The Sports Leigh-Out Feb. 28-Mar. 6

Hafa Adai yan Tirow sports fans, this is Leigh Gases bringing you Marianas Press’ weekly wrap up—the Sports Leigh-Out for the week of Feb. 28-March 6.

Let’s take a closer look at what our athletes have been up to in off-island competitions and on their home turf—whether it’s on the pitch, mat, courts, fields, track, pools, or the beautiful ocean.

PSS sports: SSHS, Lady Dolphins paddle way to va’a titles; SSHS clinches badminton champs

After many years of only the three public high schools competing in the co-ed outrigger races, Mount Carmel School finally rejoined the competition this season, adding more excitement and competitiveness to the event out on the water.

However, there could only be one winner in each of the three divisions, and Saipan Southern High School's paddlers dominated the season, winning both the boys' and mixed division titles of the 2024-2025 PSS-NMNPSF Interscholastic Co-Ed Outrigger Race last Saturday in the waters off Kilili Beach.

The Manta Rays’ boys team collected a total of 145 points from the 500m, 1,000m, and the long-distance races to bag first place overall. Second place overall was Kagman High School with 115 points; third went to Marianas High School at 54 points; and Mount Carmel School settled for fourth with 47 points.

As for the mixed division, the girls and boys of SSHS paddled their way together to the championship with 142 total points. Second was KHS with 98 points; third went to MHS at 91 points; and MCS was fourth with 46 points.

In the competitive girls’ division, the Lady Dolphins of MHS finally splashed their way to the top of the food chain this season with a total of 159 points, after failing to clinch the title in the past two seasons. Second place was the Lady Manta Rays with a total of 102 points, while the Lady Knights of MCS were third with 89 points, and KHS settled for fourth with 43 points.

In the 2024-2025 PSS-NMBA Interscholastic Co-Ed High School Badminton League, SSHS won their second championship of the day.

The shuttlers of SSHS 1 dethroned two-time defending champion Marianas High School as they racked up the most points in the overall standings with 19. MHS 1 were right behind for silver at 18 points, while Agape Christian School finished third with 12 points.

In the final games at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, the Manta Rays clinched the win over MHS 2, 4-1, to seal their points for the title.

Before their win against MHS 2, SSHS 1 beat ACS 2, also at 4-1.

MHS 1 wasn’t far behind in the tally, as they beat ACS 2, 4-1, and Saipan International School 3, 4-1. However, it wasn’t enough to pull ahead of SSHS 1, handing them the title by just one point.

BASA women’s, masters league is back

The Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association is back in its 2025 season with the masters and women's division last Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field.

The men’s division got a crack at the bat first as Asahi blanked Ngatpang, 22-0. Then, Man Amigos pummeled Whass Up, 17-7; Cholos Familia beat Hagu La’mun, 14-3; Sufa dominated Peleliu, 12-1; and Tokahao defeated the Eagle Rays, 14-4.

In the women’s division, 670 Magas Babes slipped past the Dirty Diamonds, 7-5; Batties clobbered Bat & Boujee, 9-1; and 89-ers beat Bat Pitches, 8-3. Team Wettz and Lady Sufa both had the bye so they did not play. Every Sunday, there will be two women’s teams that won’t play.

Games are played every Sunday at the Dandan Softball Field.

MCA-MMA Team Primeval wins silver, bronze in WBC Muay Thai Pan-AM Champs

The CNMI’s very own Muay Thai team under MCA-MMA Team Primeval competed as Team Micronesia in the 2025 WBC Muay Thai Pan-American Championships in Monterrey, Mexico held last Feb. 13-16, and did not disappoint as they brought home hardware in their international debut.

Coached under Dr. Tai Doram, 20-year-old Dillan Pomdi and 21-year-old Justin Agulto flew to Mexico to compete internationally featuring fighters from Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Chile, the United States, Italy, Ecuador, and Venezuela to name a few.

In the 54-58-kg division, Pomdi clinched the silver medal, while in the 60-63.5kg division, Agulto bagged a bronze medal.

Stay tuned for the full report next week only here at Marianas Press.

Aden Attao attains double silver in Bulgaria

Saipan son Aden Attao brought home two silver medals in the Petko Sirakov-Ivan Iliev International in Sofia, Bulgaria held last Feb. 14-16.

First, in the 130-kg Greco-Roman division, Attao pinned Akarys Berdashov of Kazakhstan in the final round for his first silver of the tourney.

Then the next day, the Oregon State University Beaver secured his second silver in the 125-kg Freestyle division. He went up against hosts’ Georgi Ivanov and lost, 0-10 in the finals.

He is currently a member of the U.S. Senior Greco-Roman National Team, after placing third in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Rota son is 1st Calabasas wrestling champ

CNMI sons continue to make waves in the sport of wrestling as Micah Wegman, whose mom is from Rota, made history by becoming the first Calabasas wrestler to win a California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section (CIF-SS) title in the Coastal Division boys finals last Feb. 15 at Fountain Valley High School.

The Calabasas High School sophomore competed in the 126-lb division and locked down the title after beating his opponent in the finals.

He also reached the state meet for the first time by placing fourth in the 126-lbs gold division. There, he lost to the state champion in his first fight.

Wegman’s other accolades include being nationally ranked for Judo and he went to the 2022 Judo PanAmerican Championships in 2022 as a United States delegate and placed 4th. Last year, he was the first freshman in Calabasas High School to make it to CIF Masters. Also last year in July, he made it to USA Wrestling Junior & 16U Nationals but did not place at that competition.

Wegman was born and raised in California to Rota’s Donna Manglona Wegman and Stephen Wegman. His maternal grandparents are Rita and Joaquin Manglona.

Credits: Kadir Caliskan for Aden Attao’s photo, Calabasas Wrestling for Micah Wegman’s photos, and Dr. Tai Doram for the Muay Thai video.