All-Schools resume today

The Public School System/McDonald’s All-Schools Athletics Championship resume its finals starting today after being cancelled last week due to Tropical Storm Dolphin passing through the Marianas.

Today’s events will be held at the Oleai Sports Complex with the championship moving to the Hopwood Junior High School grounds on Friday and Saturday.

Close to 400 kids in the boys’ and girls’ Under-8, U10, U12, U14, and U18 divisions will be competing in various running and field events where the top three finishers to be awarded medals.

Koblerville Elementary School’s Isaiah Aleksenko and Beck Walter are favored to win in their respective events with the former topping the qualifiers in the boys U8 200 meter, 400m, 800m, and 1,500m runs.

Walter had the fastest times in the U8 girls’ 60m and 100m runs, while fourth in the 200m and 400m runs.

In the boys’ U10 division, Oleai Elementary School’s Devin Igisomar and Jonathan Wolf are expected to contend for a podium finish in the sprint events (60m, 100m, and 200m), while Dylan Mister is heavily favored in middle distance (400m, 800m, and 1,500m).

Madelein Sablan and Josephine Villagomez will try to lead Koblerville’s charge in the girls U10 division. Sablan is entered in the 60m, 100m, and 200m runs, while Villagomez will try her luck in the 400m, 800m, and 1,500m events.

Others to watch out for are Oleai’s Marty Taisacan and Raven Francicso (boys’ U12), and Aiko Rasiang and Nichko Rasiang (girls’ U12), and Rintaro Miyawaki (boys U12) of Saipan International School; Dandan Middle School’s Sean Delgado and Hopwood Junior High’s Noel Cabrera and Neldrey Skerei, San Antonio Middle School’s Tarrence Babauta, and Ken Song of Saipan Community School (boys’ U14); Hopwood’ Jessme Jones and Chevy Alipio, SAMS’ Tyvieann They, and Agape Christian School’s Annie Wang.

Marianas High School’s Donavin Ada, Jerald Castillo, and Evan Miller (boys’ U18), and Zarinae Sapong (girls’ U18) are hoping to that their experience in the recently concluded Oceania Athletics Association Championship are enough to help them clinch a podium finish.

Ada won the bronze in boys’ shotput in Cairns, Australia; while Castillo, Miller, and Sapong recorded personal bests in their respective events.

Gabrielle Race and Friendly Joy Pena are also expected to deliver for MHS.

Tinian has sent Covey Mendiola, Moses Reyes, Daniel Alvares (boys’ U8), Allayna Sablan (girls’ U8); Collin Dela Cruz, Dallace Crawford, Nino Pascua, and Saim Ali (boys’ U10, Mikyla Cunanan, Guillermina San Nicolas, and Pritzel Carreon (girls’ U10); Chit Accolador (boys’ U12) and Cheralaine Epity (girls’ U12); Joshua Hofschneider (boys’ U14); and Elton Hofschneider, Michael Cabulay, Jayron Epity, Peter Anore, Elvin Borja, Michael Naputi, and Zachariah Hofschneider (boys’ U18).

Organizers of the annual All-Schools event would like to thank PSS and McDonald’s Saipan, and statisticians Sylvan and Meng Rangamar for painstakingly finalizing the meet rosters and events.