Villafria, Finance/Shipping top headlines

It’s not every week that a CNMI athlete competes in an off-island marathon, so for successfully completing the 2008 Mt. Fuji Marathon last July 25, Ronald Villafria topped all sports headlines this past week.

The longtime nonresident worker successfully negotiated the 36-kilometer trek up and down the 12,388-foot mountain in four hours and 20 minutes. He was among the 1,200 of the 3,000 sign-ups to finish the grueling marathon.

Finance/Shipping also made headlines this past seven days after it took home the championship of the 7th Annual Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino Inter-Departmental Basketball League last July 24 at the TDHC staff housing basketball court.

The team rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second half to nip Casino Titans, 102-100, in Game 3 of their best-of-three finals.

Tinian Casino actually drew first blood in the race-to-two wins final series by beating Finance/Shipping 91-71 in Game 1. Finance/Shipping, however, took Game 2 with a 75-63 win to force the third and deciding match.

The Philippine Bowling Association also celebrated its finest keglers during its 2007-2008 awards ceremony last July 27 at the Saipan Grand Hotel’s Club V.

Leading the awardees were PBA Bowler of the Year Rusty Musca, Classified winners Kitz Barja (Class A), Allan Hernandez (Class B), and Ed Echavez (Class C).

Winners of the No Tap Tournament and Saturday Night League were also feted as Chi/ken Tsayser and Robert Talavera received their hardware from organizers.

Last week also saw Saipan Swim Club head coach Michael Stewart bid the CNMI goodbye after making the islands his home the past four years.

During his stint at the helm of SSC, Stewart continued the tradition of excellence SSC founders Bill and Jean Sakovich started as well as introduced his own programs to the Commonwealth’s oldest swim club.

Host PTI, meanwhile, continued its domination of the Inaugural PTI Inter-Government Business Basketball League, scoring a 105-87 victory over fellow guest team Bank of Guam Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Century Insurance also had everything covered during the 24th season of the Philippine Bowling Association-Capital Bowling Center Thursday Night League and romped away with the overall championship based on its 50-22 win-loss record.

Undefeated Rock Steady, meanwhile, leaned on a five-run explosion in the sixth to deep-six the San Roque D9ers, 11-4, Monday night in the continuation of Game 1 of their best-of-three semifinals in the 2008 Budweiser Saipan Major League at the Francisco M. Palacios Baseball Field.

Last but not the least, the CNMI wrapped up its 2008 Big League World Series stint with a 12-2 loss against Germany Thursday at the J.B. “Red” Owens Complex in Easley, South Carolina.

It was the fourth setback in as many games for the Asia-Pacific champions, which lost its matches against Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Canada via the 10-run mercy rule.