Week of sports extravaganza

Tennis, Little League baseball, swimming, beach volleyball, basketball … and the list went on, as the CNMI sports community had it all last week.

Northern Mariana Island Tennis Association started the busy week with the conclusion of its 2009 Coconut Classic Tennis Tournament at the American Memorial Park tennis courts.

After two weekends of action, the tournament announced the winners in the boys and girls’ 10-and-under, 14-and-under, and 18-and-under age groups, men’s and women’s open, and in the mixed up doubles.

Over at Pacific Islands Club, Saipan Swim Club hosted 4th Annual Meek & Mighty Ocean Swim.

Cooper Graf successfully defended his title in the 5,000-meter Mighty division with a record-breaking swim. Graf timed in one hour, 2 minutes in the 5,000-meter Mighty swim, shattering his own mark of 1:03:16, which he posted in last year’s edition of the annual event.

Other top winners were Grace Kimball (women’s mighty), Maxi Braig and Melanie Daly (meek), and Kieran Daly and Abigail Martinsen (tweener).

At the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield, Saipan Little League Baseball kicked off its 2009 season with the traditional parade of 31 teams participating in the Majors, Juniors, Seniors, and Big League divisions.

Close to 500 players are competing in the SLLB this season with the Hustlers opening its bid in the Majors on a winning note after a 7-4 win over the Dragons.

While little leaguers were busy swinging bats at the “Tan Ko” field and at the Miguel “Basa” Pangelinan Ballfield, the island’s beach spikers were trading volleys and serves during the Fiesta on the Beach Two-Person Beach Volleyball Tournament at the Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan.

The pairs of Tyce Mister and Chris Nelson and Melissa Halaby and Mel Matson ruled the Marianas Cup warm-up tournament.

In bowling, youth kegler Raphael Zapanta made it two in a row after winning the February edition of the Fiji Water Prince/Princess of the Lanes Tenpin Bowling Tournament at the Saipan Bowling Center. Zapanta also prevailed in the January roll-off.

Ador Dimaano and Diane Camacho took the Budweiser King and Queen plums for this month.

In golf, Bennet Seman topped the 2009 CNMI Women’s Golf Association February Tournament at the Coral Ocean Point, while Jhun Ortiz prevailed in the 2009 Fil-Taga Golfers Association February Ace of the Month Tournament at the Marianas Country Club.

Other leagues in the CNMI went ahead as scheduled.

Aqua Resort Club and Hyatt claimed their second win in the 2009 Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino Invitational Basketball League after beating Saipan World Resort, 91-89, and Asia Pacific Hotel, Inc, 93-90, at the Tinian Municipal Gymnasium.

In the 2008-2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, the CNMI Junior Nationals went 2-for-2 in a week winning over IT& E, 104-85, and against Docomo Pacific in double overtime, 92-91.

Still in basketball, Kagman High School and Marianas High School made it into the finals of both the girls and boys division of the 2008-2009 MISO Basketball League.

In softball, Finance recorded the biggest win of the week, stunning the league-leader Northern Marianas College, 18-10, in the women’s division of the 2008 Inter-Government/Business Slow-pitch Softball League night at the Capital Hill Ballfield.

To cap a busy week for CNMI sports community, Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association held the 2008 NMASA Annual Sports Banquet Thursday night at the Seaside Hall of Saipan Grand Hotel.

NMASA named swimmer Rezne Wong and sprinter Yvonne Bennett Athletes of the Year, while voted Student Athletes of the Year were Marianas High School’s Jericho Cruz and Jacque Wonenberg.

Athletics and basketball’s Elias Rangamar was selected Coach of the Year, while golfer Jess Wabol was inducted to the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame.

NMASA also recognized athletes and student athletes of the month in 2008. The list included Ji Hoon Heo, Eli Torgeson, Tyce Mister, Jack Kabiriel, Nicky San Nicolas, Sarah Johnson, Marystar Welch, Grace Kimball, Mieko Carey, Maimi Shimizu, Maimi Oshima-Berger, Becca Newman, Rafael Jones, Kai Staal, Christian Miller, Trevor Ogumoro, Kensuke Kimura, Caleb Arriola, Raphael Zapanta, Abigail Martinsen, Lia Rangamar, Angel Marie Tan, Thea Minor, and Roxanne Duenas.