The Sports Leigh-Out Sept. 5-Sept. 11, 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.

Lady Tribe, Isao 67OLD2, Pacific Hustlers, KoMPai are 21st CNMI Labor Day Softball champs

The Marianas showed out in the Pacific Northwest for the 21st CNMI Labor Day Softball Tournament at Delta Park in Portland, Oregon.

From 66 teams down to just four teams crowned within three days—Isao 67OLD2 (3-peat master’s division), Lady Tribe (2-peat women’s division), Pacific Hustlers (men’s upper), and KoMPai (men’s lower division).

Here are the Top 3 teams in all four divisions:

Master’s Division Top 3

🥇Isao 67OLD2: defeated Ready Mix, 29-28

🥈Ready Mix

🥉Island Time

Women’s Division Top 3

🥇Lady Tribe: defeated LMFAO, 6-5

🥈LMFAO

🥉Cocotitz

Men’s Upper Division Top 3

🥇Pacific Hustlers: defeated Island Kingz, 26-11

🥈Island Kingz

🥉Tomba

Men’s Lower Division Top 3

🥇KoMPai: defeated Kiridus, 9-8

🥈Kiridus

🥉Saolak

Peter, Mendiola wins 1st CNMI Labor Day Golf Tournament held in Oregon

In a start of a new tradition, the Inaugural CNMI Labor Day Golf Tournament was held in Newburg, Oregon on Thursday, Sept. 3, with Marco Peter and Lt. Gov. Dennis Mendiola coming out on top, shooting seven under par.

Peter said of his win, “It was great being out there playing with our folks from the CNMI. Just like the softball tournament, this tournament brought everyone together from afar. Seeing old friends and making new ones was an important part of my participation. The course condition played tough with cold rain and wind that went on for most part of the day. But the Lt. and I stuck it out with 8 birdies and a bogey. This was enough for us to bring the win back to the Marianas and a whole year to brag. We are looking forward to defend our title in Boise Idaho next year.”

Iakopo: Road to Pacific Games and LA Olympics

We caught up with Olympian Filomenaleonisa Maratita Iakopo over Labor Day weekend in Portland, Oregon.

With half Chamorro and half Samoan roots, she represented American Samoa at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she set a new American Samoan national record in the 100m with a time of 12.78 seconds. She is now back at the track as she is focused on competing and medaling in the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti and earning a spot to represent American Samoa once again at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Watch the full interview on our social media pages or Youtube channel.

Jamaica King is queen of running and fitness

We interview Rota native Jamaica King—an accomplished endurance athlete and mentor, as she shares her journey from the CNMI to the United States, her passion for running and fitness, and her mission to inspire the next generation.

Watch the full interview on our social media pages or Youtube channel.

Destiny’s new path

We caught up with Destiny Pangelinan during Labor Day weekend—a silver medalist for the CNMI Women’s National Basketball team, and a bronze medalist for the CNMI Women’s National Fastpitch team during the 2024 Micronesian Games.

She and her family recently moved to Oregon for new opportunities and a fresh start, and for now, she’s taking some time away from competing and focusing on her little sisters—passing along what she’s learned in sports. But, if the opportunity comes again down the road, she says she’d be open to competing for the islands again.

Watch the full interview on our social media pages or Youtube channel.

2 silver, 1 bronze for Pickleball team in Vietnam

The NMI captured two silver medals and one bronze at the 2026 Pickleball World Cup and International Pickleball Tournament in Da Nang, Vietnam from Aug. 30 to Sept. 6.

Two of Team NMI’s three medals came at the International Pickleball Tournament, which preceded the Pickleball World Cup, with Chelsea Henzon and Mikayla Lopez winning the first medal, a bronze in the 3.5 Women’s Doubles All Ages Division with a 21-19 victory.

Donn Dunlop and Annie Zhao then won a silver in the 3.5 Mixed Doubles 60+ category, falling 9-15, 16-18 in the finals, while rising pickleball star 8-year-old Lynore He won the team’s second silver medal, after falling in the finals of the U8 Girls’ Singles of the Pickleball World Cup, 9-21, 17-21.

Stay tuned for the full story.