Seven nominated for 2008 Male Athlete of the Year

Seven outstanding athletes will be battling for the prestigious 2008 Male Athlete of the Year Award with the winner to be known next month.

The list includes swimming’s Rezne Wong, tennis’ Ji Hoon Heo, triathlon’s Eli Torgeson and Tyce Mister, athletics’ Jack Kabiriel, baseball’s Nicky San Nicolas, and basketball’s Jericho Cruz.

Wong won the Male Athlete of the Month title for February tying Heo.

The two youth athletes got the nod of NMASA members with Wong topping the 3rd Annual Saipan Swim Club Heptathlon and setting a new CNMI age-group record (boys’ 17 to 18) in the 100m breaststroke.

Wong went on to claim four more monthly plums making it back-to-back in April and May, winning for the fourth time in October, and notching his last in November.

Wong grabbed the April title after finishing first in the 200m individual medley and 100m backstroke, and second in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle in the Guam Swimming Federation All-Island Invitational.

The following month, Wong returned to Guam and took the High Point Trophy in the 2008 Guam Championships after winning four gold medals, three silver, and three bronze. On top of his 10-medal haul, Wong reset the CNMI age-group record in the 100m breaststroke.

Heo shared the February honors with Wong after beating CNMI coach Jeff Race in the men’s open division finals of the 2008 Coconut Classic Tennis Championships.

In March, there was only one winner in Torgeson, who earned the votes of NMASA members after his fourth place finish in the Saipan XTERRA Championships. He was the fastest CNMI bet in the race and later was the top CNMI finisher, anew, in the Tagaman Triathlon. He also competed in the Guam XTERRA and placed second overall.

In July, Torgeson canned his second Athlete of the Month award after an impressive showing in the 6th OREXTERRA, finishing the grueling 750m swim, 15k mountain bike, and 3K trail run on top of the field.

Kabiriel, the June titlist, was among the CNMI athletes who stood their ground against some of the best in the Oceania region during the Oceania Championships.

He made it into the finals of the 110m and 400m hurdles and won silver medals in the 3000m steeplechase and mixed medley relay. He also set a CNMI record in the 3000m steeplechase.

In August, Saipan Major League held its most-stretched out title series with Rock Steady outclassing the Joeten Motors Rangers in a best-of-five finals, 3-2.

San Nicolas pitched for Rock Steady in the deciding Game 5 and led his team to a win. He was later named Finals MVP and NMASA’s Athlete of the Month for August.

In October, it was Mister’s turn to get recognition following his third place finish in the 50k division of the 2nd Annual Hell of the Marianas Century Cycle.

Qualifying last for the 2008 NMASA Male Athlete of the Year title was youth cager Jericho Cruz, who starred in the 5th Annual Christmas Basketball Jam at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Cruz played for the G-Stars and scored 33 points in the finals en route to leading his team to an 86-77 title win over Rollers A.

NMASA members will make the selection of the top athletes of 2008 in their second monthly meeting on Feb. 5 and winners will be awarded during the NMASA Sports Banquet tentatively set for Feb. 19.