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PIC Guam takes title from No Ka Oi
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Posted on Nov 20 2006
The top team on the local scene was unable to beat its southern neighbors as No Ka Oi fell to PIC Guam once again in the finals of the 13th Annual Pacific Islands Club Thanksgiving Softball Tournament.
The three days of underhanded action brought smiles to just about all who went to Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Softball Field to catch a glimpse of the holiday-themed action, but the hometown fans were hoping for the local boys to take down the Guamanians in the championship game.
Instead, the Clubmates took their fourth title in the past five years. PIC Guam opened the tournament with a dominating win over Natibu Friday, 23-11, and was unable to break into double digits in their 9-5 win over Team Harley to start Saturday’s action.
There was no problem with the Guamanian bats in their second game of the day as they hammered No Ka Oi, 25-4, and the win punched their ticket to Sunday’s championship rematch with the local bug killers.
No Ka Oi started the tournament with a bye on Friday and a pair of wins over Omais and Da Boyz before suffering their first loss to PIC Guam that dropped them to the losers’ bracket.
Once there, No Ka Oi fished itself out with an 18-12 win over Natibu that got them another shot at the defending champions on Sunday.
There was a different format for the 2006 edition as each team was required to have at least two ladies in the line-up during the slow-pitch double elimination tournament. According to tournament coordinator Jon Cramer, the new format was a hit with everyone and the ladies performed well at the Oleai Sports Complex.
Cramer said that one of the reasons that tournament went so well was because of the support received from sponsors like Miller Lite, Gatorade, Shell Marianas, and PIC Guam and Saipan.
Last year, local favorite No Ka Oi was upset in the finals by the power-packed team from the PIC Guam, as the Clubmates clubbed the home team, 23-12, on Tan Ge Field.
While the winner of tournament stands to take home a substantial amount of cash, a portion of the proceeds went to the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association.
