By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE intensity reached a fever pitch on Day 2 of the PSS Athletic Programs and Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association’s Boys High School Volleyball Recovery Tournament, with Marianas High School and Saipan Southern High School securing their spots in the finals at the Agape Christian School gymnasium on Wednesday afternoon.
MHS remained the tournament’s biggest threat, finishing the day with an unblemished 4-0 record.
MHS earned its third consecutive win against SSHS in straight sets.
Their match was intense. While SSHS kept the score close with excellent transition play led by Kian Helgen, Felipe Crisostomo, Josh Aque, and the rest of the squad, they were unable to take the lead due to untimely errors and difficulty breaking through their opponent’s defensive line.
MHS relied on clutch execution orchestrated by powerful spikes from Apostel, Nuyles, and Teigita during late-set rallies, taking the first set 21-16 and repeating the result in the second set 21-17.
MHS then put an exclamation point on the day, delivering a masterclass against Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr./Sr. High School. Dominating at the net and executing precise sets, MHS controlled the first set 21-13 and followed with an even stronger performance, 21-10, solidifying its status as the team to beat heading into the final day of the tournament.
Although SSHS suffered defeat, it quickly rebounded, asserting dominance against RHI. Capitalizing on unforced errors, SSHS controlled both sets to secure a comfortable 21-14, 21-15 victory, followed by a second straight win against Tinian Jr./Sr. High School, 21-19, 21-14, earning its spot in the finals against MHS.
The battle for the consolation match remained wide open.
KHS came out with a point to prove, overwhelming RHI from the opening serve. With strong defensive rotations and aggressive frontline attacks, KHS cruised through the first set 21-10 and sealed a dominant straight-sets victory with a 21-12 second set.
The match of the day belonged to KHS and TIN. KHS edged a nail-biting first set 25-23, but TIN responded with a tactical shift to claim the second set 21-19. In the deciding third frame, TIN carried the momentum, pulling away late to complete the comeback 15-10 in a dramatic finish.
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.
