Woodpushers riding the tides of success

DLSU athletes are now geared up for the second and final half of UAAP Season 76. One of the teams stationed on the frontlines are the DLSU Woodpushers who racked up valuable experience during the off-season.

Both the Green Woodpushers and the Lady Woodpushers now await the beginning of their UAAP campaign as they seek to build on their momentum from the off-season and turn it into a first place finish.

The Green Woodpushers and Lady Woodpushers made noise during the offseason as they conquered the 2013 UniGames Chess tournament in Bacolod City last October. The ladies brought home the gold medals as they occupied the vacated throne after Jan Fronda gathered 5.5 points, which was followed up by 7.0 points from Judith Pineda, and a 4.0 from Rowelyn Acedo to complete their campaign for the Unigames crown.

With a total of 26 points to secure the 2013 UniGames championship, the Lady Woodpushers succeeded in winning the women’s division once more and rose as the 2013 champions.

On the other side of the tournament, the Green Woodpushers also made headlines as they raked in numerous medals from different boards across the playing field. Green Woodpushers’ Negrense Cajeras concluded his run with a silver medal after falling short against Kenneth Tabada of Jose Maria College while teammates Aglipay Oberio and Jan Nigel fell at the short end of the stick as they were pitted at third and settled for the bronze prize.

Christian Nañola, however, raised the bar for DLSU as he emerged victorious against Jomer Roto of West Negros University and eventually secured the gold crown for himself and the rest of the Green Woodpushers.

The men’s team combined their efforts and skills for a total of 16 match points which proved to be a monumental achievement after they dethroned the defending champions from University of St. Benilde who reigned as five-peat champions from 2008 to 2012 in the men’s division of the league.

With both teams riding the momentum swing from their 2013 UniGames conquest, the Green Woodpushers and Lady Woodpushers enter UAAP Season 76 with a high morale.

In UAAP 74, the team concluded their run at fourth place after falling behind University of the Philippines. However, the team moved up in UAAP 75 as they bested University of the East for the bronze medal and entered the top three, but fell short behind Far Eastern University.

The Lady Woodpushers are regarded as the top team to beat and they enter this season as the three-time defending champions since their first triumph in UAAP 73 wherein the team bested University of Santo Tomas.

Led and backed up by coach Randy Segarra, together with assistant coaches Coleen Ibasco, Rosalino Batencila Jr., and Ranier Labay; the teams seem to be headed for greatness as the Green Woodpushers hope to find the right method and check in with a higher season-end ranking this season, while the Lady Woodpushers aim for another year as the reigning champions and extend their dominance to a four-peat.