By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE regular season of the PSS-NMBA Interscholastic Badminton League SY25-26 concluded at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium on Saturday, with the top six teams in the co-ed high school division advancing to the playoff rounds for a shot at the coveted championship title.
The six teams are Marianas High School Team 1, Marianas High School Team 2, Agape Christian School Team 2, Saipan Southern High School Team 1, Agape Christian School Team 1, and Marianas High School Team 3.
The well-balanced roster of MHS Team 1, led by players such as Marlon Bautista, Dave Odicta, Lina Tsukagoshi, and Genelyn Lansangan, was unstoppable, sweeping all five games — Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Doubles —against Saipan International School Team 2 and Eucon International School, solidifying their spot atop the leaderboard with 24 points.
Their sibling team, MHS Team 2, is just as formidable, finishing closely behind with 22 points. MHS 2’s Evan Seguritan and Kate Xu highlighted the team’s strength in Mixed Doubles, helping secure a clean 5-0 sweep against Saipan International School 1. Against Agape Christian School 1, they only lost the Men’s Doubles event, securing the No. 2 spot.
Although ACS Team 2 only played against one team, Kagman High School Team 2, they thrived by claiming all five events to earn 21 points and take third place.
In fourth place is Agape Christian School Team 1 with 19 points, followed by Saipan Southern High School Team 1 with 16 points, and Marianas High School Team 3 with 15 points.
Last Saturday’s games also featured Tinian Jr./Sr. High School and Rota Jr./Sr. High School. TIN bested SIS Team 3, 4-1, losing only the Men’s Doubles event, while falling short against MHS Team 3, winning the Men’s Singles and Women’s Doubles events to collect 10 points. Rota edged SIS Team 3, 3-2, losing only the Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles events, while being swept by Saipan Southern High School 1 to finish with 4 points.
The double-elimination tournament will kick off this Saturday at the Ada gym, starting with Men’s Doubles matches at 7 a.m. between SSHS 1 and ACS 1, followed by ACS 2 and MHS 3.
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.
