MCS’ perfect season wraps up with softball title

It’s a season of new champions as Mount Carmel School Lady Knights redeemed themselves with the 2025-2026 title of the PSS-NMISA Fastpitch Softball League after beating two-time champions Tanapag Middle School, 16-4, on Saturday, Mar. 21 at the Dandan Softball Field.

With an undefeated season and the top seed, MCS went into the finals as strong as they could be. TMS did not have a complete roster so they had an automatic one out during each at bat, which did not work in their favor.

However, TMS still tried and managed to put up four runs despite going up against a strong arm on the mound—MCS’ pitcher Miana Dela Cruz. But, their short roster caused fatigue to quickly set in, and they remained stagnant at four runs, with MCS lighting up the field with their offense.

It was a big second inning for the Lady Knights as they brought in eight runs for a 12-2 lead. The last two runs for TMS came in the fourth inning, but by then, MCS had put up 14 runs, with two more on the way in the last inning.

Third place was Hopwood Middle School with a loss to TMS in the semis.

MCS’ roster included Seraphina Alvarez, Aliyani Basa, Ava Basa, Cali Cabrera, Chloe Cepeda, Miana Dela Cruz, Heaven Deleon Guerrero, Paige Muna, Brianna Palacios, Aiyana Pangelinan, Aycee Quitugua, Ava Sablan, Aleiyah Tarkong, Victoria Terlaje, and Kennani Villagomez.

TMS was made up of Aaleyah Fatialofa, Anjelene Quitano, Gianna Moses, Ishani Togawa, Kylee Mira, Kyria Ngiraked, Leeya Deleon Guerrero, Nekeisha Saimon, Proa Hiroichi, Rhiana Macalinao, Ziella Sablan, Alina Esakova, Iyannah Agulto, and Ivalyn Farnsworth.

One of the four coaches of MCS, Tom Dela Cruz said of their championship, “It’s a great accomplishment. We had a perfect season but we told them it’s not going to be given to us, we have to go out there and get it.”

The team still had players from when the league started three years ago, so he said they got a lot of reps and practice in and that hard work paid off. Last year, they were also in the finals against TMS, but lost. This year, he said the coaching staff didn’t change their strategy much, but they did try to build up their confidence and mechanics with fielding and batting.

With their pitcher being almost unhittable as she registered just four runs and 11 strikeouts. Dela Cruz said, “she does a lot of work. She goes to practice but she also practices at home. I encourage all the girls to practice at home, that’s where they build their mechanics.”

As for the team next year, he said they’re losing half of the players to high school, but that MCS wants to continue to build a strong softball program to encourage students to play and go to school there.