LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte – The National Capital Region ended Western Visayas’ two-year reign in the Palarong Pambansa secondary girls volleyball with a 25-12, 25-14, 25-8 straight set romp on Friday here.
The National University Nazareth School Lady Bullpups-represented NCR banked on the strong showings of Sam Cantada and Den Daylisan to hack out a dominant victory over WV.
The championship also served as a bounce back for the many-time gold medal winners NCR, which suffered back-to-back heartbreaking defeats to WV in the past two editions of the Palaro.
This year also marked the final time that Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts is representing WV in Palaro as they will be representing Negros Island Region beginning next year.
Among the members of WV squad were Rhose Viane Almendralejo, Brianna Nikola Ang, Camila Amor Bartolome, Alexa Bertolano, Jan Rose Bulak, Czarina Marcela Dosayla, Edz Karylle Escultura, Remiah Caitlyn Espinosa, Janiela Fabila, Ana Ysabelle Hermosura, Abigael Jirah Labajo, Jheannine Mayang, Joenil Anne Ramos, and Rhea Mae Tomas.
Meanwhile, Western Visayas’ secondary and elementary boys basketball teams, both represented by St. Robert’s International Academy Panda Rockets-Elite Lab, settled for runner up finishes.
The WV secondary boys, which earlier pulled off upsets against 2024 gold medal winner NCR and Calabarzon, fell short of their Cinderella run after bowing to Davao, 67-51, in the finals.
Members of the WV secondary boys team are Kyle Sardon, Michsan Onate, Paul Jovan Santome, Jhon Rey Alarcon, Rio John Doronilla, Elijah Rose, Nike Gadong, Shaun Arnold Gumela, Airez John Macadangdang, Rusell Clib Puga, Derrick Suspena, Ace Maestral, Paul Barcelona, Alfred Ysulan, and Jimrex Tinoy.
“I am still proud of our finish, actually no one expected us to be here in the finals,” WV team manager Eugene Chua told Panay News. “Reaching Final Four was already a bonus, but we still managed to reach the finals, so I am really glad for the team.”
WV elementary squad, on the other hand, failed to defend their gold medal following a close 71-69 defeat to NCR, in a match where they trail by as many as nine points in the fourth period.
Bannering the squad are Mark Santi Coronica, Matt Owen Chua, Rafael Arevalo, Johnry James Parcon, Niel Catimbang, Ethan Toledo, Travis Sayo, Ace Polines, Shian Will Laña, Tyler Guion, Alex Empleo, Kristopher Roquillo, Ivan Grafane, Brent Conlu, and John Sesnorio.
Meanwhile, Western Visayas secondary boys squad emerged as the gold medal winners in baseball following a tight 6-5 victory over Region IV-A in the championship match./PN
