CEBU, Philippines - As expected, three-time defending national champion Cebu showed superb performance in almost all fronts in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Regional Meet at the Cebu City Sports Center yesterday.
Cebu topped basketball, women’s volleyball, sepak takraw,boxing, table tennis and badminton, even as they also dominated swimming and seized most of the golds at stake in athletics and taekwondo events.
Powered by the reigning CESAFI champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, Cebu ruled the men’s basketball after whipping Bohol twice, 90-56 and 106-76.
Cebu was found to be no match in table tennis, badminton and tennis in both men and women’s division against Bohol.
Cebu also came up with a clean sweep in indoor and beach volley action courtesy of the spirited Southwestern University (SWU) spikers.
In the indoor battle, the Cebuana spikers slammed Bohol in their first encounter, 25-20, 20-25, 25-16 and then followed it up with another lopsided 25-19, 20-25, 25-9 decision, while their male counterparts crushed the Boholanos, 25-11, 25-14, 25-19 in the second and final game.
An unexpected playoff, however, is set to take place in men’s beach volley after Cebu and Bohol fought to a 1-1 deadlock in their best-of-three duel. The tandem of USPF's Edmar Bonono and UV’s Mark Anthony Fernandez won the first game, 21-14,21-18, but Bohol’s Luke Sempron and Raffy Abanto forged a decider after a thrilling 21-13, 19-21, 15-13 victory in Game 2.
In the swimming competition, it was a complete domination by the Cebuanos led by Loren Dale Echavez of the University of San Carlos and Bethmay Arellano of the University of Cebu with five golds.
The Cebuanos, however, experienced some scare in sepak takraw with the Bol-aons showing gallant moves in the second game to forge a decider.
In boxing, only two bouts were being fought as five of Cebu’s bets have no opponents. UV’s 56 kgs. bet Danlou Codilla and SWU’s 60 kgs. fighter Ramjess Colina both scored technical knockout victories against their opponents from Bohol.
In taekwondo, Cebu hauled 14 golds and two silvers, leaving Bohol with only two golds, while the first day of athletics saw Cebu harvesting 18 golds,17 silvers and three bronzes.
Aside from beach volleyball, the other disciplines that will be contested today are the second game of football and the rest of events in athletics and karatedo. (FREEMAN)