By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.

Negros Island Region’s defending champions and 2017 Palarong Pambansa campaigners Bacolod Tay Tung High School are up for another challenge when they take host-team Bingawan at 5:00 PM today in the opener of the 10th Victor Catedral Plagata Cup secondary girls division at the town’s covered gym.
Preceding them are teams from Passi City and CenterPhil Montessori taking the court at 4:00 PM.
Tay Tung will be joined by powerhouse teams Central Philippine University Golden Lions, 2017 Palarong Pambansa bronze medalists and Shakey’s Girls V-League Season 13 national finalists; and University of San Agustin–Iloilo.
Apart from the secondary girls category, eight other teams will be seeing action in the men’s division, including Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas City; Province of Aklan; localities of Maasin, Cabatuan, and Pavia; University of San Agustin; Central Philippine University; and defending champion Bingawan.
Meanwhile, the Tay Tung Thunderbolts are also in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Isuzu Iloilo’s 17 Under Girls Volleyball League played at the Ateneo de Iloilo gym, Hijas gym, and Iloilo Doctor’s College gym.
As of press time, Tay Tung demolished Iloilo National High School, 25-7 and 25-13, in Bracket D while fellow Negrense side Hua Ming (St. John’s Institute) survived host-Ateneo de Iloilo, 33-31, 28-30 and 25-16, in Bracket A.
In Bracket C, Sun Yat Sen swept Huasiong, 25-20 and 25-16, but suffered a pair of setbacks against La Paz National High School and Central Philippine University./WDJ