By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
MARIANAS High School was crowned the new girls high school division champion of the PSS-NMIVA Interscholastic Volleyball League for SY 2025–2026 on Friday night after securing a convincing victory over Saipan Southern High School in a decisive two-set match, 21–12, 21–11, at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The win ended Grace Christian Academy’s eight-year reign as the dominant force in the girls high school division.
MHS advanced to the championship round unscathed, giving the team a one-set advantage heading into the finals against SSHS, which had lost once to the same opponent earlier in the tournament.
From the opening serve, MHS established a commanding presence, powered by a high-energy offense and solid floor defense. The squad’s seamless rotation and sharp communication allowed them to quickly pull ahead, with Erica Zandueta, Ella Hall, Jana Agbuya, and the rest of the roster executing effectively. Highlighted by impactful spikes and well-placed tips, they kept SSHS’s defense scrambling and maintained momentum to close out the first set, 21–12.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with MHS controlling most of the action. Despite adjustments from SSHS, MHS continued to capitalize on its strengths, with a particularly potent offense that limited the effectiveness of the opponent’s defensive setups.
Led by their veteran players, MHS maintained focus and a relentless pace, extending the lead to double digits before sealing the match, 21–11.
With their one-set advantage, MHS claimed three consecutive sets in the finale to capture the championship.
The MHS roster includes Erica Zandueta, Ella Hall, Charlotte Amano, Gail Amano, Jana Agbuya, Keala Takeda, Genecia Agulto, Rhodalyn Zandueta, Jayme Vargas, Lina Tsukagoshi, Abbie Seolyn Kim, Hiromi Sasamoto, and Emma Sablan. The team is led by head coach Don Cabrera and assistant coach Ryutaro Litulumar.
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.
