THE small town of Medina in Misamis Oriental capped its almost sweeping domination in the Little League Philippine Series 2024 Regional Tournament by winning two more championships in the junior baseball and softball girls of the week-long hostilities concluded on February 3 in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
The Paglaum Sports-backed MisOr bets earlier won the titular duels in the developmental 11-under League, 12-under Little League, and intermediate 50/70 13-under League baseball while yielding only the senior league 16-under baseball to the powerhouse four-time champion Tupi, South Cotabato.
The 11-under category has no bearing however in the national finals since it was just a developmental league.
Reinforced by the top baseball talents from the neighboring municipalities of Salay and Jasaan, the Medina-MisOr hitters of team managers Ricky Abao and Emmanuel Pupos and training consultant Andy Aguinaldo found little resistance from the Talaingod-One Davao del Norte United in taking the 14-under junior league baseball title, 6-1 inside the seven innings.
More impressive is Medina-MisOr’s 16-under girls, represented by the solid roster of Magsaysay town, in also gaining an outright berth to the national finals in Tanauan, Batangas this coming April by besting the province of Sarangani in regulation, 12-0.
Medina town, not to mention its allied municipalities of Salay, Jasaan, and Magsaysay, is just a small town of 35,612 populace that local Little League followers can’t still believe it overpowered the bigger provinces in Mindanao such as Davao Norte, Sarangani, and Zamboanga in lopsided manners.
“Last year in the national finals they missed a chance to go international when they rested our first pitcher. They should think of that blunder upon our team’s return to Tanauan, Batangas,” said Brando Bacharpa in Visayan.
“Time will come that a solid Filipino team from the small town of Medina will represent the Philippines in the Philippine Series,” added Jasper Gonzaga, another local from Medina.
In a later interview, Medina town mayor Donato N. Chan attributed the Paglaum MisOr teams’ success to diligent training and practices over a lengthy period.
“They trained hard religiously rain or shine under the guidance of Ricky Abao and some dedicated coaches and trainers in the locality. We also acknowledged our countryman and now US citizen Andy Aguinaldo for donating quality baseball equipment to the Medina athletes and coming here for the games,” said Chan, who along with his former softball player wife Marriane, was hands-on in taking good care of the MisOr baseball and softball juggernauts.
Composing the triumphant MisOr 14-under baseball team are Zeus P. Yamit, Mc Khenly C. Salcedo, John Roy Cadeliña, Isa Carl Arriesgado, Troy Palejado, Dem Randal Oga, James Clay Augustine Aliwate, Ricky Ugiaban, Syd Tabingo, Kaizer Emmanuel Icayan, Khian Caplaya, John Mark Balacuit and Martine Jamez L. Rementizo with coaches Jun-jon Zambrano and Kimberly Ann Anto.
Comprising the victorious MisOr 16-under softball girls are Christine Sososco, Jean Rose Tion, Shane Ballard, Claire Marie Carmelotes, Stephanie Maestrado, Cindy Dorado, Jessica Jane Megallen, Gerlyn Magatines, Begene Lebor, Elaisa Jean Babayson, Honey Jean Bueno, Natashia Nicole Mendoza and Jean Lee Tion with coaches and trainers Jackie Lou Aboc, Kristine Sasa, Leonardo Pon and Ryan Ratilla.
The multi-titled visitors from Tupi, South Cotabato, who dealt a 14-0 shutdown to Medina-MisOr went on to conquer their counterparts from Maitum, Sarangani in the 16-under senior baseball final.
In the only two categories where Medina-MisOr has no entries, Davao City and Aleosan, Cotabato made a 1-2 finish in Little League Softball, while Sultan Kudarat and General Santos City emerged as the top two teams in Junior League Softball for female athletes.
