Super Bowl XLIII is scene stealer

The week for CNMI sports community started with a bang with the staging of Super Bowl XLIII.

Monday served as an unofficial holiday for the Commonwealth, as workers, students, government officials/employees, merchant marines, families, friends, and couples went to various bars to watch the historic Super Bowl XLIII.

While their eyes were glued to action unfolding between the Pittsburgh Steelers-Arizona Cardinals game, football fans’ stomach were also packed from breakfast/lunch buffets offered by Shirley’s Coffee Shop, PIC, Palms Resort, Hard Rock, Godfather’s Bar, Bud’s Bar, Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan, and Oleai Bar & Grill.

At the end of the greatest show in American sports that day, Steelers’ fans had a celebration after a 27-23 win over the Cardinals.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger connected on a crucial six-yard pass to wide receiver Santonio Holmes deep in the right corner of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining in the game lifting Pittsburgh to a record-setting sixth Super Bowl win.

After the historic Super Bowl XLIII, the CNMI sport community went back to its usual schedule.

The 2008-2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League proceeded with its second week action after re-opening the league, two weeks ago.

IT&E won the battle of telecommunications companies in the CNMI after outlasting Docomo, 86-80, giving the former a 2-0 start.

But IT&E’s’s clean slate was short lived as two days after, it lost to the Ol’Aces in double overtime, 125-128.

Other games last week had Quichocho Law Office winning its debut against the Runnin’ Rebels and the CNMI Nationals notching their second win after beating the Diamond Fixers.

Action in the Navy Hill caging also continued last week with MIGS posting the biggest win in the 12-team league.

MIGS repulsed Athlete’s Foot, 100-99 after rallying in the final two minutes of the game.

In basketball leagues for students, Mt. Carmel School had mixed fortunes.

The Lady Knights continued to roll in the middle school division of the 2009 Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association Basketball League after beating Saipan Community, 42-35.

The boys team of MCS also won last week, walloping Seventh Day Adventist, 48-11.

But in the MISO caging, the Lady Knights lost to Kagman’s Lady Ayuyus, 26-58, Wednesday, at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

In other games, Saipan International School swept its first round assignments after beating Calvary Christian Academy, 41-16. The Geckos hold a 5-0 record in the boys division.

Department of Community and Cultural Affairs also remained perfect in the men’s division of the 2008 Inter-Government/Business Slow-pitch Softball League.

DCCA whipped Pacific Oriental, Inc., 16-5 to improve to a 13-0 record.