By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE race for the boys middle school division crown in the PSS-NMIVA Interscholastic Volleyball League SY 2025-26 is heating up, with Hopwood Middle School notching its third win as the second week of games concluded with high-intensity matchups at the Marianas High School gym on Thursday.
Hopwood remains undefeated after collecting its third straight victory, edging Francisco M. Sablan Middle School in a three-set thriller.
FMS controlled the opening set, capitalizing on early jitters. Anthony Aldan, Trievohn Rivera, and Rylan Tangcoy spearheaded a coordinated attack that left Hopwood with little room to respond, sealing the set, 21-9.
Despite the rough start, Hopwood returned in the second set with renewed intensity. With Price Rappanut and Zian Lavarias leading the charge at the net, Hopwood dictated the pace and unleashed a barrage of spikes. Although FMS held its ground, it failed to close the gap as Hopwood pulled away for a 21-15 win.
The decisive third set saw both teams battling for control. However, a string of unforced errors by FMS shifted momentum to Hopwood, which capitalized to secure the match, 15-7.
SIS vs Chacha
Another three-set thriller unfolded between Saipan International School and Chacha Ocean View Middle School.
Chacha entered the contest seeking its third consecutive win, but SIS had other plans.
The opening set was a gritty exchange, with both teams trading points until a costly SIS error allowed Chacha to escape with a 22-20 victory.
In the second set, Chacha nearly closed out the match. SIS, however, mounted a late comeback behind relentless returns and timely spikes to claim the set, 21-19.
Riding that momentum, SIS asserted control in the third set with aggressive net play and strong defensive coverage, cruising to a 15-5 win to secure the match.
Tanapag vs Dandan
Tanapag Middle School also triumphed in another three-set matchup, defeating Dandan Middle School, 21-14, 19-21, 15-7 while the game between Mount Carmel School and Saipan Community School was rescheduled.
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.
