Aiming to establish a dynasty in the newly introduced sport,The College of Education (COED) Mentors, dominated the pickleball championship opener, sweeping the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM) Wizards in straight sets, 2-0, to claim the historic title of the men's category at the Lawn Tennis Court on October 13.
© Katrina Elises
Mentor Roy Vicent Villar set the tone for the championship run with a commanding victory in the singles A match, defeating the Wizard Chris Jocel Labanero's best efforts to pull off an upset, with his relentless play giving the Mentors an early 1-0 lead.
In the doubles category, CNSM's Khylle Hechanova and Fritz Enerio fought valiantly but couldn’t match the cohesion and efficiency of COED’s Carlo Navarro and Christian Jose Celmar, with the Mentors clinching the first set 15-12, displaying resilience in the face of tough opposition.
With momentum on their side, the Mentors capitalized in the second game, as Celmar’s exceptional court coverage stifled the Wizards' attempts at a comeback, sealing the championship with a decisive 15-9 win, keeping their record spotless in the debut tournament.
After the match, an elated Celmar shared his joy over the milestone victory. “As a champion, nalipay gid kaayo, grabe ang kalipay [kay] syempre first time. Grabe [jud] among handom na maapil ang pickleball sa Intrams, unya karon, na-implement na siya."
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