CHAMPS EMERGE
USC, ST. JOHN OF BACOLOD WIN TITLES IN MILO
As the University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BED) reasserted its dominance in the secondary division, a new champion emerge in the elementary division in the 22nd Milo Little Olympics (MLO-Visayas Leg).
The USC-BED defended its secondary title but was unseated by the visiting St. John Institute-Bacolod City in the elementary division when the three-day competition wrapped up yesterday.
USC-BED got 198.75 general championship points in the secondary division, beating powerhouse University of Cebu (UC), which has 173 points, and Abellana National School, which collected 115.5 points.
St. John Institute got 73.5 general championship points en route to winning the elementary division overall title. The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) collected 56.25 points for second place, while the University of the Visayas gathered 51 points for third.
USC-BED and St. John Institute had contrasting paths to their title, the Warriors got the bulk of their points from the lean and mean track and field team, while the latter counted on the swimming squad to climb to the top.
USC-BED gathered 60 points from the secondary athletics event—30 markers apiece from girls’ and boys’ divisions.
Mary Joy Loberanis, who was named the Most Outstanding Athlete (MOA) for secondary girls’ athletics, anchored the track and field team with four gold medals from 800-meter run, 1,500m, 3,000m and 4x400 relay.
The swimming event, boy’s volleyball and chess were the next highest scorers for USCBED as they chipped in 25 points each. USC also got 14 points from tennis, 12.5 points from taekwondo, 10 points each from football, basketball, boys’ table tennis, six points from karatedo and 1.25 points from badminton.
“I never really expected that the athletics team will perform this well. My hats off to the athletes for really giving there all. They were hungry to win since the students want to defend the crown. I’m very happy with there performance,” said track and field coach Arvin Loberanis.
The USC-Bed secondary ath- letics team got nine golds, seven silvers and seven bronzes.
St. Joseph Institute, meanwhile, had a date with history after clinching the elementary championship. The school was the first out-of-town team to snatch the title in 21 years of the Visayas leg in Cebu.
St. Joseph Institute earned its stripes in Cebu’s homecourt as it collected 60 points from the pool, 30 each from the boys’ and girls’ divisions.
The rest of St. Joseph Institute’s points came from basketball (10), taekwondo (2.25) and badminton (1.25).
Tanker Jhanna Neri pocketed the most medals for St. Joseph Institute with six golds, one silver and one bronze and was named the MOA in the elementary girls’ swimming event.
“For the last 10 years we’ve been joining this event and this was the first time that we won it. We’re very overwhelmed and happy. We did not expect this one. Actually we’re about to go home this afternoon. The coaches have already went home, but we parents decided to stay for the awarding,” Violeta Neri, the mother of Jhanna, told sports scribes.
On the other hand, USCBed’s athletic director Saturnino Mayormita could not join the team in the awarding ceremony
as he’s in Manila for a seminar, but he didn’t fail to laud his team.
“I’m very thankful to God for these blessings and to the athletes and coaches for there hard work and dedication on the training. I’m thankful as well to the parents and the administration for the unceasing support,” he said on a text message.
For his part, MLO-Visayas Leg organizer Ricky Ballesteros said that the emergence of the out- of-town school will encourage Cebu-based teams to field a good team next year.
“Overall the event was a success. It’s smooth from start to finish. The athletes were also motivated and encourage since the awarding of MOAs was reinstated. With the emergence of outof-town schools, next year will be more exciting,” he said.
The MOA winners will receive a limited Milo jacket and one year’s supply of Milo products.
The sporting conclave featured 15 sports which were played in different playing venues in Cebu. The top schools in every sport got a corresponding score that reflected on the general championship points.
The event, which was joined by more than 5,000 student-athletes, wrapped up with the awarding ceremony at the SM Seaside Cebu.