ATHLETICS

The Ultimate Experience: Pride and Glory

Mr. Enzo Flojo, Campus Ministry and Service Office Staff

Photos by David Lee and Kat Manas (Poveda)

Posted Friday, 09-Feb-2007 3:48 PM

      There are many tales of champions, but the ones that are best remembered are those that speak of triumphs over adversity – especially when the adversary comes from within.

      As the Xavier Ultimate Team trooped to the ASCOM Field at Fort Bonifacio last Sunday, February 4, 2007, they had the air of champions. After all, they were heavily favored to pocket the High School Division Championship for Boys. All they had to do was beat their sister-school rivals from Ateneo de Manila and coast past Xavier’s Team B in the eliminations then win the final match. On paper it appeared like a cake walk, but little did they know that their biggest opponent wouldn’t be wearing another team’s colors.

Flying Stallions Grounded

      After watching their sister-team, Poveda Ultimate, escape the wrath of Woodrose in the first set of matches (6-5 via the Ning Orlina-Martina Spakowski winning goal connection), the Xaverians coolly put on their jerseys and jogged on to the pitch. The match started well enough, with team captain Sam Go (H4D) successfully completing a goal pass to Andrew Chan (H4A).

      1-nil for Xavier. One could almost see the Flying Stallions’ confidence oozing and engulfing the green grass – that is until the rest of the match began and it engulfed them instead. The Ateneans blitzed the Xavier defense time and again to take the first half, 5-3. All of a sudden Xavier was down. They, however, were too proud to admit fault, and refused to be denied their titular claim.

      Coach Simoneil Mendoza’s (HS Social Science) boys made a game of it in the second half, mounting a nice 4-2 spurt that tied the count at 7-all and paved the way for a Universal Point. Alas, too many miscues in the clutch enabled Ateneo to prevail in this initial encounter, 8-7.

      The unexpected happened and Xavier Team A was decisively trounced, although the score reflected a nail-biter of an affair. The Flying Stallions knew it wasn’t a superior Ateneo team that was on the field, but rather, an underachieving Xavier squad.

      They knew from Coach Mendoza’s visibly irked demeanor that they weren’t playing the way they should – the way they knew how. He hissed at their missed opportunities and scoffed at their lackadaisical play. Their next test would be Xavier Team B.

Unconvincing Win

      Everyone half-expected Team A to coast through this match against their training buddies, but that didn’t seem to be the case in the first play. Taking advantage of their opponents’ over-relaxed defense, Yen Nan Shih (H4D) quite easily connected with Jay Periquet (H4E) to give Team B a taste of first blood, 1-nil. Coach Mendoza bowed in disbelief.

      It was good thing though that Team A, through the heady plays of Zeke Yap (H4A), Kaiser Sy (H4C), Dennis Tan (H4G), Paolo Abrihan (H4C), and Hocky Flores (H4G) just made enough headway to take the half, 6-1.

      The second half played out ordinarily save for Yen Nan Shih’s second goal throw, this time to freshman Scott Syling (H4E) that pegged the count at 8-2. Paolo Abrihan’s 3 consecutive goal receptions would eventually ice the game in the end, 11-2 for Team A.

      Despite the win, Coach Mendoza was not impressed. He didn’t see any of their practiced plays materializing. Instead, he witnessed rag-tag patterns that worked wonders against their more inexperienced peers, but would surely suffer through the athleticism of Ateneo.

      Team A finally notched a win, but it failed to dispel their looming vulnerability.

When It Counts

      The ensuing games saw Ateneo shut out Xavier Team B and showcased Poveda Ultimate sweeping the High School Girls Division by blanking Miriam College HS with identical 11-0 scores. The day flew by quickly, and the brooding sunset set its sights on the final match. Xavier would have another crack at glory, but will pride get in the way again?

      By all indications it was a different Xavier team that entered the field. Their complacent swagger was replaced by a silent trepidation, yet one could sense the intense desire emanating from within. They had their game faces on, they finally came to play.

      Ateneo began the hostilities by rifling through a quick goal, 1-nil. Xavier would answer back through Sam Go’s goal throw to Andrew Chan, but Ateneo’s nimble players flew rings around the Xaverians, padding the score at 4-1 in favor of the Blue&White. Déjà vu, it seemed, but entailing far worse implications.

      With Coach Mendoza’s chagrin visible from a mile away, the Flying Stallions knew they were backed into a corner. A three-goal deficit was not the end of the world, but at the rate things were going, it might as well have been. JC Corpuz (H4D) and Andrew Chan though, had other things in mind.

      When the chips are down, the great ones separate themselves from the rest of the pack. JC Corpuz’s goal throw to Zeke Yap sparked a momentum-shifting 5-2 surge, highlighted by 4 straight Andrew Chan goal receptions, which tied it all up at 6 apiece. It was clear that the Greenhills-based team would not quit, even if their rivals capped off the half with another goal to erect a 7-6 advantage during lemon time.

Take and Receive

      The last half of the day commenced tentatively for both sides, until the Blue Eagles broke the ice with another goal, 8-6. It appeared the Stallions would choke again, but just like true champions, they would save their best for last.

      With Coach Mendoza’s merciless prodding from the sidelines, the Xavier goal engine revved into high gear, kicked off by Sam Go’s goal connection with Andrew Chan, 8-7 Ateneo. The next three points were won through the arms of JC Corpuz, who relentlessly hucked the disc into the endzone, finding three different receivers in Zeke, Andrew and Hocky. For the first time in the day Xavier posted a two-goal lead over Ateneo at 10-8.

      The magic number was 13, three more goals for the title.

      Just as it had seemed everything was sealed, however, things turned for the worse. In the following play JC Corpuz, Kaiser Sy and Sam Go succumbed to cramps, their bodies unable to take anymore of the physical grind. With these key players benched for the time being, Coach Mendoza had to rely on his second unit to step up.

      Understanding how the primary disc handlers of the team were downed, Andrew Chan told rookie Jonathan So (H4A), “ Pare ikaw na mag-long, kami na bahala mag-handle.”

      With Chan playing receiver all throughout the day, and his handling skills untested, not a few thought Ateneo’s counter-punch would be impending, but this would not be their day.

      After a terrific defensive stoppage in the next play, Zeke and Andrew passed the disc back and forth to advance their attack. Jonathan So, playing true to his new role, ran like hell towards the endzone. This did not escape Chan’s eyes as he whipped the disc past Ateneo’s porous defense, a sublime pass that was straight and through. Jonathan, in a display of his hidden acrobatic talent, jumped and caught the disc with his left hand while the rest of his body lay almost horizontally over the defender. 11-8 for Xavier.

      The Katipunan-based seven tried to answer back, but Xavier’s indomitable defense repelled them once more. Just as the last time, Chan got hold of the loose disc and shot another pass into the waiting arms of good pal Jonathan in the endzone. 12-8 for Xavier, next up was the Championship Point!

      With the Blue & Gold faithful celebrating beyond the field bounds, Xavier thought they had it in the bag, but Ateneo would not bow down without a fight. The Blue Eagles took advantage of the Stallions’ exhausted defense and managed 2 quick goals to trim the deficit, 12-10.

      It was clear that Ateneo would not just hand the Championship on a silver platter. If Xavier wanted the title they would have to take it, they would have to fight for the last point.

      Fight they did. BJ Kua (H4B) played with obvious anxiety throughout the whole day, but on this last point he deftly assisted Sam Go, who went back in after seeing their 4-goal lead dwindle, in advancing the disc. Bam Santos (H4D), who was surprisingly silent in all but this last moment, made a move for the endzone just as Sam geared for a high throw.

      The disc flew through the air at least 15 feet… and landed squarely in Bam’s arms. 13-10.

      The Championship was won. The Stallions took charge, and received their just reward.

They succeeded, not just in bagging the title nor the bragging rights, but also in conquering their complacent demons from within.

Post Script to the Title

      There can be only one “First” and Xavier will forever hold the distinction of being the first-ever Philippine Ultimate Association High School Champion for Boys. Nobody will take that away from them, nobody can.

      This one’s for our sister teams from Poveda and ICA , who finished 1st Runner-up and 3rd Runner-up respectively. You girls showed what passion was all about.

      This one’s for Xavier Team B, who fought so valiantly they were reminiscent of the Spartans’ last stand at Thermopylae .

      This one’s for Paolo Abrihan, whose recurring injury may have hindered his play, but not his spirit. You’re the Man!

      This one’s for JC Corpuz, Kaiser Sy and Sam Go, who pushed the envelope to the brink of injury. You guys never lost faith when it was your turn to watch from the sidelines, now that’s leadership.

      This one’s for Mr. Simoneil Mendoza, who brought out the best in these boys. You finally won the big one Mr. Mendy!

      And this one’s for the seven guys who did not only hold the fort during the dying minutes, but sealed the deal through the classic formula of teamwork and defense – Dennis Tan, Hocky Flores, Bam Santos, BJ Kua, Zeke Yap, Jonathan So and Andrew Chan. You guys are the magnificent seven.

      This is the story of the Xavier Ultimate Team, our newest Pride and Glory.

Xavier Ultimate Team A

Sam Go - Captain

Andrew Chan

Jonathan So

Zeke Yap

BJ Kua

Paolo Abrihan

Kaiser Sy

JC Corpuz

Bam Santos

Hocky Flores

Dennis Tan

Coach: Mr. Simoneil Mendoza (HS Social Science)

Xavier Ultimate Team B

Yen Nan Shih – Captain

Alan Tiu

Kevin Go

Patrick Huang

Jay Periquet

Mark Perez

Ranz Lu

Pocholo Tuason

Dale Sy

Arsenio Lukban

Scott Syling

Manuel Sia

Coach: Mr. Enzo Flojo (HS Campus Ministry and Service Office)

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