Tag: 2011

FROM a second runner-up finish last season, the UST Male Fencers emerged as this year’s champions while their female counterparts dropped to fifth place following separate duels at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last Dec. 5.

The Male Fencers' 3-0-2 gold-silver-bronze medal tally overwhelmed Far Eastern University's collection of two gold medals, a silver, and four bronze medals.

“Lahat ng laban ngayon pantay-pantay, at sabi ko sa kanila (male fencers) lakasan lang loob nila,” men’s team coach Emerson Segui said. “Fortunately, nag-jive lahat.”

DEFENDING champion Faculty of Engineering and the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) arranged a finals duel after thrashing their respective opponents in the semi-final round of this year’s Thomasian Goodwill basketball games.

Engineering easily defeated archrival College of Education in lopsided fashion, 113-70, while CTHM stunned an erstwhile undefeated Faculty of Arts and Letters, 73-69, at the P. Noval basketball court last Dec. 10.

“Actually, blessing in disguise yung pagkatalo namin sa kanila (Artlets)nung eliminations,” CTHM head coach Jeric Martinez said. “Nawala yung egonamin at yabang, at naging chance namin yun (the loss)para mag-ayos.”

THE UST Tigresses bowed down against UAAP defending champions Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 61-68, at the Philippine Buddhacare Gym last Nov. 26, dropping their third consecutive game in the women’s division of the Filipino-Chinese Basketball League (FCBL).

Guard Lore Rivera chalked up 26 points for the Tigresses, who missed the services of ace player Juvelyn Andaya due to a sprain injury. Maika Cortes was limited to only eight points and eight boards, a far cry from her 21-point explosion against Adamson University last November 19.

THE UST-REINFORCED Pachanga FC toppled the Cebu Queen City Landmasters United, 4-0, at the University of Makati last Oct. 29, to grab solo lead in Group C of the United Football League Cup eliminations.

Golden Booters defender Ronald Batislao-Ong and midfielder Shirmar Felongco played tough in respective ends of the pitch to aid Pachangca to a seven-point finish in the eliminations en route to a sure slot in the quarterfinals.

Pachanga capped the eliminations with a 2-1-0 win-draw-loss slate to edge Stallion FC, which collected 2-0-1 of its own, to clinch the top spot in what is called as the “Group of Death.” Defending champion Global FC is still in contention with a 1-1-1 record in the group.

THOMASIAN alumnus Jethro “The Jet” Dionisio led the Philippine shooting team in nabbing the Team Open division’s grand prize in the 16th International Practical Shooting Confederation World Shoot in Rhodes, Greece from October 2 to 9.

The 39-year-old six-time world pistol-shooting champion, alongside 15 other Filipino marksmen, represented the country to the Olympics of practical shooting. The squad topped the team category of Super Seniors’ division.

Dionisio also emerged as the champion in the Shoot-off event of the Production division, besting eight other gunners in the tournament.

WOODPUSHER Patrick Florendo sizzled with five points to finish third in the grand finals of the 19th Shell National Youth Active Chess Festival at the SM Megamall Event Center last October 8 and 9

Despite a dismal 2-6 win-loss card on the competition’s first day, Florendo, winner of the Southern Luzon leg, managed to rack up a total of five wins against four defeats in the junior-boys’ division.

“I guess, lack of training [due to schedule rift with Finals week] really affected my game,” Florendo said, the only Thomasian who qualified in the tournament. “I could have done better if there was more time for training.”

UST IS poised to collect another UAAP general championship on the occasion of its Quadricentennial anniversary.

After the first semester of hostilities, UST athletes are ahead of the pack with 128 points with a 4-2-1 gold-silver-bronze medal haul. Trailing the Tigers by 13 points is De La Salle University, which collected 115 points, and host Ateneo with 107 points.

The total was yet to include the results of the table tennis tournament.

“I’m happy so far because we are leading [the race],” said athletics moderator Rodrigo Sambuang. “But still, we should not be very confident with it because our lead is not that much, and there are still other sports in the next semester.”

THE MALE Judokas regained the championship while their female counterparts defended the crown in contrasting fashion in the UAAP judo tournament at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last Oct. 2.

The Judokas amassed 50 points via an impressive 4-2 gold-silver medal haul to win back the title their lost last season to the Ateneo de Manila University. The Lady Judokas retained the championship with four gold medals, a silver and a bronze, for a total of 47 points.

In the junior’s division, UST placed second behind champion Ateneo.

“Their skills, endurance, and techniques improved a lot this year,” said men’s team coach Steve Esteban.

Ateneo finished at third place behind De La Salle University, which placed second to UST with 45 points.

SHOULD UST relax academic rules to accommodate its athletes?

The UST High School department has implemented a new academic program specifically for student-athletes. It involves a “special” grading system that rewards an athlete’s performance on court.

The new program provides academic incentives based on game performances, and special considerations for projects, assignments, and quizzes.

Frederick Manubay, a Chemistry teacher and chairperson of the Program in Academics for Student-Athletes (PASA), said the program aims to “lessen if not eradicate” cases wherein players get the boot due to academic deficiency.

FEMALE Woodpusher Carina Lumacad reigned in the Third Makati Councilor Virgilio Hilario Rapid Chess Festival en route to her second tournament title during competitions held at the Alphaland Southgate Mall last October 2.

Lumacad, the UAAP Season 72 MVP and UST team captain, topped the women’s division with five wins, a draw, and a loss, for a total of 5.5 points.

She outsmarted fellow UST Woodpusher Irene Samonte, Giane Perez of Adamson University, Jenwin Alconcher of University of Perpetual-Dalta, Arvie Lozano of Rizal Technological University, and Gladys Romero of Far Eastern University.