Sapong, Andrew win Athlete of the Year plums

If bringing honor to the CNMI through their successes in off-island tournaments is not enough proof that they deserved recognition, I don’t know what else is.

Tennis’ Carol Lee and Robbie Schorr, athletics’ Zarinae Sapong, and Marianas Outrigger Canoe’s Men’s Team’s received the major awards in the 2016 Northern Marianas Sports Association Annual Banquet held last night at the Hibiscus Hall of the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan for their outstanding performances in various competitions outside Saipan.

Lee was named the 2016 NMSA/Tan Siu Lin Foundation Female Student Athlete of the Year for dominating the Pacific Oceania Junior Championship and rising to the world rankings in the ITF Juniors Circuit.

The 15-year-old took both the girls U16 singles and doubles crowns in POJC in Fiji, making her the only player in the entire Pacific Oceania region to have won singles titles in three age groups (U12 and U14 in previous years). She also competed in several ITF Juniors tournaments, making her the highest-ranked female player in the Pacific Oceania at the end of the 2016 season. Early this month, Lee achieved her ranking at No. 341—the best ranking (male and female combined) in the region’s history.

Despite these accomplishments, Lee stays humble and vows to continue representing the Commonwealth well in international competitions.

“It’s a weird thing for me to win awards. I’m just really passionate about tennis and I work really hard to be better every day,” said Lee in a message to Saipan Tribune yesterday.

“But, I’m really grateful and honored to be recognized for my efforts,” added Lee, now a three-time winner of the Female Student Athlete of the Year award, having brought home the same plum in 2013 and 2015. Her family received her third trophy as she is in Fiji and getting ready to fly to New Delhi, India to represent Pacific Oceania in the Oceania Pre Qualifying Zone of the Junior Fed Cup.

Schorr is following Lee to India to suit up for the same elite team and compete in the Junior Davis Cup and the 2016 NMSA/TSL Foundation Male Student Athlete of the Year award was a fitting send-off gift to him.

The Saipan International School student got his second award for ruling the U14 competitions in the 2016 North Pacific Regional Champions and the POJC and ranking first in the Pacific Oceania U14 Circuit.

“I am honored to win again and I would like to thank my parents, coaches, and co-players for their support and encouragement. I would not accomplish these without them,” Schorr said.

Meanwhile, MOC’s men’s crew took the Team of the Year award for its historic sweep in the Micro Cup 2016 held in Palau. The squad was captained by Dino Manning and had Jose Quan, Vince Tudela, Bobby Cruz, Rich Salas, Ketson “Jack” Kabiriel, Billy Grow, Angel San Nicolas, and James Lee as members. The group won the 500m, 1,500m, and long distance races in the Micro Cup, besting their fellow Saipan paddlers and multiple teams from Guam and Palau.

“On behalf of MOC, we would like to thank NMSA for recognizing our efforts. It’s great to be in the company of winners. I hope this award will inspire more people to get into paddling and other sports,” said Cruz.

While Cruz and company made historic wins in Palau, Sapong recorded her accomplishment in Pohnpei. She was named the Outstanding Female Athlete in the 2016 Micronesian Athletics Championships and that recognition was more than enough to win her the 2016 NMSA Female Athlete of the Year.

The Marianas High School graduate brought home two gold medals, one silver, and two bronzes from Pohnpei. She ruled the 100m and 200m races, finished runner-up in the 400m, and helped the CNMI Women’s Team placed third in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

“This is a great honor and I would like to thank my parents, coaches, the Northern Marianas Athletics board and the Oleai Sports Complex staff members for all their help during my training and competitions,” Sapong said.

Completing the roster of athlete-awardees in last night’s recognition ceremony was Saipan Paddling Club’s Joshua Andrew, who was selected the 2016 Male Athlete of the Year. Andrew earned NMSA’s nod for the annual plum after winning in the standup paddling competition and earning Top 3 finishes in the men’s and mixed canoe races in the Inaugural Timmy Would Go Memorial Paddle Classic.

“It’s my first time to win an award in NMSA so I am very thankful. This award will only inspire me to work harder and be consistent in training,” Andrew said.