Open 8-ball victory for Voyagers

PTI Voyagers won all four games against USSP Wat-Ever en route to winning the Agingan Division of the Saipan Billiards Association’s Budweiser Open 8-Ball League Tuesday night at the USS Peleliu Club in Garapan.

It was the first ever team championship for Voyagers after their closest pursuer SaipanCell Hustlers dominated the league the past two competitions.

In a season that saw the Voyagers and Hustlers alternate the top spot in the Agingan Division, the latter put the finishing touches in their title run by sweeping Wat-Ever in their own turf.

R.J. Mascarinas was the first to put Voyagers on the board when he beat Ed Manucdoc. Jean Cadag then defeated Nolas Kapileo to make it 2-0 before Jojo Talibong gave the team an unassailable lead of 3-0 after he downed Ace Elameto.

Captain Rolly Villanueva and Ryan Odicta then completed the sweep after taking down Norman Tenorio and Simon Kapileo in the final two games.

The 4-0 win gave Voyagers a 48-12 win-loss record at season’s end, two games ahead of Hustlers (46-14). The loss left Wat-Ever with a 19-41 mark.

Villanueva said the victory was sweet after they finished runner-up to Hustlers the past couple of seasons. For the record, Voyagers won two of three games against their archrivals this season.

He added that total team effort and cooperation were keys for their season-long brilliance. Villanueva also said key additions Cadag and Amor Zapanta also gave the team a new dimension.

Asked who did most of the heavy lifting during their championship run, Villanueva didn’t bat an eyelash and said that Talibong was a force for them this past season.

Last but certainly not the least, the Voyagers captain also thanked PTI and their home bar, Jonny’s Bar, for sponsoring the team’s entry this season.

Hustlers, meanwhile, finished in unfamiliar territory by coming in second to Voyagers despite also sweeping Coral Reef Shark Attack (14-46) in its final game Tuesday night.

The only other game in the Agingan Division saw Godfather’s Rock Steady (19-41) score a 3-1 win over Island Rent A Car (34-26).

In the Obyan Division, Primo’s Home Boys took home the championship despite losing to D’Pirates Huwa, 1-3, last Tuesday.

Home Boys wound up with a 40-21 slate, only half a game ahead of Perfect Spotters which finished 39-21 following its 4-0 win over VFW Warriors.

Huwa and Warriors bowed out with 29-31 and 18-42 win-loss records, respectively.

USSP Fotten Palau (33-27) and Coral Reef Barracuda (21-39) settled for a tie in their own match-up Tuesday.

Pacific Amusement, the same company that runs the leagues of the Saipan Electronic Darts Association, organizes the SBA-Budweiser Open 8-Ball League.

For more information about the Budweiser SBA Open 8-Ball League and SEDA, contact Charlotte Tenepere at 233-4397.