The Sports Leigh-Out January 10-16, 2026

Hafa Adai and Tirow sports fans, this is Leigh Gases with this week’s Sports Leigh-Out brought to you by Joeten Motors!

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.

K-Town Batties, 670 Babes competes in Queens of the Pacific Softball tourney

Over in the neighboring island of Guam, K-Town Batties and 670 Babes are competing in the Inaugural Queens of the Pacific women’s slowpitch softball tournament from Jan. 16-18, bringing teams from around the Pacific and Asia.

The other teams competing include Average Janes from Japan, American Legion, and Smokin’ Hot from Guam.

K-Town Batties, born from love by founders who grew up playing sports on Tinian and continued their softball passion while stationed in Camp Humphreys, Korea, the K‑Town Batties embody resilience and opportunity for women across the Asia‑Pacific region.

“K-Town Batties is about more than softball. It’s about opportunity, sisterhood, and giving women in the Asia-Pacific a chance to travel, play, and chase the game they love. From Tinian to Korea and beyond, we carry our island roots with us every time we take the field,” said head coach Aran Evangelista.

The team is made up of coach Aran Evangelista, assisted by Courtney Evangelista, Tech Jashley, Sarah Greve, Sherita Johnson, Darrien Mikulka, Christina Aguilar, Que Netta, La Di Ramos, Ta Lizama, Regene Palacios, and others, representing a blend of island roots and international softball experience.

Their journey to the Queens of the Pacific grew out of competition with Guam’s Smokin’ Hot in the Asia Cup and an opportunity arising after the Asia Cup’s planned 2025 women’s division in Bangkok was unable to proceed due to field availability, prompting organizers to pivot toward this new January event.

Girls with Game Fastpitch Softball League debuts

The Miguel “Tan Ge” Pangelinan Softball Field came alive over the weekend as the Saipan Little League’s Inaugural Girls with Game Fastpitch Softball League 2026 got underway, bringing young girls back to the diamond and drawing parents, family, and friends to watch players aged 9-12 step up to the plate.

The long-awaited league opened on Saturday, Jan. 10, with an opening ceremony that featured a parade of the five teams, made up of 75 players—Native Nenis, Aztecs, Little 8ers, Pink Sluggers, and Diamond Divas—along with a ceremonial first pitch by softball legend Bert Camacho.

On the first day of games Saturday, Native Nenis edged the Aztecs, 11-5, in a sparkler of an opening game. Little 8ers followed with a lopsided 21–2 win over the Pink Sluggers. Play continued on Sunday, Jan. 11, with the Pink Sluggers picking up their first win of the season, 15-6 over Native Nenis. Little 8ers remained the only unbeaten team, improving to two wins after an 11-3 victory against the Diamond Divas.

Games are played every Saturday and Sunday at 8:30am and 11am, with a time limit of one hour and 45 minutes or six innings, whichever comes first. The league is set up with three round-robin rounds, starting with a development round that includes a fourth-ball tee rule, before all teams move on to the playoffs.

After the final game wrapped up on Saturday, Saipan Little League Inc. president Ray Yumul said in an interview that the league was a long time coming. “It’s something that we’ve been working on for many years. We do have the regular baseball division that’s starting up in a few more weeks,” he said. “We’re very pleased with the turnout. We’re so elated. The families of the players, the volunteers, all the support from sponsors and the public at large came out in strong force and we’re happy that it kicked off with such a success.”

Umangs 1 defend Co-ed Basketball title

It’s back-to-back for the Umangs 1 of Koblerville Elementary School as they clinched the 2025-2026 PSS-NMIBF-IT&E Coed Elementary School Basketball League championships over the Kagman Elementary School Blue Marlins, 32-24 on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Agape Christian School Gymnasium.

Both teams came in undefeated in the regular season and, as usual, met again in the finals, setting up what looked like an even matchup. That changed quickly, though, as the Umangs’ defense and finishing at the net took control and showed they were hungry for a back-to-back title.

Lellan Daniel got the Umangs going early, scoring eight points in the first quarter while their defense limited the Blue Marlins to just six. The second quarter was quiet on both ends, with Daniel adding only two more points to push the lead to 14-6 at the half.

Daniel knocked down a three to open the third, followed by quick buckets from Joshua Jose and Dolores Okaruru. The Umangs carried a 23-10 lead into the final quarter before Kagman tried to shift momentum with cherry picks and fast breaks. The late push wasn’t enough, though, as Okaruru scored four more and Daniel added five to close it out, 32-24.

Koblerville’s roster consisted of Patrick Mansfield, Arcel Basid, Joshua Jose, Lellan Daniel, Stony Moses, Sheldon Defang, Logan Camacho, Jasiel Mosik, and Dolores Okaruru. Kagman was made up of Tristen Carino, Basil Faisao, Benz Santos, Kingston Santos, Nathaniel Reyes, Peyton Crisostomo, Chloe Aquino, and Nemily Saimon.

Third place went to Tinian Elementary School. Koblerville once held the championships four years in a row before Kagman took the title from them in 2023. In an interview after the finals, coach Francis Mendiola said that their team now consists of a lot of players from their team 2 from last year, with some of them graduating or are in third or fourth grade.

Inaugural Marianas Games kicks off in June 2026

The Marianas will unite this summer for the inaugural Marianas Games, set for June 19–21, 2026 on Saipan. Representatives from Guam, Saipan, Rota, and Tinian met last Tuesday (January 13) at the Northern Marianas Sports Association (NMSA) Conference Room to finalize plans for the annual event, which will showcase the region’s athletic talent and strengthen community ties.

The Games will feature athletics, basketball 3x3, badminton, baseball, fastpitch softball, open water swimming, va’a (six-person team), and indoor volleyball. In addition, an Olympic Day 5K Run will be held to celebrate the spirit of Olympism.

Eligibility requires athletes to be born or reside in the Marianas, with an aim for at least 30 percent youth participation across events. Governance and officiating will be coordinated through the Northern Marianas Sports Association and Guam National Olympic Committee by National Federations of each sport, with the charter and sports program finalized by January 30, 2026.

Organizers emphasized that the Games will leave a lasting legacy, fostering youth sports and establishing a tradition of unity across the islands

Just 4 Fun defends BASA open title

Just 4 Fun are having fun winning championships as they won the Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association men’s open league for the second year in a row. This season, they beat The Kliq after two straight wins in the best-of-3 championship series on Sunday, Jan. 11 at the Dandan Softball Field.

In the first game, Just 4 Fun won, 13-5, while in the second game, they capped it off with a 25-8 victory.

Nathan Camacho put together a huge season, finishing it off by earning Finals MVP honors, the biggest award of them all. He also picked up Regular Season MVP, while leading the league in both home runs and RBIs, showing his impact from start to finish. Ben Jones Jr. was named Batting Champion, Branon Hocog led the league in runs, and Nokki Saralu topped the doubles list. On the pitching side, Jerry Guerrero earned ERA Champion honors, Jeff Isaac led in strikeouts, and James Phillips claimed the triples title. Akkari finished the year as Pennant Champions, and Cho’chu Maigu received the Sportsmanship Award.

Tan, Santos blaze to best times at World Cross Country Champs

From the track and beaten paths of the NMI, to the world stage on a demanding and technical course against some of the world’s best, NMI’s Tania Tan and Victor Nash Santos tested themselves and were rewarded with personal best times at the 46th World Athletics Cross Country Championships 2026 at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, Jan. 10.

The course, designed to reflect Florida’s varied landscapes, had runners face steep hills, deep sand, mud, and water obstacles. The unusually hot weather made the course even harder, and a few athletes struggled to get through it.

Tan, a veteran runner, multi-medalist, and NMI record holder in multiple events, posted a personal best time of 41:48 in the Women’s Senior 10k race. She said competing on the world stage provided both perspective and motivation.

“Thank you to Northern Marianas Athletics for giving me the opportunity to compete at such a high-level event. It’s always eye-opening to see how fast the world’s top athletes are, and it inspires me to continue working hard and striving to hopefully be there one day. I am glad and proud to represent our tiny islands on the biggest stage.”

Santos, a Saipan International School senior and rising talent, competed in the Men’s U20 8k race, clocking a personal best 33:28. He described the course as unlike anything he had raced before.

“The course was totally different than what I have raced before. I have never had obstacles like this before, but it was fun. The sand was the hardest part, full of holes, and by the end, it was a challenge to lift my feet through it.”

Despite the heat and technical nature of the course, both athletes raced with determination. Coach and team leader Dr. Ron Snyder praised their performance and representation. “Watching Nash and Tania tackle this world-class course with heart and determination makes me incredibly proud. Representing the Northern Mariana Islands on this stage is about more than finishing times—it’s about courage, teamwork, and showing the world what our athletes are capable of. Today, they ran with honor, and they will inspire the next generation of runners back home.”

Hopwood gets 2 new soccer goalposts

Hopwood Middle School now has two functional goal posts for the first time in many years, since Super Typhoon Yutu destroyed the campus in 2018. In a collaborative effort between HMS 8th-grade Physical Education teacher Chang Wan Jang—who bought the materials—and his longtime friend Hak Chon Bae of S.P.G. Corp., the new goal posts were installed on the field today, Thursday, Jan. 15, and are ready for use.

Bae, who provided the labor to build the goals, completed the structure in two weeks. He added that he is an avid soccer fan and said he is happy to see that the children will now have the goals to properly practice and improve their skills.

Jang said he, along with 7th-grade P.E. teacher Dominic Tudela and 6th-grade P.E. teacher Connie Camacho, is grateful for the new structure. Before this, the school used makeshift goal posts built by Jang without nets. Despite that, HMS remains competitive in interscholastic soccer, with the girls varsity team winning the championship this school year, and the boys varsity team winning second place last school year.

HMS principal Victorino Borja presented a Certificate of Appreciation to S.P.G. Corp. before the photo-op with the school’s 8th grade students and teachers.

NMI Over 40 are NMIFA Masters Cup champs

The whirlwind three-day NMIFA International Masters Cup Friendly Football Tournament 2026, held from Friday, Jan. 9 to Sunday, Jan. 11 at the NMI Soccer Training Center, wrapped up with the NMI Over 40 team crowned champions during Sunday’s awards banquet.

It was a tourney to remember—proof that age is just a number, love for the sport never fades, and camaraderie between teams is the gift that keeps on giving. The tourney featured four teams—one from Japan—Aries FC Tokyo Over 50, and three from the NMI—Over 40, Over 50, and Lady Ayuyus.

In the first game of the tourney, Aries FC Tokyo Over 50’s Hidekazu Sekiguchi managed to put one on the board in the 20th minute to win over NMI Over 40, for a 1-0 final. The NMI Over 40 team then regrouped and snagged their first win, 4-0, over NMI Lady Ayuyus. Phaibun Pondi, Atsushi Hanita, Ajani Burrell, and Ho Jin Woo contributed to the team’s goals.

On Saturday, it was a deadlocked battle between Aries FC and NMI Over 40, with close calls on both ends, but ended in a scoreless draw. After, NMI Over 50 clinched a win over NMI Lady Ayuyus, from a last minute goal by Dong Ik Jang, for a 1-0 final.

On the final day, NMI Over 40 solidified their spot at the top with a 5-1 victory over NMI Over 50, with all five goals by Golden Boot awardee Martin Jambor. In the last showdown, Aries FC secured two goals to win over NMI Lady Ayuyus, 2-0.

Despite finishing with identical records of two wins, one draw, and no losses, NMI Over 40 edged Aries FC in the final standings to claim the tournament title as NMI Over 40 capped the tourney with 21 points, while Aries FC tallied 18.