KIDDIES standout Dave Ancheta drew strong support from beginners Lance Magloyuan and Djokovic Rosales as Corpus Christi School made a big surprise in the first Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Inter-School Chess Team Tournament concluded on Sunday at the Activity Center of Gaisano City Mall.
To everyone’s bewilderment, the Corpus Christi boys swept the five-round Swiss rapid tourney with a total of 10 match points en route to bagging the championship trophy and medals, courtesy of National Master Roly Tan of Goldcrest Marketing.
In fact, the Little Knights—in taking their first ever team chess title in recent years—dropped just a single loss in all 15 games played on three boards.
“It’s amazing how they won the championship in impressive manner despite nga mga beginners pa kaayo ang back-up ni Ancheta,” said tournament arbiter Lorenzo `Jun’ Cuizon.
“Exciting kini nga development kay forthcoming na ang Mindanao Milo Little Olympics unya ato na’ng makita nga adunay mahitabo nga tight rivalry sa elementary level,” added chess trainer in Barangay 23 chairman and Sun.Star SuperBalita sportswriter Jaime Joshua Frias II.
West City Central School B, anchored by the threesome of Jogavin Garcia, Mark Torres and Joseph dela Rama, amassed 8 match points to grab the second place. While the troika of City Central School A’s Paulo Labradores, Paul Andrew Romanda and Ralph Labradores edged out their counterparts from Iponan Elementary School, Bulua Elementary School B and Camaman-an Elementary School in the ensuing tiebreaker for teams that garnered 6 match points to secure the third place honor.
In elementary girls category, newly-crowned Asean under-8 champion Ruelle `Tawing’ Canino continued to rampage.
The protegee of El Kapitan Frias led the charge as Kauswagan Central School nosed out fellow 9-pointer West City Central School A in the tiebreaker, 13.5 to 11.5 to win the title.
“Gamay kaayo nga bata hawod man diay moduwa,” said Sun.Star General Manager Leonides `Jack’ Biantan of the small but terrible Canino.
Providing Canino an able support were her older sister Rhea Jean Canino and Jamaica Dante.
Former Palaro achiever Lorebina Carrasco II (team gold) played alongside Althea Nicole Borres and Liera Jane Abejuela in leading WCCS A to a runner-up finish, while Bulua Central School clinched solo third with 6 match points behind the triumvirate of Alyza Maestrado, Jamaica Amora and Kaye Carlyn Maestrado.
Playing without their top-board player Catherine Baclayo, the Corpus Christi girls—composed of Joy Almojallas, Jameela Macatoon and Richilly Cuizon Balase—settled at fourth place with 4 match points.