Thursday, October 09, 2008 USC wins 3 of 4 titles in Cesafi tennis
THE University of San Carlos netters dominated the high school tennis competition of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. last week at the Pardo Tennis Club.
The USC squad, boasting of several players with international exposures, banked on their experience to win three out of four gold medals at stake. USC won the girls singles and doubles titles and the boys doubles competition.
Leading the charge was Sally Mae Siso, who defeated teammate Cheska Tabotabo in the finals. Siso recently earned a ticket to Malaysia after topping the qualifying competition in Manila.
Siso’s older sister Sallydine and Arafura Games 2007 gold medalist Kristel Mae Buenacosa, defeated Christine Belleza and Hannah Espinosa of University of the Visayas for the doubles crown.
Twins Christian John and Christian Paul Cabahug won the boys doubles title over Amiel Aya-ay and Jayvee Canoy of University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R).
Preventing a USC sweep was UV’s John Francis Largo, who defeated USC’s Bernardine Niño Siso in the finals of the boys singles.
Meanwhile, tournament director Fritz Tabura defended the format used in the competition.
Tabura said there were people who questioned the straight eight scoring system, which is usually used in commercial tennis competitions.
“This is the system used in the Cesafi tennis competitions ever since. This is based on the scoring used in the Private Schools Athletic Association and even in some national meets,” Tabura said.
Tabura also explained that they wanted to align their system as that of the Prisaa so as not to confuse the athletes since the winners of the Cesafi will be sent to the Prisaa.
In the college division, Kennex Abadia of USJ-R collared the men’s singles title after defeating Oswaldo Dumoran of UV. (MCB)
