Davao region's young chess stars shine in Damosa chessfest

The winners of the chessfest poses to the camera after their victory. Photo: Ely Acas

The future of Philippine chess in Region 11 won big in the Ely Acas, Jojo Palero, Alfred Moulic (APM) Open Students Chess Tournament at the Damosa Market Basket in Lanang, Davao City  last February 16,2020.
Aliyah Rae Lumangtad of Tagum City scored 4.5 points after five rounds to win the high school and college category of the chessfest sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
Jose Maria College Kings chess varsity Honey Grace Buenafe won the second place in the category after scoring four points.
The third place went to Wesley Jovan Magbanua also of JMC who scored 3.5 points.
In the elementary division, Davao’s James Catayas, a student of SDA Elementary School here won the crown after scoring 4.5 points in the chessfest.
Catayas, a 13-year-old Buhangin, Davao City resident was all fired up as he went undefeated in the tournament.
The second place in the division went to Caerel Shane Mantilla, a student of University of Mindanao who scored 3.5 points.
The third place went to Devon Artchel Lumangtad of Tagum City who also scored 3.5 points but Mantilla beat him via a tie-break.
All the winners receive medals and cash prizes from the organizers.
The chess tournament was earlier organized by to promote chess at the grassroots in region 11.

Veteran runners rule Sta. Cruz 100Km trail run

Veteran trail runner Ronnie Torlao do some stretching before the race. Photo: Juius Paner

A veteran international Filipino trail runner ruled the tough 100 kilometers Everlasting Mt.Loay trail run in Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur last February 8-9.
Tour guide Ronnie Torlao won the race with a time of 25 hours, 12 minutes and 20 seconds.
Torlao, a native of Sta. Cruz is very happy with his latest trail running race and thank God for the energy and huge blessing.
Taking the second place in the race is another veteran runner Jonathan Pido, a native of Carmen, Davao del Norte (30:20:30).
The third place went to Davaoeno trail runner Ace De Guzman (31:57:27).
A total of 50 trail runners from different parts of the Philippines joined the race this year.
Meanwhile, Revlav Monang of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur won the shorter 5 kilometer race for men with a time of 54 minutes and 11 seconds.
Joralie Ataw also of Sta. Cruz won the women's division in the shorter race with a time of one hour and five minutes.
All the winners won medals for their feat.
The trail run was organized earlier by Vertical to the Sky trail run events.
Julius Paner, the tourism officer of Sta. Cruz is very happy and grateful to the trail runners who joined the race this year.
Paner said the yearly trail run was organized to showcase the magnificent Mt. Loay, a scenic mountain in Sta. Cruz.

Wildcats sink Navigators, snatches 9th PCCL Mindanao crown

The Holy Trinity College Wildcats of General Santos City is the 2020 PCCL Mindanao champion.

DAVAO CITY---The Holy Trinity College Wildcats of General Santos City relied on their poise and experience down the stretch to sink the Mats College of Technology Navigators, a school based here 85-82 and get their ninth straight Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Mindanao crown at the Davao City Recreation Center (DCRC) here Wednesday night.
Down by one 83-82 with only seven seconds remaining in the game clock in the fourth quarter, Wildcats veteran guard Louie Omadle hit a dagger three at the top of the key to put the lead back to his team.
In the ensuing play, the Navigators failed to score allowing the visiting team from the country's tuna capital to escaped with a win and another championship.
The defending champion Wildcats started strong in the game as they score the first five points in the game courtesy of center Joewish Gracia via a three pointer and a lay-up.
The Navigators who is playing its first PCCL championship game started slow as they fire blanks and committed a lot of errors in the first quarter.
However, in the last minutes of the first quarter the Navigators started to find their rhythm and ended the quarter facing only a four point deficit 13-17.

The 2020 PCCL Mindanao second placer Mats College of Technology Navigators of Davao City.


In the second quarter, the Navigators started strong behind the strong plays of Klent Castromayor and Renato Salaga and took over the lead at the end of the first half 44-41.
In the third quarter, Castromayor who finished with 19 points in the game continued his outside bombs and towed his team to a commanding 68-59 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Despite having the momentum on their side, the Navigators failed to score in the early minutes of the last canto allowing the Wildcats to catch up and eventually won the game.
Omadle the leading scorer of the Wildcats in the three-day tournament finished the game with 13 points.
Despite their defeat, Navigators coach Thommy Collados is still happy with their performance.
Meanwhile, the Holy Cross of Davao College Crusaders finished the tournament in the third place after they beat the Agro Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines Sailors in their battle for third game 71-64.
Crusaders peppery guard Victor Marqauez scored 14 points for his team in their victory.
Sailors versatile bigman Redyn Arellano scored 20 points for his team in a losing cause.
The top three winners of the PCCL Mindanao finals will represent Mindanao in the PCCL Visayas-Mindanao Finals at the same venue on February 17-20.
The winning team coming out of the PCCL Visayas-Mindanao finals will represent the regions in the PCCL National Finals to be held here this year.
The PCCL National Finals are expected to be participated in by some of the top schools in the Philippines.

DC teams get opening day wins in PCCL Mindanao Finals

Holy Cross of Davao College center Paul Turco (red shirt) is too big and too talented for Universidad de Zamboanga to handle.

DAVAO CITY---Two college basketball powerhouses here successfully overcome the challenge from schools in Zamboanga City and Cagayan de Oro City to win their opening day matches in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Mindanao finals last February 3 at the Davao City Recreation Center (DCRC) here.
The Holy Cross of Davao College Crusaders overcame a six-point deficit in the first half to beat the pesky Universidad de Zamboanga 79-72 in the first game to take the early lead 1-0 lead in bracket Y.
Trailing in the first 24 minutes in the game, the Crusaders relied on their lanky center Paul Turco to beat the Wildcats who played solid in the entire game.
Turco was a monster in the post as he scored 22 points mostly on inside incursions to carry his team to victory against the hot-shooting Wildcats.
Down in the first half, Crusaders coach Rocky Mejos decided to initiate more plays for Turco who responded by scoring over his smaller defenders in the game.
Turco was so fired up in the game as he even scored on a two handed dunk with a foul in the third quarter.
Crusaders pesky guard VJ Marquez added 20 points for his team in their morale boosting win.
Meanwhile,forward Vince Waminal scored 24 points in a losing cause for the Wildcats.
In the second game, Mats College of Technology Navigators demolished the smaller STI College of Cagayan de Oro City Olympians 96-76 to also take the early 1-0 lead in group Z.
The Navigators behind the brilliant plays of coach Thommy Collados took control of the game from the get go until the end of the game.

The Navigators relied on their solid defense and steady offence to bring down the Olympians.
Navigators guard Lito Balawag scored 18 points to lead his team in their lopsided win against the Olympians.
Olympians guard Jerome Minaling scored 24 points for his team in a losing cause.
The winner of the PCCL Mindanao finals will represent Mindanao in the PCCL Visayas-Mindanao Finals at the same venue.
The winning team coming out of the PCCL Visayas-Mindanao finals will represent the regions in the PCCL National Finals to be held here this year.
The PCCL National Finals are expected to be participated in by some of the top schools in the Philippines.