USJ-R sweeps CESAFI high school volleyball crowns

CEBU, Philippines — The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Spiking Jaguars of coach Roldan Potot basked in the glow of double championship glory in the 23rd Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) secondary volleyball tournament at the University of San Carlos (USC)-Main gym over the weekend.

In the girls division, the USJ-R volleybelles dethroned the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles via 3-0 whitewash in their five-set championship showdown to clinch the title.

After a rousing 25-16 start, USJ-R sustained its momentum to send the Magis Eagles on the brink of defeat with a 25-20 victory in the second set.

In the third frame, USJ-R waded through waters before knocking the lights out of Ateneo de Cebu for good via a 25-23 squeaker.

USJ-R’s Angel Tecson romped off with the MVP award. Her teammates also shined brightly with Ann Khelly Bacalso (best libero), Jaz Manguilimotan ( best setter), Kamea Kenisha Lepiten (best opposite spiker), Angel Mae Almonia (best second middle blocker), and Joralyn Panangin (second best open spiker) making up the list of individual awardees.

SHS-Ateneo’s Johanneessee Gabrielle Perez claimed the best middle blocker honors.

In the boys category, USJ-R outclassed the equally-tough University of Cebu (UC) in four sets, to being home the crown.

The Jaguars took the first two sets, 25-17, 25-23, but the Baby Webmasters stayed alive with a thrilling 27-25 win in the third set.

In the fourth frame, the two protagonists figured in another down-the-wire battle that resulted into four slides but the more determined USJ-R prevailed in the end via a nerve-racking 29-27 decision.

USJ-R’s Marc Lemuel Tangon went on to bag the MPV trophy, while his teammates Ralph Arvi Tan (best first open spiker), Irish Czar Viran (best opposite spiker) and Augustin Benedict Manugas (best first middle blocker) joined the list of outstanding individual performers.

The other honorees were UC’s Emman Roda (best first open spiker), and University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s  Vennie Paul Ceballos (best first setter), Charles Kenyon Emboy (best second setter), and Karl Corrigedor (best second middle blocker). — (FREEMAN)