By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts, representing Western Visayas (WV), clinched the Palarong Pambansa 2023 elementary girls volleyball crown at the Marikina Sports Center yesterday.

The WV elementary girls volleyball team completed a sweep of their matches in the week-long tournament after scoring a 25-18, 25-16 straight set win over the Caraga team in the championship game.

Arianne Alayon was named as the Player of the Game as she led the Roberto Calamba, Jr.-mentored elementary girls Thunderbolts in the one-game finale against the gutsy Caraga team.

The WV volleybelles were forced to a tight game by Caraga early in the first set with the score tied at 13-all before the Negrenses pulled away as they turned a slim 21-18 lead into a 25-18 set win.

The Negrenses started strong in the second frame as they established a 15-8 edge. Caraga rallied to within 11-17, but the WV squad responded with consecutive points to secure the championship.

Other members of the squad are Samantha Cañete, Marishka Andrada, Czarina Ang, Maria Coronica, Adriana Escultura, Adriel Montalbo, Yerief Montalbo, Miley Panganiban, Jessica Soco, Sheree Uy, and Mary Wongyan.

“Credit goes to the players for giving their all here in Palarong Pambansa. The months of hard work and training has paid off with this championship,” Calamba told Watchmen Daily Journal.

Meanwhile, the WV elementary boys basketball team reached the finals after scoring a lopsided 72-42 victory over Central Visayas in their semifinals game at the MARIST School yesterday.

The Ryan Nabor-mentored squad, which is composed of players from Bacolod Tay Tung High School elementary boys basketball team, is set to face Northern Mindanao in the finals on Saturday, August 5.

The WV elementary boys football team, composed of players from Barotac Nuevo Central Elementary School, reached the semifinals after a 5-0 victory over Bicol Region./ASC, WDJ