BANTAY, Ilocos Sur — With the results of only three ball games yet being awaited, defending champion Pangasinan II is now in the threshold of retaining its crown in the Region 1 Athletic Association Meet (R1AA) which ends Wednesday afternoon at theQuirino Stadium in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.
On Wednesday morning, only four gold medals separate Pangasinan II with second-running Dagupan City, last-year’s R1AA second placer.
Officials said granting that Dagupan wins in all three games still being played, it will not be enough to topple the defending champion.
As of 6:33 p.m. of March 7, Pangasinan II leads in the partial unofficial standing among 14 delegations participating in the meet being hosted by Ilocos Sur with 52 gold, 50 silver and 36 bronze medals, with Dagupan City in close second as it amassed 48 gold, 39 silver and 38 bronze medals.
Pangasinan II and Dagupan City made a 1-2 finish in the 2016 R1AA meet held in San Carlos City where the latter delegation trailed the former by the proverbial mile.
In this year’s meet, Pangasinan II earned 16 gold medals in the elementary division and 36 in the secondary division while Dagupan City retained its second place overall finish by winning 14 gold medals in the elementary division and 39 golds in the secondary division.
Urdaneta City is in third place with 36 gold, 29 silver and 39 bronze medals while Pangasinan I placed fourth overall with 34 gold, 32 silver and 42 bronze medals.
La Union is in fifth place by bagging 27 gold, 37 silver and 31 bronze medals while Ilocos Norte is in sixth with 25 gold, 31 silver and 54 bronze medals. Laoag City had 25 gold, 31 silver and 54 bronze medals for seventh place.
On the other hand, Batac City was in eighth place with 24 gold, 21 silver and three bronze medals, followed by San Fernando City in ninth place with 16 gold, 10 silver and 17 bronze medals.
San Carlos City won 15 gold, 21 silver and 26 bronze medals, good for 10th place while host Ilocos Sur was in 11th place with 11 gold, 18 silver and 24 bronze medals.
At the same time, Alaminos City had nine gold, three silver and 16 bronze medals for a 12th place finish, followed by Candon City with two gold, four silver and seven gold medals while Vigan City is in the cellar with one gold, two silver and 11 bronze medals. Leonardo Micua/PNA-northboundasia.com