Leyte wrestlers dominate regional sports event

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Feb. 8  -- Wrestlers from Leyte province dominated the event competitions with 13 gold medals out of the 16 at stake, and two silver medals in the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) meet 2018.

The win was four golds more than the nine they had in last year’s EVRAA to claim the championship in the event.

“The team will continue training for the Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Sur as we want to surpass the six gold medals we got in Antique last year,” said Jose Edgar Blones, coach of secondary girls.

The secondary boys bagged seven golds and one silver while the secondary girls snatched six golds and one silver.

Gold medalists in the boys’ category were Joenil Lagarde, Crispin Cruzzel Caliguid, Diomel Hugo, Jesus Gabriel Raganit, Jonathan Berdida, Pedro Obias, and Anthony Pangan.

“We are going to Ilocos Sur and hopefully we will win gold also,” said Lagarde. The school-based national sports competition is slated on April 16-20.

In the girls’ division, the gold medalists were Zenith Gayas, Lovely Ann De la Cruz, Jane Erasmo, Veronica Ompod, Mariel Liwanag, and Renalyn Claros.

The silver medalists were Joel Belecario and Marilyn Villaruel.

Meanwhile, Leyte athletes grabbed three of the four gold medals at stake in billiards.

Led by Palarong Pambansa 2017 bronze medalist Deanna Marie Labtic, the team captured three golds in the 8-Balls and 9-Balls Finals of EVRAA Meet 2018 on Wednesday.

The three gold medalists will play in this year’s Palarong Pambansa in Vigan City.

Labtic made use of her experience in dispatching Angelica Fernandez of Samar in a convincing fashion in the race-to-five 8-Balls Finals, 5-2.

“That’s what I really wanted, to compete and win. I will do my best in Palaro to win again,” said Labtic, a Grade 10 student from San Isidro, Leyte.

Beatamae Kate Ibarra ruled the 9-Balls with a 5-2 victory over Maresol Heorpo of Ormoc City.
Coached by John Daffon of the Isabel Comprehensive National High School, Ibarra displayed excellent composure in the competition with two come-from-behind wins capped by a 4-3 triumph over Cherry Lou Labata of Maasin in the semi-finals.

“Beatamae seemed so lucky in 9-Balls, she barely made it to the Finals. Then she became champion,” said coach Rubierose Inocencio.

In the 8-Balls Boy Division, Rommel Damiles of the Puertobello National High School humbled Jack Alvin Oressa, the gold medalist last year, 4-2 in the Semi-Finals then carved a comeback triumph over Kim Estil of Borongan City, 5-4, in the Finals.

Trailing at 1-3, Damiles tied the score with two successive racks then outclassed Estil in the ninth rack to claim the gold.

“I’m happy he did it,” said Coach Melvin Calupaz of Cabacungan National High School on Damiles feat.
In the overall ranking as of Thursday noon, delegation from Ormoc City is the topnotcher with 63 gold medals, followed by Leyte with 43 golds, and Baybay City with 16 golds. The regional sports meet will conclude Friday afternoon.  (ROR/PNA)