Orphan sparkles in children's football

DAVAO – Save Our Souls Village, an institution which educates orphans and abandoned kids in the region, edged Montserrat, 1-0, yesterday to capture the football gold medal at the close of the first Mindanao’s Children’s Games at the University of Mindanao-Matina Gym here.

Emilio Salvania, an 11-year-old striker abandoned by his parents due to poverty, rolled in a breakaway goal – his seventh in the three-day meet – with less than two minutes remaining to clinch the victory for Save Our Souls Village. He also bagged the MVP plum in the event also known as the Sports For Peace meet.

“It’s nice and heartwarming to hear inspiring stories like this, it served the purpose of forging peace through sports among the three peoples in Mindanao – the Christians, Muslims and Lumads,” said Philippine Sports Commission chair William “Butch” Ramirez.

Malabog, a poor town located in the hinterlands of Bukidnon, snatched the bronze in football with a 1-0 win over Mintal.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame, in conflict-torn Midsayap, North Cotabato, sent a delegation here composed of internally displaced kids.

Ramirez officially declared the event close in simple ceremony also attended by PSC commissioner and executive director Fr. Vic Uy and event project director Joe Encabo.

“There will be a second edition and we hope to make it bigger and wider in scope,” said Ramirez, a Davao native and former educator at the Ateneo de Davao.

Meanwhile, Lavesh Dhanwani of Stella Maris Academy topped the oratorical contest that dwelled on the theme “Sports for Peace.” Sulpicio Villamor and Renz John Mendoza finished second and third, respectively.

Ateneo de Davao dominated basketball and volleyball while Corpus Christi of Cagayan de Oro City reigned in three of the five events in table tennis to emerge the best teams in the event.

The Blue Knights trounced the University of Immaculate Conception five, 93-64, to sweep the gold medal while the Ateneo’s volleybelles turned back their Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Elementary School rivals, 25-12, 25-18, to make it a twin victory.

Catherine Hernane (girls’ singles), Christian Palmero (boys singles) and Nicole Buen and Serknight Benoya (mixed doubles) ruled their respective levels to power the Cagayan de Oro paddlers’ to victory.

Rasel Quibol and Baby Rose Lapis (girls doubles) of Balite, Davao and Celso Rubio, Jr. and Rey Enara (boys’ doubles) of AO Florendo School in Panabo, Davao del Norte copped the two gold medals.

In baseball, Maurice Manalac threw fastballs, curveballs and change ups with impunity and Shuhei Kume and Jason Coronel belted in key runs to power Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School to an 8-2 win over Boston in Mati Davao Oriental for the gold.