Galvez, Espana still perfect, make semis

  The youthful tandem of Andreau Galvez and Rodwealth Espana remained unscathed in the ongoing 2012 Tan Holdings Doubles Badminton Competition, sweeping their first eight games in the elimination round

Fifteen-year-old Espana and the 21-year-old Galvez collected three more wins in last weekend’s elimination games at the TSL Sports Complex to secure the first semis seat in the competitive men’s doubles A division. The Taga Badminton Club members first downed Saipan Badminton Club’s Gary Bandoja and Oh Im Bog last Friday and then defeated SBC’s Efren Cacdac and Joel Ortega, 21-4, 21-8, and Golden Racquet’s Roger Vales and Jojo Savellano, 21-11, 21-17, last Saturday for an impressive 8-0 record.

Espana and Galvez’s semis foes this weekend have yet to be determined, as three teams are still fighting for the last Final Four slot. Mario Diola and Dick Guintu, who finished the elimination round with a 6-4 record, are vying for the fourth and final semis ticket against Macoi Aguda and Wowie Abuel (5-3) and Edwin Maratas and Narlou Achas (5-2).

Shirley’s Badminton Club’s Sam Jones and Glen Bultjens (8-2) and the Berks Blazers’ Ferdie Arago and Gerry Balarao (7-2) are already in the Final Four round, joining the top-seeded pair of Galvez and Espana.

Jones and Bultjens gained the semis entry after saving three more wins last weekend. They prevailed over Vales and Savellano last Friday, 21-16, 21-17; against Abuel and Aguda last Saturday, 21-8, 19-21, 21-13; and versus Bandoja and Oh last Sunday, 21-11, 19-21, 21-15.

Arago and Balarao advanced after notching two victories last week. They won against Guintu and Diola last Friday, 21-18, 16-21, 21-13, and over Saul Gargallo and John Rivera last Saturday, 21-17, 20-22, 21-17.

Meanwhile, the semis cast of the two other divisions in the men’s play is already complete.

In the men’s B division, Jexter Caranto and Oh finished the elimination round with a clean 5-0 record to gain the first semis seat in Pool A. Joing them are Puy Macario and Chris Hilario, who earned a 4-1 card. Rounding out the semifinalists were Pool B’s Jerr Tan and Espana (3-0) and Lito Mendoza and Achas (3-1).

In the men’s C doubles, Pool A’s Son Jae Ok and Kim Uoung Seok were also undefeated (4-0) to barge into the semis, joining Eydie Uy and Jordan Pangelinan (3-1). Carlo Dotimas and J.P. Nopia (4-0) and Ortega and Park Sang Do (3-1) took the two other semis slots in Pool B.

The semifinal games will be played tomorrow, while the championship matches are scheduled this Sunday.