By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
IN a display of steady composure and offensive consistency, Agape Christian School captured the co-ed elementary school division championship of the PSS-NMIVA Interscholastic Volleyball League on Saturday, defeating Garapan Elementary School 1 in a decisive 25-13 victory at the Marianas High School gym.
The final showdown began with high energy from both sides: ACS held an undefeated record, while GES 1 entered with momentum after an epic 25-21 comeback against William S. Reyes Elementary School 2.
Despite coming off a win, GES 1 was quickly brought to its knees as ACS established a rhythm that was difficult to break. As one of the few teams to utilize the three-touch bump, set, and spike technique, ACS controlled the pace with strong overhand serves and consistent spikes, pulling ahead comfortably, 10-3.
GES 1 fought back valiantly, with Connie Cosmes leading the charge, returning each possession with force to catch defenders off guard. Ultimately, fatigue took its toll, and ACS capitalized on unforced errors, maintaining a ten-point cushion to win 25-13 and secure the championship trophy.
David Yang, Johnny Shen, and Abraham Qin were the stars of the match, receiving, setting, and spiking with precision to maintain forward pressure for ACS.
ACS’s path to gold was a masterclass of consistency. Their tournament journey included a dominant run through the winner’s bracket. ACS, unfazed by postseason pressure, defeated WSR 2, 25-13, then overcame a tough KOB 1 squad in the semifinals with a 25-12 victory, advancing to the winner’s bracket final. In their first meeting with GES 1, ACS displayed their prowess with another 25-12 victory, forcing GES 1 into the loser’s bracket.
Despite the finals loss, Garapan Elementary School 1 earned their place on the podium through sheer grit. After being sent to the loser’s bracket by ACS, GES 1 fought back with a 25-21 win over WSR 2 to earn a rematch in the championship round.
ACS’s roster includes David Yang, Johnny Shen, Abraham Qin, Edison Liu, Darren Wu, Elizabeth Shi, Lydia Li, and Connie Zhu.
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.
