By R. Vincent Tupaz
For Variety

ON Saturday, St. Patty must have shed his traditional green fashion and donned the black and silver colors that make up the Simon Sanchez Sharks as the Luck of the Irish seemed to shine upon the athletes of the Yigo school.
The Sharks clinched two Independent Interscholastic Athletic Association of Guam league titles. In the afternoon they clinched the boys’ Rugby Cup. Later that evening, the school’s top hoopsters dethroned the defending champions, the Father Duenas Friars 46-39 in high school basketball to take the crown.
The Sharks met the Friars at the University of Guam Field House in Mangilao and claimed the gold. FD came close just once during the championship game tying the game late in the match 35-35. The Sharks buckled down and pulled away with shot off the glass, a free throw and a rebound.
The Sharks Robin Gabriel recorded 13 points and a number of rebounds. The Friars Jude Martinez matched Gabriel with 13 points of his own in the losing effort.
In the consolation match, the George Washington Geckos defeated the Guam High Panthers 44-42.
In the Junior Varsity league, the younger teams met in tournament play at FD’s Phoenix Center in Mangilao to see who would go on to challenge the top seeded Southern High Dolphins. FD beat the John F. Kennedy Islanders early in the day 65-58 but lost to the Sanchez Sharks 62-51 and placed third. On Tuesday, the Sharks will meet the Dolphins and the Dolphins need to win for a sweep. However if the Sharks win, a final game will be played on Thursday to determine the JV Champion.
In Rugby Action, the Sharks also claimed the gold from the Friars as they shocked the Friar community besting them 22-17. The Friars are two-time defending Champs. However, on Saturday at Wettengel, the Sharks walked away with the cup.
As well, the Norte Dame Lady Royals earned the coveted Ladies Rugby Cup by downing the Academy of Our Lady of Guam Cougars 38-26.