photo by Katrina Elises
Fueled by an initial 3-1 upset in the first game that robbed them off their double-beat leverage, the College of Agriculture (COA) Reapers, under Jessfe Masalon’s leadership, managed to clear their path towards the championship after a thrilling five-game finals fixture against the College of Education (COEd) Mentors.
Reapers claimed the upper hand in Men’s Doubles A and B and even stretched a massive 14-point gap in the Mixed Doubles category, concluding their championship campaign with another gold for COA at the University Gymnasium, October 9.
A force to be reckoned with, Reapers’ Masalon, a Men’s B and Mixed Doubles player, chimed in pivotal points in the game and established a solid defense for COA, consistently thwarting the opposition's kill attempts from across the net.
Masalon admitted to the pressure he felt, facing badminton highflier mentors in the finals despite their twice-to-beat advantage.
"First na-pressure jod mi, kay kabalo mi nga strong gyud ang COEd. Tapos last Intrams, sila gid ang powerhouse. Pero gaina during play, sige lang jod mi ug think positive, kay gusto namo ibalik sa COA ang championship sa badminton,” he expressed in a post-championship interview.
Mentors already had the chance to equalize the game in the second and fourth matches, led by their two women’s double teams, showing no sisterly mercy with a lopsided 18-31 blowout, first double-digit lead in the do-or-die games, and a 26-31 win.
However, University Varsity Masalon’s presence in the Mixed Doubles with her pair Julia Jomento led by 13-3 halfway and did not give up their double-digit margin until the end, ultimately sealing the title for Reapers with an impressive 31-17 spurt.
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