Field in more athletes to collect more points and keep the opposition at bay.
This was the strategy of Abellana National High School (ANS) as it held on to the secondary overall lead in the 21st Cebu City Olympics yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.
ANS struck heavily in all fronts as it padded its total output to 262.5 points after the penultimate day of the week-long, multi-sporting meet.
University of Cebu (UC), which was part of last year’s secondary champion Unit 5 but competing as a lone team this year, posted 181.5 points for second place.
ANS’ lady batters accounted for the bulk of the school’s points harvest yesterday after blanking Sacred Heart, 18-0, in the softball final worth 25 points.
ANS also topped sepak takraw worth 25 points and boys taekwondo worth 15.
It also finished third in girls’ badminton, girls chess, girls taekwondo and mixed scrabble for a combined haul of 29 points.
ANS dancers chipped in 8.5 points by placing second in the dancesport Latin American category.
Even though the meet still has one full day of competition left, ANS is already beyond UC’s reach as it erected an 81-point advantage over the Webmasters. And an ANS rout is in the offing after it send its football and volleyball squads to the final round, assuring them of at least 15 points for each event. UC on the other hand, is in the finals of karatedo and table tennis.
END OF UNIT 5’S DOMINATION
ANS could be the first champion under the new format separating the private and public schools into different units.
This could also mean the end of the UC-led Unit 5’s dominance in the Cebu City Olympics.
“What’s spells the difference in this year’s meet is all the participating teams have equal chances of winning the title since private schools have to stand on their own,” said Ricky Ballesteros, one of the meet organizers.
Hoping to get past ANS, the Webmasters mounted a comeback by winning gold medals in the boys badminton, girls swimming and dancesports. But still failed to overahul ANS’ lead.
The University of San Carlos Basic Education (BED), which ruled the boys swimming event and swept the chess titles, climbed to third spot with 167 points.
USC BED also ruled boys lawn tennis.
Ranked 9th on the fourth-day, the University of San Jose-Recoletos leaped five spots higher with 88. 5 points to secure fourth spot with victories in girls tennis, girls taekwondo and mixed scrabble.
Yesterday, USPF swept the golds in dancesport competition, topping the Latin and Modern Standard categories.
UNIT 8 LEADS ELEMENTARY BATTLE
In the elementary division, Unit 8 snatched the front seat with 155 points, relegating erstwhile leader Unit 2 to third spot with 98.17 USC BED climbed to second place with 115.0 points.
Unit 8 climbed to the top by ruling boxing, swimming (boys and girls) and finishing second in softball, badminton (girls and boys).