FEU Tracksters lord over UAAP athletics
The streak continues for Far Eastern University (FEU) as they dominate the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 75 Track and Field championships once again last December 4 to 7 at the Philippine Sports Complex in Pasig City. The FEU Men’s and Women’s teams remain unshaken on their throne as the royalties of the track this season. The Lady Tracksters whooped their rivals with 534 points, leaving University of the East behind with 311 and University of Santo Tomas (UST) at 254. Meanwhile, the Male Tracksters wielded the top spot with 390 points, outnumbering UST and De La Salle University (DLSU) with 264 and 249 points, respectively. A step to a decade With their ninth straight crown, the Lady Tracksters seemed to associate their victories to immortality. Former two-time Most
Valuable Player (MVP) Dalyn Carmen remained as the long distance queen after shattering her own UAAP record in 3000-meter steeplechase at 11:43.04 compared to last season’s 11:50.52. She finished first in the 10,000-meter run while her compatriot Jenysmille Mabunga captured bronze. Meanwhile, Mary Ann Dela Cruz and Carmen owned the top two spots for 1500-meter. In the 5,000-meter run, teammates Mabunga, Carmen and Dela Cruz occupied the podium to make it a sweep for FEU. The foursome of Hanelyn Loquinto, Avegail Marie Dizon, Josie Malacad and Mildred Salut broke another record in 4x100meter relay at 48.91 seconds. On the other hand, Loquinto, Malacad, and Salut continued picking up medals in 200-meter dash. Malacad collected gold in 400-meter hurdles and silver in 400-meter run. She also garnered another one in 800-meter run with Dela Cruz and Carmen behind her. Malacad avenged her silver finish in 110-meter
Remarkable record. FEU Tracksters engrave a never-ending title in UAAP championships. (Photo by Wondell M. San Pedro)
hurdles with gold in 400-meter hurdles alongside Rieveneth
Volleybelles sweep past Maroons By Cindy Ashley G. Sy and Hannah Grace N. Ramil
First blood. Lady Tams give up a hard-fought game in their first match against Ateneo Lady Eagles. (Photo by Marione Paul G. Infantado)
Two years ago Far Eastern University (FEU) Women’s Volleyball team was still looking for the right combinations to fill up the shoes left by the veteran players. This season, however, they might just have found the missing pieces and may end up with a different story. The Lady Tamaraws More matured ranked 4th in the University The third set was a Athletic Association of the Ferris wheel ride for the Lady Philippines (UAAP) last Tams as they started out strong, season and they have shown 6-2 but cannot pull away because great potential this season of UP’s strong front line with that they can be part of the Princess Se in front and with Arylle Magtalas’ effective plays for final four again. Opening Season the Lady Maroons. The game went 75, the Lady Tams lost their first match against Ateneo deadlock at 13 with the service de Manila University (ADMU) ace coming from Magtalas. With Lady Eagles but had a unforced errors coming from the performance that sent a Lady Tams side, UP saw a ray message to all the remaining of light giving them the cushion, teams—they are a team to be 19-20. Exchange of points from both squads was seen through watched out for. O v e r c o m i n g the third set. UP’s Se and pressure the next game, FEU’s Palma’s both made their the volleybelles came back presence felt for their respective winning their second game teams putting the game at 24-all. With just two points via straight sets against the University of the Philippines away from finishing the set and (UP) Lady Maroons, 25-14, the game, FEU’s Rosemarie 25-14, 27-25 last December Vargas attacked the defensive 8, 2012 at the FilOil Flying-V wall of the Lady Maroons and Arena in San Juan City with ended the match, 27-25. On the second set, the Wenneth Eulalio being the player of the game scoring Morayta-based squad’s confidence 19 points with 16 spikes, two was seen all throughout their performance inside the court. service aces and a block.
Christine Agno joined the Lady Tam’s scoring festivity by quickly attacking UP’s court, 3-2. With Eulalio and Vargas in front everything went with FEU’s way scoring resounding spikes that seems like UP’s worst nightmare, 13-6. Gyzel Sy also made her presence felt by scoring off drop shots right in the middle of the Lady Maroon’s court, 17-12. The Lady Maroons was stunned at 14 when Eulalio started to dominate the court with her quick attacks, service ace while teaming up with Palma and Winonag Bagang, 25-14. Coming in the game, the Lady Tams looked relaxed and unpressured pulling away early in the opening set with their combination plays and witty attacks, 5-0. In a long rally, Sy made things worse for the UP’s side by dropping the ball over UP’s defense, 13-5. Service aces worked for the Lady Tams as well as the running and quick plays for Eulalio and Palma and the resounding spikes of Vargas ended the first set, 2514. For UP, it was a forgettable set for them because of the 10 points that came from the errors of the Ladies in green and gold and only four came from their attacks. When Head Coach Nestor Pamilar was asked if he was satisfied with what the girls performed in the recent game, this was his calm response, “Hindi pa ako masyadong satisfied sa nilaro nila kanina eh, alam ko kasi mas may ibubuga pa ‘yan, Kulang pa sa kumpyansa sa sarili at kumpyansang mananalo sila sa mga laban nila eh (I’m not that satisfied with how the girls played earlier because I know that they still have more to show. They still lack in selfconfidence and confidence that they can win their games).”
Woodpushers eye multi-titles What more can you expect from a winning team? Simple: create a history and leave a legacy for the school. For Far Eastern University (FEU) Men’s and Women’s Chess Team, a cup of mental preparedness is not enough to be at the top of their game. With a spoon of physical toughness and unlimited determination, these are just the perfect ingredients for them to be considered a champion-caliber squad. Six-peat and counting Considered as a powerhouse-team for more than half a decade now, the Woodpushers have only one goal in mind: extend their
championship streak to seven. The Morayta squad does not include the word “meltdown” in their vocabulary as they continued to be a nightmare for other teams after totaling 37.5 points last season. Expected to lead the men’s team for the 75th season of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) are Team Captain John Ranel Morazo, two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sheider Nebato and UAAP Season 74 MVP and International Master Richeliu Salcedo III. Morazo’s wish for the team this season is straightforward, “Blessings para sa bawat isa at magkaroon ng harmony ang team. Sana
rin hindi lang [kami] magchampion, magkaroon din sana ng mataas na grades at makagraduate (Blessings for each of us and for the team to have a harmony. I hope we will not only be champions, but also for everyone to have high grades and eventually graduate).” Completing the lineup are former Team Captain Antonio Chavez Jr. who’s in his final playing year, Lennon Hart Salgados, Mcdominique Lagula, and veterans Kevin Mirado and Alfredo Rapanot. Coach Gonzales expressed his trust to the players, “Alam ko maasahan ko naman lahat sila [Men’s Team] (I know I can depend on
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Jayed Peñaruba at second. Joeann Bermudo stormed the jumping events with her two gold medals and a silver in high, triple, and long jump. Dizon and Salut joined her in completing the victory in triple jump with silver and bronze. Evalyn Palabrica and Jennefer Penepona clawed both gold and silver in the javelin throw event. Lei Ann Tan starred in shot put and hammer throw, settling at second and third. Head Coach Roselyn Hamero happily shared her final message to her team, “Ang final message ko sa mga athletes is to do their best and makuha nila ‘yung personal best nila (My final message to the athletes is to do their best and get their own personal best). And dun sa mga kayang mag-break ng records, gawin nila (to those who can break records, do it).” History continues The undermanned FEU Men’s Track and Field Team created havoc in the four-day tournament, leaving all opponents behind and storming their third straight championship title and eight tiaras. With a maximum of 20 players allowed, FEU only had 18 that were even trimmed down to 16 players in the start of the tournament. Season 74 gold medalists Ian De Los Santos and Kenny Gonzales were deemed ineligible to play due to grade problems. But the problem became a blessing in disguise for the team. Though lacking
manpower, the team retained their title and the playing years in UAAP of those who were unable to play remains. Leading the Tams’ onslaught was the returning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jesson Ramil Cid who is also one of the delegates of the Philippines in the forthcoming Asian University Games in Laos. “Masaya kasi nagpromise ako na magchachampion kami. Lahat ginawa ko eh, para sa team, para sa FEU (I am glad because I made a promise to them that we will be the champions. I did everything for the team and for FEU),” graduating player Cid said. Cid flaunted his athletic prowess with gold finishes in the 100 and 200-meter dash and 400-meter run, long jump in 6.87 meters and 4x100 meter relay run together with Jhon Rey Bandos, Abdilah Landasan, and Jerwen Ebcas with a time of 42.54 seconds. The quartet of Cid, Ebcas, Bardos and Christopher Ulboc Jr. snatched the silver medal in the 4x400 meter relay behind DLSU. The Ilocos Norte native added three more medals in his own haul from the 400-meter hurdles (silver), 100-meter hurdle and high jump (both bronze.) Remaining true to their roots, Ubas and Landasan ruled the decathlon after totaling 5,565 and 5,457 points. UST’s Marvin Ronas Lupinario was at distant third with 5,529 points. Veteran Ulboc added treasure in the team’s medal
tally with runaway gold in the 800-meter, 1500-meter run and 300-meter steeplechase where he also holds the UAAP record of 9 minutes and 24.98 second in electronic time in 2009. Ubas collected silver medals in long and triple jump with a distance of 6.56 and 14.30 meters. Newly-installed Head Coach Dario De Rosas pointed out three reasons on how the green-and-gold squad continues to dominate the tournament. “Unang-una ‘yung support ng school, maganda kasi ‘yung suporta ng FEU eh. Pangalawa ‘yung recruitment and then pangatlo ‘yung coaching. Siyempre iba pa rin ‘yung meron kang magaling na coach (First is the good support of FEU. Second is the recruitment and then the coaching. Of course, the coaching also spells the difference,)” jubilant Coach de Rosas admitted. Team Captain Rafael Poliquit Jr. clocked 15:33.24 in the 5000-meter run for a silver medal trailing fellow Tamaraw Ulboc in 15:31.12 for the center podium finish. Poliquit almost broke the 32:28.88 record set by FEU’s Nelbert Ducusin in 2006 in the 10000-meter run. He was four milliseconds away from engraving his name in the history book after finishing the race in 32 minutes and 28.92 seconds. Ulboc bagged the bronze medal in the same event. “Always go for the gold,” said veteran long distance runner Poliquit. “Hindi ko iniisip ‘yung kalaban. Ang iniisip ko eh i-break ko ‘yung record. Eh 4 milliseconds lang ‘yung kulang talaga kaya even though nanalo ako sa race parang kulang pa rin (I don’t think of my opponents. I just want to break the record. So even though I won, it felt incomplete because I’m 4 milliseconds away from it),” he added. But the threat is not yet done and FEU is not ready to give up that winning tradition. “Kailangan lang naming i-maintain ‘yung foundation namin. And next season, expect na kung gaano katibay ang team ngayon, surely, doble pa ‘yung tibay nito next year (We just need to maintain the foundation of the team. And next season, expect the team to be stronger than this year),” warned Poliquit. -Lhea Jane S. Bagona and Rogie R. Sabado
Male Booters too much for Maroons Fresh from avenging their Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association Football Preseason finals loss to the Green Archers in their season opener game, Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraw Booters proved that they are a team to watch out for this season FEU registered another win after blanking two-time defending University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) champion University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, 3-0, at the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Erenchun Field in Quezon City. It was another David-Goliath match with UP having the height advantage. But Assistant Coach Jade Bejemino noted one simple fact. “Ang football, sa ground naman nilalaro ‘yan eh, hindi sa taas (Football is played on the ground, not in the air.) We avoided long ball passes para ‘di makaporma ‘yung kalaban (so our opponent cannot do their plan).” Team Co-captain Jesus Joaquin Melliza, who scored FEU’s first goal in the 19th minute, shared the same thought. “Play, pasa-pasa, at
Agressive defense. FEU Male Booter tries to get off the ball from the opponent’s possession at their first game against UP Maroons. (Photo by Kevin Victor J. Torres)
speed. Aanhin mo naman ang tangkad kung walang speed? ([Our advantage against them is on] our play, ball passing and speed. What’s the purpose of
height if you don’t have the speed?)” Eric Giganto made the second silencer for the
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