Newcomers crowned champions

Taga Badminton Club’s Midori Obi and Kazuko Sondheim capped their impressive tournament debut with a title win in the women’s C division of the 2012 Tan Holdings Badminton Doubles Competition last Saturday at the TSL Sports Complex.

The Japanese pair won its first contest after sweeping the Berks Blazers’ Jane Tupaz and Arlene Naguit in the finals, 21-15, 21-19. The newly crowned champions advanced to the finals after slipping past Saipan Badminton Club’s Esther Choi and Alma Ortega, 21-19, 21-17, while Naguit and Tupaz prevailed against Taga’s Rose Lazaro and Irish Pagarao in the other semis game last Friday.

Midori and Sondheim drew first blood in the finale, as the former made good shot placement, while the latter was active hustling to return short and long shots. Then in the second game, the Taga pair continued to dominate the match and moved within two points of wrapping up the finale, 19-14, before Naguit and Tupaz rallied. Naguit made a couple of smashes to spark a comeback and the Blazers duo managed to tie the game, 19-19. However, Naguit and Tupaz failed to sustain their momentum when the former committed back-to-back errors, failing to hit the shuttlecock on both occasions.

Meanwhile, duplicating Midori and Sondheim’s title win was the pair of Son Jae Ok and Kim Young Seok, who also had a straight set victory in the finals against JP Nopia and Carlo Dotimas.

The Saipan Badminton Club tandem won the opening game with a six-point margin, 21-15, and then struggled in the second game before pulling off a 21-17 triumph. Nopia and Dotimas tried to rally back in the second game to extend the match, moving within two, 17-19, but committed two costly errors to bow out of the contest. Nopia was called for the first error when he tried to go for a smash, but jumped early and failed to return the shuttlecock. Then after two exchanges, Dotimas committed the second error when his return hit the net.

Dotimas and Nopia marched into the title game after winning over Eydie Uy and Jordan Pangelinan, while Son and Kim took the second semis seat after ousting Joel Ortega and Park Sang Do.

Only the men’s and women’s C doubles finals were completed last Saturday, while the men’s and women’s A and B championship games were played last night and results were unavailable at press time.

In the women’s B doubles, Cheng Saturno and Marylyn Montano claimed the first finals berth after defeating Elma Labuson and Toshiko Obata in the semifinals last Saturday night, 23-21, 23-21. Lee So Young and Heo In Seouk, Merlie Tolentino and Cristy Vllaflor, and Lucelle Lampera and Annette Quiambao fought for the remaining finals berth last Saturday.

In the men’s B doubles, Puy Macario and Chris Hilario swept Jerry Tan and Rodwealth Espana, 21-19, 21-16, to clinch the first finals seat. Macario and Hilario was set to face in the finals the tandem of Jexler Caranto and Oh Im Bog, who won over Lito Mendoza and Narlou Achas in the other semis pairing, 21-7, 21-6.