Rivera eyes repeat in Palawan netfest

MANILA, Philippines - Shaira Hope Rivera tries to bring her winning act to Koronadal as she leads a crack roster of age-groupers vying for top honors in Series 62 Palawan Pawnshop regional circuit which got under way yesterday at the Koronadal Sports Complex in Koronadal City.

Rivera, 14, swept the girls’ 16- and 18-and-Under crowns in last week’s Palawan Pawnshop Tuna Festival in Gen. Santos City and is fancied to score a repeat as top seed in both sections of the four-day tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Padala with Technifibre as official ball.

But she will be up against Manuelle Firman, Veronica Mesa, Riza Lagdamen, Marie Trinidad, Yzi Domingo, Harlyn Getalla and Jessa Rodriguez, among others, in the premier 18-and-U class with Jazzelle Madis, Diadem Sasota and Kathlenrey Arandia tipped to crowd her in the 16-and-U division.

Sasota and Madis, meanwhile, are the top two bets in the 14-and-U category along with Firman, April Bentillo, Harly Getalla, Angel Joy Corpuz, Ma. Angelica Novis and Arandia.

“While Rivera will try to keep the momentum of her romp in Gen.San., we also expect a lot of players to step up and spring a surprise or two in various divisions,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro. “And this is what the circuit is all about – to discover as many as new talents as possible.”

Bentillo and Novis are the top two players in the 12-and-U with the former also the leading player in the 10-unisex along with Andre Sing, Cedric Pamplona, Tennielle Madis, Herald Aton and Harry Bacaron.

Abson Alejandre and Andrei Pamplona loom as the top bets in the boys’ 18-and-U with the former also the top seed in the 16-and-U class with Jyle Martinez and Junmarer Cagampang as the leading challengers while Vince Tugade and Martinez gained the top seedings in the 14-and-U class.

Meanwhile, Kidapawan will host the next stop on Sept. 19-22 before M’lang takes its turn to stage the next event on Sept. 26-29 in Palawan Pawnshop’s continuing effort to give the young players and enthusiasts from the countryside a chance to play in top-level tournaments.