By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE ladies of Marianas High School proved they are the team to beat this season after delivering a flawless performance during the opening week of the PSS-NMNPSF Interscholastic Outrigger Race Series SY25-26, at Kilili Beach on Saturday.
In the grueling 1,000-meter event — which requires not only speed but precision in the turns — MHS left no doubt about its dominance.
During the preliminary round, MHS clocked a blistering 6:07.06 to earn seven points, finishing more than 25 seconds ahead of its nearest competitor, Mount Carmel School, which posted a 6:33.01 but was later disqualified and ruled ineligible for points. Saipan Southern High School moved up to claim five points with a time of 6:42.01, while Kagman High School settled for third in the standings with a 6:42.02 for three points.
The finals saw a tightening of the field, but MHS remained untouchable, crossing the line in 6:04.06 — shaving three seconds off its preliminary time — to secure 14 points for the win.
Saipan Southern took second in 6:35.06 to earn 10 points, while Kagman finished third in 6:47.04 for six points. Mount Carmel suffered another disqualification in the finals and failed to add to its tally.
The 500-meter sprint showcased explosive speed. Once again, the MHS crew displayed superior synchronization, posting a prelim time of 2:42.20 — the fastest mark of the day across all heats.
Kagman placed second in the prelims with a 2:49.60, followed by Mount Carmel at 2:54.20. Saipan Southern clocked 2:51.20 but was disqualified.
The finals produced the most dramatic finish of the afternoon. MHS maintained its gold-standard performance, clocking 2:43.02 to claim first place. The battle for second was fierce, as Saipan Southern finished in 2:57.04, narrowly edging Mount Carmel (2:57.00) in a razor-close finish that kept the Kilili Beach crowd on its feet. Kagman completed the race in 2:57.04 to finish fourth.
Results from the boys and mixed divisions will be published in the next edition of Variety.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
