Saturday, November 17, 2007 Dacoco's wards triumph in 2nd POF cage finals
MANILA -- Cagayan de Oro's youthful cage team, whose funding was reportedly sourced out from the individual pockets of the players' parents, defeated Quezon City in a best-of-3 series to nail the basketball crown of the ongoing 2nd Philippine Olympic Festival.
It was the second ballgame event won by the local athletes after MisOr compatriot took the gold in baseball via forfeiture, following the no-show of the rest of the field.
Mentored by the experienced Edgardo "Boy" Dacoco, Team CDO's dynamic five-some of Philip "Papot" Paredes, Justin Protacio, John Carlo Casi¤o, Marco Tayongtong and Dennis Jabagat complemented well in the hardcourt battle with the best from other regions to share the POF's crowning glory.
"Nagbunga ra gihapon ang mga sakripisyo ni Boydacs ug sa mga bata. I'm very proud of their achievement in the national level competition," said Oro Chowking manager, Ferdie Padilla, an ardent supporter and believer of Dacoco's coaching ability and noble intention to promote local basketball development.
Over at the Badminton Center of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, the gold quest of Corpus Christi's Lennon Hart Salgados in chess event apparently went for naught in the sixth and final round when he yielded to San Sebastian pride Nigel Valenzuela in a Center Counter Game.
With his first round conqueror Homel Aristotle Cunanan being whipped by Medina on the second board to go along with his two successive draws, all that Salgados will have to do is to secure a draw with the white pieces against Valenzuela for him to claim the gold in the 14-under boys level.
But his g3 variation against Valenzuela's d5-counter (Scandinavian) to e4 proved to be his fatal mistake as it left the light squares on his fianchettoed Kingside vulnerable to lasting pressure attack.
"Gikapoy gyod ko wala koy makita nga plano kay sakit na akong mata unya bulog akong ulo," complained Salgados who earlier played board one in a commercial team tourney in Cagayan de Oro before heading straight for the POF games where he also took part in the 5-minute blitz side event and managed to draw with the likes of International Master Emmanuel Senador and National Master Homer Cunanan.
Salgados, whose trip in Manila was bankrolled by Filway President Chito Tagaysay and Cagayan de Oro 1st District Congressman Rolando "Klarex" Uy, settled for bronze behind Valenzuela (gold) and Medina (silver).
On the other hand, Misor's Johnnel Balquin hurdled his final round assignment to finish with a silver in the Men's Open ruled by Iloilo City's veteran campaigner in blitz master Cesar Mariano.
"Abi nako'g winning ko sa among dula mao nga akong gipugos. Ako siguro unta ang mag-gold kon gi draw lang nako kay naa nay perpetual check," regretted Balquin of his forgettable penultimate round duel with Mariano.
Misor's 14-under boys bet Tristan Frech Ibaoc--an eight-year-old find from Corpus Christi--placed fifth as well as Cagayan de Oro's John Vincent Cayaba in the 20-under boys division.
A penultimate round setback to Bukidnon pride Marvin Naduma relegated Misor's Bryan Jose to 11th place in the Men's Open.
"Kon nagsuporta lang si Mayor Jaraula nga ma-budgetan ang Team CDO dako ang possibility nga Cagayan de Oro ang mag-dominate sa POF chess kay gawas kang Lennon nga maganahan unya'g dula labi na'g makasul-ot og uniform..maka-participate sab atong uban nga mga lig-on nga qualifiers," one observer said referring to Loreshyl Cuizon, Cecil Cuizon and Levi Mercado--all strong national masters--who missed the POF action due to budgetary constraints.
