COAA rules regional clustered meet

Monday, December 5, 2011

ONCE again, Cagayan de Oro athletes will compose the biggest bulk of Northern Mindanao squad competing in next year's Palarong Pambansa in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

This, after the Cagayan de Oro Athletic Association (COAA) team overpowered anew closest rival Misamis Oriental for the overall supremacy of the 2011 Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association Palaro being clustered for the first time in many years.

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In the Cluster 3 meet culminating the regional Palaro here on Sunday at Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center, COAA lorded it over in swimming, taekwondo and gymnastics among the 10 events contested in the different playing venues in the city.

Dominic "King" Sabornido of Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School and Gabby Boloto of Corpus Christi Grade School, both MVPs in the just-held 3rd Milo Little Olympics National Finals in Pangasinan, led COAA's mighty charge in the medal-rich swimming and taekwondo competitions.

"We're up by around 70 points against Misamis Oriental kay bisan wala `ta nag-champion in other events, naka-level up man sab `ta sa uban nga dula and got important points out from it," said COAA official Porferio "Jun" Padinit, citing athletics, sipa takraw, football and archery where the opposing teams put up a gallant stand.

While COAA struggled most of the five events played earlier in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon (including boxing, baseball and softball), the Golden Friendship city bets struck hard in Iligan, sweeping the team championships in elementary and secondary chess apart from winning the secondary boys' basketball and volleyball titles.

"Daghan ang nabag-ohan nga gi-clustered this year atong regional meet. But as far as the battle for overall crown is concerned, advantage sa Cagayan de Oro since we were hosting about 60 percent of the games played," the 15-year-old Palaro veteran Padinit told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.