Goshenland rules MGD Cup

GOSHENLAND reasserted its mastery against its rivals to claim the crown in the men’s open of the Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan Football Cup Saturday morning.

After a scoreless first half, Goshen drew first blood from Homer Alinsug’s goal in the 57th minute mark of the second half that took them a 2-1 romp over rival BSU Alumni at the rain drenched and muddy Melvin Jones football grounds.

“Actually it was a crucial goal kasi momentum changing tsaka moral boosting na rin para sa team,” said Alinsug of his goal that sent the madding crowd at the Melvin Jones celebrating.

That goal sent the celebration tone for Goshen who was poised to take on the title.

But despite trailing early on, the Alumni came back seven minutes after Goshen scored the first goal of the game which was eventually tied after Ken Cariño’s right atop the center of Goshen’s goal.

Mark Signabon, who put Baguio football back on the map after scoring a goal against the Philippine Azkals, sealed the deal for the National Men’s Open bound squad after scoring the second goal for Goshen in the 78th minute mark.

Both squad played tooth and nail in the first half but Goshen had the upper hand as it controlled most of the possession but failed to send a goal at the close of 45 minute mark.

The undefeated Goshenland closed out their elimination with an emphatic 5-0 win-loss record before silencing the young Team Onse in their semis match up with a 5 -1 beating in the event co-organized by the Baguio United Football Club.

BSU Alumni, meanwhile, drubbed their younger counterparts by edging BSU Varsity in their semis match during the weekend play with a four goal difference, 5-1, in the event support by Goshenland Capitals and the Baguio United Football Club.

Goshen made it almost a 3-1 affair after Myanmar national Robert Thawng ‘s goal was deemed illegal after officials ruled it offside.

The football cup served as an arena for public school children and other teams to have a competitive football tournament to enhance their character and football skills, according to organizers.


Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on August 01, 2011.

Baguio Defenders bag golds and silvers

MANILA -- Barely a week of preparations for a battle pitting the best kicksters in the country didn't stop six fearless Baguio boys from pressing their luck in the 2011 Adidas Martial Arts Week at the SM Mall of Asia, July 24.

The gamble paid off with two golds, five silvers, with a lone casualty.

Not bad for the super six, considering they were up against members of the best of the country, including highly-touted members of the Philippine Kyorugi (sparring) Team.

Baguio Defenders junior jins Keno Anthony Mendoza, Benjamin Keith Sembrano, Rencer Shane Lavestre; and seniors Billy Joe Soria, Patrick Castillo, and Anfernie Dizon knew they were up against blackbelts who've been training for weeks, even months prior the tournament.

Undaunted despite being informed only Thursday evening the same week of the tournament, the team proceeded to Manila Saturday while everyone else were deep in slumber -- less their regular supporters, less their families, and even less their mentor and coach Arnold Oglayon.

Oglayon committed to coaching the bulk of his taekwondo players in the 2011 National Poomsae Championships in nearby Rizal Memorial Coliseum, which tournament happened on the same day.

He delegated coaching duties to his most able lieutenant and player, Soria.

Sembrano, a senior at the Baguio City National Science High School (BCNSHS) snared first gold in his weight class.

Asked about the experience, he said: "Our decision to go would have been interpreted as either foolishness or bravery as we've never been in a competition without weeks of heavy training. Looking back, I'm glad we could actually say we did it out of courage and heart."

Following Sembrano in the same level of the victors' ladder is Mendoza, a veteran internationalist.

Mendoza in Filipino said, "The fight was really tough... but the daily sparring sessions we had, though not much of the regular heavy training we usually have with coach Oglayon before any tournament really paid off."

The third year prep high student from the University of Baguio (UB) added, "It kept us conditioned for any surprise competitions like this one."

Aside from representing Baguio in the tilt, both Mendoza and Sembrano are teammates in the Philippine Juniors' Sparring Team and are being offered juicy scholarship deals by bi universities in Metro Manila.

Meantime, settling for silvers that weighed as heavy as gold were Soria, Castillo, and Lavestre, all of whom are varsity players of UB training under the watchful eyes of Baguio Defenders Sabumnim Oglayon.

Aside from taekwondo, boxing, judo, wrestling, and karate were part of the martial arts event. (Isagani Liporada)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on July 30, 2011.

Tadian to host athletic meet in December

THE municipality of Tadian in Mt. Province will host the 2011 Provincial Athletic Meet scheduled in December.

It will be the second time the event will be held outside the capital town of Bontoc.

According to Rosendo Cacap of the Department of Education Division Office, it is the initiative of the local officials headed by Mayor Anthony Wooden, who offered their municipality as venue of the annual athletic meet.

Cacap said playing venues are all available in the municipality including the swimming pool except for the athletic oval, which has still to be improved.

For the different delegations of the province, the school buildings of the Tadian Central School, Tadian School of Arts And Trade, Mt. Province State Polytechnic College-Tadian Campus, Kayan Elementary School and the Holy Rosary High School, will be used for accommodations.

The provincial meet continues to serve as a venue to discover talented and promising athletes and players in various arenas of sports from among students in both public and private schools while developing sportsmanship and strengthening camaraderie among the athletes. (Juliet B. Saley)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on July 29, 2011.

Gabutan up for 100 rounds

RODERICK OSIS

NOT WANTING to let the title slip away, World Boxing Organization Oriental bantamweight champion Dayer Gabutan will be up for a tough training regimen as the days go by for his September 22 title defense.

Although he is slowly peaking at the moment, Gabutan’s manager Brico Santig said the 22 year old needs more than 100 rounds of sparring to be able to reach his 100% condition before flying to Hong Kong next month.

“We started training two weeks ago and by second week of August we we will be going down to Cavite para mas lalong maka pag concentrate siya sa kanyang training,” said Santig.

Gabutan is currently holding his training camp at the Highland Boxing Gym where he trains alongside stable mate Elmer Francisco.

The Ambagiw, Besao of Mt. Province native in an earlier interview has so far lodged 30 rounds of sparring.

“So far, what we are trying to do with Dayer is for him to regain his power and weights training and then alter as we proceed sa mas mahirap na phase which is more of sparring with different boxer,” added Santig.      

Gabutan will be accompanied by four other fighters coming from their stable including featherweight Randy Megriño, welterweight Dennis Padua, and lady boxer light flyweight Jujeath Nagaowa.      

LEAN AND MEAN - Bantamweight champ Dayer Gabutan (white shirt) resumes training at the Hayashi-Highland Boxing gym as he efends his title this september in Hong Kong. The soft spoken warrior will be improving on his speed to augment his power punch that took Thai fighter Kiatpracha down to his knees a few months back-Larry P. Fabian

Since winning the WBO belt in 2010, Gabutan has won 14 of his 17 fights including 6 knock outs with one loss and a draw with an eight fight win streak since December 6, 2009.

Santig, meanwhile, said Gabutan’s opponent for the upcoming title defense will still be known later this week but they have already receive a word from Chinese promoter Raymond Chang another Thailander will fight Gabutan.

“Defintely another Thailander will be his opponent and it will be a main event of the fight night,” added Gabutan. Roderick Osis            

Busy week ahead for Benguet pugs

RODERICK OSIS

TWO BENGUET boxers are set to test their mettle next week outside the country in the hopes of improving their professional records.

Leading the cast in next week’s bout is minimum weight prospect Wilbur Andugan who is set to test his skills against an unnamed fighter in Seoul, Korea slated Aug. 6 while bantamweight hopeful Edwin Tumbaga will be in Tokyo, Japan on Aug. 8.

Both fighters of the Higland Boxing Gym of Brico Santig have been in the training gym for quite some time now and Santig expressed optimism both fighters will bring home honors for the country.

“Actually si Wilbur at Edwin, masipag magtraining kaso may tendency lang na mag relax paminsan minsan kaya dapat talag eh tinututukan yung training nila,” said Santig.

THE AFTERMATH - Upcoming Wilbur Andogan(black shirt) is priming up to improve on his stamina during a sparring session at the Hayashi-Highland Boxing gym, as he will again prove his win a few months back is no fluke. Andogan will  will fight in Seoul, South Korea from a still unnamed Korean slugger.-Larry P. Fabian

Currently ranked at number 27 in the country, Andugan has a record of eight wins, including two knock outs, seven losses and three draws.            

The 20 year old righty is coming off a three game streak since December 21 where he knocked out Roy Albaera before scoring a unanimous victory against the same fighter last March 7 before securing a 10 round unanimous win over Geboi Mansalayao.

Tumbaga, meanwhile, will see action on August 10, this time in Tokyo, Japan and will square off against undefeated Japanese Sho Ishida from Osaka, Japan.

Tumbaga, with a record of 11 wins, 17 losses and five draws will try to break a win again after suffering two losses and a draw in his last three fights, his last win was recorded in August 23, 2010 against Edwin Picardal.

Ishida, meanwhile, has an unblemished record of eight wins, three of which coming by way of knock–out.

Chesaa season 10 to usher in September

RODERICK OSIS

THE CORDILELRA Higher Education Sports Athletic Association hopes to gain further achievement as its 10th season opens this September.

Set to open on September 2, this year’s collegiate league will be hosted by BSBT College.

At least 12 schools are set to rejoin the annual competition, according to National Institute of Information Technology’s Breslin Bill Maliones.    

“With BSBT hosting the event, where hoping that other schools will also join the year long sports fest,” added Maliones of the outgoing host NIIT.

Expected to return are King's College of the Philippines (formerly known as Eastern Luzon College), Benguet Vocational School Colleges, and Montañosa National College.

They will be joined by regular members NIIT Baguio, Baguio College of Technology, Philippine Women's University, Cordillera Career Development College, AMA College, Easter College, Luzon Nazarene Bible College, and Data Center College of the Philippines Baguio.

Events to be played in the first semester include volleyball, cheer dance, literary music, chess men and women, scrabble, billiards, dance sports, and sports quiz bee. Added events are modern dance, darts, bowling for the technical and executives, and soft ball (exhibition sport).

Basketball competitions will be the biggest draw for this year's competition when it ushers in the second semester with all eyes on defending champion Baguio College of Technology gunning for another title retention bid.

STI College Baguio and National University who skipped in last year’s tournament will still be a doubtful starter for the league’s upcoming season.  

Unlike the Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League which caters to universities in Baguio and Benguet, Chesaa was formed for the smaller colleges to compete in various team and individual sports events to promote camaraderie and team building among students from other colleges.

Team Lakay sets sight on Pacific X-treme Combat

THREE OF the upcoming stars from Team Lakay are set to see action next month as the Guam based Pacific X-treme Combat makes a return to the country.

The trio of Geje Eustaquio, Jasor Ablasi and Crisanto Pitpitunge are set to show their wares when the mix martial arts promotion sets another fight tentatively set on Aug. 20.

Team Lakay head coach Mark Sangiao told Sun.Star Baguio in a recent interview the three are currently training alongside Universal Reality Combat championship welterweight champion Eduard Folayang and lightweight Honorio Banario.

Folayang is scheduled to return to the ring in September outside the country while Banario will have his first title defense on Aug. 21 in Davao.

“They have already started training and hopefully they win para mas lalong mapansin ang MMA,” said Sangiao.

The PXC, the premier mixed martial arts promotional organization in the Pacific region, serves as a springboard for mixed martial arts fighters bidding to prove their worth in the United States.

Their first international foray in the Philippines aims to be the start of the organization's long-term goals to make PXC a significant event and add to its stable of international fighters.

Despite the perception the Philippines has a conservative audience in contact sports, the PXC organizers believe MMA will build a good audience, especially with the presence of local MMA events, particularly in the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC).

Sangiao, meanwhile, added although the three were already tapped to see action, their opponents have yet to be announced by the organizers.