and Julie Ishikawa’s 100 points. Isabel Heras had 90 to place sixth while Carol Lee is in seventh spot with 75.

Catherine Atalig, Sakura Imaya, and Riley Buenaventura rounded up the standings with 50, 40, 10 each.