Tuesday, April 01, 2008 Xugs's Coquilla tops kiddies tilt
THE biggest boy and the most experienced in the 13-under field, Jason Chezter Coquilla of Xavier University Grade School (XUGS) went on to top the 1st Crusaders Kiddies chess championship 2008 on Sunday at the Capitol Park in Cagayan de Oro City.
Barely surviving the first round of the knockout matches where he literally passed through the gauntlet against 8-year-old lass Julie Anne Opema, Coquilla also had tougher times in the next two rounds before pulling through all the same.
Coquilla beat Keith Ibaoc, 2-1 in the semifinals then whipped the younger Tristan Ibaoc, 3-0 in the finals to pocket the P500 top purse plus trophy.
"Suwerte lang gyod iyang pagdaug kay pilde na siya kang Opema nasayop lang ang bata. Makatabang gyod ang sige'g baging sa chess park kontra sa mga dagko kay taas iyang lahotay," arbiter Jokorn Maestrado said of Coquilla.
Keith, who edged out Coquilla in their tie-breaking match during the City Triangular Meet, beat fellow Corpus Christi player Alyssa Isaiah Jamaca to bag the third prize behind Coquilla and second-running Tristan Ibaoc.
Completing the top-8 finishers are Opema of Rosevale School, Lendrix John Salgados of Bonbon Elementary School and Kenneth Norman Honculada and Lloyd Neri of Xavier University Grade School.
The four of them -- Coquilla, Keith Ibaoc, Jamaca and Opema -- will see action in the Regional Meet Palarong Pampook, which opens at the Pelaez Sports Center in Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday.
"At least, nakapadula `ta as tune-up bout for our elementary bets in the NMRAA meet. We hope to stage another kiddies tourney by May," said event organizer, Engineer Roger Golez Jr. (LLS)
