Grade 7 boys are 12U champs of Metro Handball Fest; Babaran is MVP

September 26, 2017
By: 
Poch Gutierrez; Photos by Poch Gutierrez
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Consisting of Grade 7 Ateneo Junior High School students, Team Ateneo emerged as 12U champion of the 2017 Metro Handball Festival last September 10, 2017 at the Ateneo Grade School Covered Courts. As the leading scorer of the tournament, Judd Babaran of Pamplona/7-Pignatelli was also named Most Valuable Player of the 12U division. Our boys swept the tournament by beating teams from Montessori Integrated School-Antipolo, Xavier School, and a team from the Ateneo Grade School.  The team was led by eventual playmaker Yong Unlayao, and spitfire scorers Jari Caliwag  & Andrew Tan.

(1st row kneeling from left) Jose Arciaga, Joaquin Peña, Reyner Legaspi, Andrew Tan; (Second row standing from left) Alfredo Unlayao, Jose Caliwag III, Judd Babaran, Lorenzo Dela Luna, Christian Diokno, Coach Poch Gutierrez

The 12U Metro Handball champions are Jose Antonio Agustin B. Arciaga (M7-Harcourt), Judd Devan L. Babaran (P7-Pignatelli), Jose Alejandro Ricci B. Caliwag III (L7-Corby), Lorenzo R. Dela Luna (P7-Page), Christian Roland D. Diokno (L7-Corby), Reyner Mark S. Legaspi (P7-Pires), Joaquin Iñigo M. Peña (P7-Pires),  Andrew Tan (P7-Page), and Alfredo Vittorio V. Unlayao (L7-Collins) They were coached by Ateneo Senior High School faculty Poch Gutierrez. 

MVP Judd Babaran (right) with coach Poch Gutierrez

FIRST RUNNERS-UP, 14U 

Meanwhile, the Grade 8 boys who represented Ateneo in the 14-Under category were able to finish as first runners-up despite falling twice to Xavier School in two close matches. The team was led by Justin Joson, Kyle Lopez, Chad Basilio, & Enzo Gamboa, who tried their best to break the Xavier defense.

(From left) Coach Poch Gutierrez, Jose Diaz II, Joaquin Gamboa, Luis Basilio, Aldric Apostol, Elijah Garcia, Meynard Bautista, Patrick Santos, Ralph Lopez, Justin Joson, and Julian Marcelo. Not in photo: Kyle Lopez

Playing for Ateneo’s 14U team were  Aldric Kyle R. Apostol  (L8-Dajani), Luis Gabriel A. Basilio (M8-Isore), Meynard Liam M. Bautista (L8-Del Castillo), Jose Rafael C. Diaz II (M8-Isore), Joaquin Enzo U. Gamboa (P8- Pongracz), Elijah Luke T. Garcia (M8-Ishida), Justin Leardo S. Joson (L8- Cottam), Kyle Christopher C. Lopez (P9-Southwell), Ralph Daniel R. Lopez (L8-Dajani),  Julian Emmanuel S. Marcelo (L8-Dajani), and Patrick Reuben T. Santos (C8-Aranha).