Central Visayas, composed of players from the University of San Carlos, are the seniors football champions in the National PRISAA Games 2018. The team beat Calabarzon, represented by the football team of the University of Batangas, 5-1, to win the crown. With the team is USC Athletic Director Adriano Ocariza (second from left). Contributed Photo
Central Visayas secures fourth straight seniors division overall title in multisporting meet
Tagbilaran City, Bohol – Central Visayas’ football, basketball and beach volleyball teams combined for 18 gold medals in yesterday’s final day of competition to help the team seal its fourth straight and seventh in total overall title in the seniors division of the National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Games.
Central Visayas finished with a commanding medal haul of 143 gold medals, 65 silvers and 53 bronze medals to rule the multi-sporting event.
Western Visayas (Region 6) was at far second with a tally of 78-57-68 while at third was Davao Region (Region XI) with 37-38-51.
Completing the Top 5 were Western Mindanao (Region 9) with a 23-5-5 tally and Bicol Region (Region 5) with its medal count of 18-16-51.
In the youth division, it was Western Visayas’ turn to relegate Central Visayas to second place as it took the overall title with a medal haul of 135-63-45.
Central Visayas finished with 57-27-14.
Central Visayas youth only fielded athletes in athletics, dancesports, volleyball, basketball, chess, swimming and weightlifting because it preferred sending athletes to the Palarong Pambansa, which was held just a week ahead of this meet.
Rounding up the top five overall were Davao Region (36-38-61), Cagayan Valley (15-32-24) and Central Luzon (14-42-32).
FOOTBALL KINGS
Five-time CESAFI champion University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors ended a six-year title drought by routing Calabarzon represented by players from the University of Batangas, 5-1, at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex to bring home the seniors football title.
“The team really prepared for this. They are the CESAFI champions, they were runner-up in the Aboitiz Cup. It was worth playing for the university and for the region,” said Father Adriano Ocariza, the USC athletic director.
Scoring for USC were Vinson Nery (13th), Steven Patalinghug (58th), Christian Keen Agot (78th), JS Paolo Saguin (83rd) and Joshua Miguel Kwan (84th).
The Warriors had a scoring spree in the second half after Calabarzon’s goalkeeper was red carded for throwing a punch to Aldrich Pelenio during a scramble, bringing the team down to just 10 men, with a field player taking over the post.
Head coach Allan Medalle said that he was confident that his wards would defeat Calabarzon because they already did this last year with almost the same lineup.
Four Central Visayas players were given special awards. Pomeroy Mark Veloso was named Most Valuable Player, Paul David Carizon was named Best Defender, Isherson Caseres was Best Goalkeeper and Agot was the Best Midfielder. The top scorer and best striker awards went to Region 4A.
In basketball, Jason Jumawid Balabag of the University of the Visayas made the most of his last game in the National PRISAA as he helped Central Visayas win back-to-back senior men’s basketball titles with a 73-62 win over Central Luzon (Region 3), which was composed of players from Angeles University at the Holy Name University (HNU) Barder Gym.