GCA regains JV volleyball title

 From last year’s pushover to this season’s top finisher.
Grace Christian Academy redeemed itself from a disappointing performance last year after clinching the junior varsity crown in the 2011-2012 Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association Volleyball League yesterday at the Mt. Carmel School Gymnasium in Chalan Kanoa.

The Eagles swept Whispering Palms in the finals, 29-27, 25-16, to regain the championship they lost last season to Saipan Community School. GCA, which ruled the 2009-2010 season after beating Mt. Carmel, failed to defend its title last year, as it placed seventh among eight teams in the regular season with a so-so 6-10 record and was knocked off early in the first round of the playoffs.

The Eagles played last season under new coach Jennifer Douglas, who struggled with her relatively young roster in her debut, but managed to build a better team this year.

“I was new to the team last year and some of the veteran players moved up to the varsity division, we my first year was all about building the foundation of the squad. Fortunately, after one season, players jelled and we were able to win this year,” Douglas said.

The champion team is composed of Josiah Trinidad, Kimi and Joshua Tenorio, Serafina Rogoyawa, Noah Camacho, Alyssa Jade Nunez, Neill Conti, Matthew Mamaril, Chesca Dalusung, Allexa Go, Angela Cruz, Mulan Ta, Billy Hinson, and new recruit Jonathan Libut, who transferred from Tinian.

“Jonathan was a great addition on the team. He has been playing volleyball on Tinian and when he moved here, he quickly adjusted and blended well with his new teammates,” Douglas added.

Libut went on to make it to the All-Conference Team, joining Mt. Carmel’s Charlene Reyes, Calvary Christian Academy’s Kevin Rhee, Whispering Palms’Aaron Lee, Marianas Baptist Academy’s Fritz Trinidad, and Saipan International School’s Emily Jones. GCA’s Billy Hinson was not on the selected list, but took the top individual honors this season when he was awarded the MVP trophy.

Hinson and Libut delivered clutch hits for GCA in a neck-and-neck first set, lifting the Eagles to a 29-27 victory in the extended opening set. In the second set, Whispering Palms managed to keep pace with GCA only in the first few plays, tying the game at 7-all, before the Eagles pulled away, 15-8. GCA never looked back and wrapped up the title game shortly when Whispering Palm’s Tommy Choi returned the ball strong and the leather went pass the right sideline.

The victory over Whispering Palms allowed GCA to avenge its 2008 title lost to the Terns. The Eagles and Terns finished this year’s regular season with similar 12-2 records and split their games. Whispering Palms took the No. 1 seeding based on points and defeated MBA in the semis to advance to the finals. GCA prevailed over SIS in the other semis pairing after getting a big break in the third set.