CBC off to strong start in Traders tourney

Community Badminton Club debuted in the 7th Traders Insurance Team Tournament with a 20-10 victory against the Golden Racquets over the weekend at the TSL Sports Complex.

The youthful club, which is bannered by U18 players, won its opening game in Northern Marianas Badminton Association’s season-ending event after topping seven events—men’s A and B doubles, women’s A, AB, and C doubles, and mixed A and AB divisions. Golden Racquets won the men’s C doubles, mixed B, and women’s BC events to earn 10 points.

Andreau Galvez and Jexler Caranto were CBC’s entries to the men’s doubles A and they swept Edwin Montoya and Alvin Alvarez, 21-10, 21-18, to give their club 3 points. A win via sweep earns a club 3 points and 2 for a three-game victory.

In the men’s doubles B, Ezekiel Macario and Jordan Pangilinan also needed only two games to beat Edwin Maratas and Daniel Shen, 21-17, 21-17.

In the women’s A division, Jordan’s sister, Janelle teamed up with Jen Savellano and the U18 pair notched a victory against veterans Marylyn Montano and Lucelle Lampera. Savellano and Pangilinan won the opening game by 6 points, 21-15, before eking out a tough 21-20 victory in the second.

In the women’s AB doubles, Savellano teamed up with anew with Pangilinan and foiled the upset bid of Anna Alvarez and So Young. The CBS duo cruised to a 21-9 victory in the opening game, but failed to close the match early when Alvarez and Young pulled off a 21-15 win in the second. Savellano and Pangilinan then regrouped quickly and coasted to a 21-11 triumph in the deciding third game.
In the women’s C doubles, Havikka Farro partnered with Mykki Caracut in thwarting Michelle Santos and teammate. Farro and Caracut labored a 21-20 win in the opening game before dominating their foes in the second, 21-7.

Farro got her second win in the opening week of the tournament after conniving with Galvez in defeating Maratas and Alvarez in the mixed doubles AB, 21-12, 21-19. In the mixed doubles AB, CBC also earned a sweep with Caranto and Caracut prevailing against Cheng Saturno and Montoya, 21-14, 21-16.

Golden Racquets avoided a shutout in the mixed doubles after Shen and Merle Savellano won over Almond Edralin and Patricia Abantao in the B division, 21-15, 21-16. Also gaining a two-game win and handing Golden Racquets its second victory were Eydie Uy and Ronnie Tan, who outclassed Kevin Park and Jeremy Montenejo, 21-12, 21-14.

Meanwhile, Golden Racquets started its second assignment last week, leading Taga, 9-6, while CBC faced a 6-9 deficit against two-time champion Saipan Badminton Club.

With the full results of the first two pairings in and pending completion of the two more duels last week, team standings show Shirley’s and CBC tied for first with 26 points (games won), followed by Golden Racquets (19), Taga (10), and SBC (9). Matches will resume this weekend.