Team Philippine bags ice hockey crown

MANILA, Philippines — For a country without winter season, it’s almost mission impossible to excel in a sport played on ice.

But don’t tell that to the iron-willed Philippine ice hockey team.

Relying on sheer guts and determination, the brave Filipinos did the unthinkable as they topped the 2023 IIHF World Championship Division IV recently in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The country routed Indonesia, 14-0, edged Mongolia, 7-6, and dumped Kuwait, 5-1, to complete its fairy tale run that earned the tropical country promotion to Division III B next year.

Mentored by Finnish Juhani Ijas, the team was composed of Patrick Daniel Abis, Mikel Sean Miller, Manvil Billones, Carl Michael Montano, Jorell Crisostomo, Jan Aro Regencia, John Steven Füglister, Miguel Alfonso Relampagos, John Glenn Lagleva, Kenwrick Sze, Lenard Rigel Lancero II and Carlo Angelo Tigaronita.

Also part of the squad were Einzenn Ham, Carlo Pastrana, Julius Frederick Santiago, Eishner Jigsmac Sibug, Jann Gerey So Tiong and Carlo Martin Tenedero, and goaltenders Gianpetro Iseppi and Paolo Spafford.