One Great Push: DLSU Woodpushers look to sweep UAAP

After an exciting first half of UAAP Season 77, second semester sports teams will be looking to carry on the momentum and bring out their best performances— all vying for the title to bring pride to their respective institutions.

The DLSU Woodpushers are among the squads with that goal, but with them they bring a championship pedigree and a winning nucleus that gives them an advantage amongst other competitors whom they will face in their upcoming matches.

Last season was a successful one for La Salle’s resident board tacticians as both teams ended their respective campaigns with a podium finish. The Lady Woodpushers breezed past their rivals to bag first place for the fourth consecutive year while the Green Woodpushers had a respectable third place outing for the second straight season.

Several individual performances from the squad stood out during the tournament, spearheaded by Jodi Fronda’s MVP award and a Rookie of the Year plum for Bernadette Galas. The chess team, as a whole, brought home seven medals— four golds, one silver, and two bronzes.

Sustaining success

The chess wizards have been preparing rigorously for the coming tournament, doing both orthodox and unorthodox practice methods to bring out the best in their players.

“Actually, preparations namin is more on the technical part, puro kami problem solving, practical problem solving. Sa tournaments, at least ma-aapply namin yung napag-aralan namin sa training,” says head coach Randy Segarra.

The team also took part in the recently concluded UniGames 2014 in Iloilo, which Segarra says is their major pre-tournament for this year. The Lady Woodpushers continued their dominance in the nationwide tournament, winning first place among 13 participating colleges and universities, while allowing only one point from the opposition. The men’s team, on the other hand, finished in third place in a 12-team tourney.

“We had a tough time in Iloilo, but I’m still satisfied with the performance,” the veteran chess mentor adds.

Segarra was quick to note that the Green Woodpushers were undermanned during their trip. Two of the team’s top recruits were not fielded in due to fears that they might get scouted.

The Green Woodpushers have put on decent showings over the years, but have not won a championship since 2004, wherein they won their sixth consecutive chess trophy since 1998. This season though, Segarra has high hopes that his recruits can help them get back to the top.

“We’re gunning for the championship which we last held in 2004. Hopefully, after a 10-year drought, eto na, makuha na natin because of the top recruits. Expect a lot of hard work from us.” says Segarra.

UAAP Season 75 Rookie of the Year Jan Galan will be back to lead the men’s squad’s title aspirations along with the prized recruits.

The Lady Woodpushers, on the other side of things, will be looking to achieve a five-peat this year, although they may have to do it without their best players.

UAAP Season 76 Athlete of the Year Jodi Fronda graduated last October with a degree in Sports Management and is pondering on whether or not she will return for her final year. Another key player, Judith Pineda, also graduated this year and has already notified the team that she will no longer come back. Segarra, who pegs FEU and UP as hurdles to the trophy, hopes that Fronda will play out her last season.

“She will be [of] big help for the fifth consecutive title campaign, which is the rarest for any sports team,” the multi-titled coach mentioned.

With the MVP’s impending departure, the team bolstered their line-up with the addition of several top recruits along with several national team mainstays.

Last year’s top rookie Bernadette Galas will take the charge of the grand conquest, along with veterans Cherry Meija and Rowelyn Acedo.

Segarra hopes that the Lasallian community will support them and all of La Salle’s representatives in the second semester sports in hopes of retaining the UAAP General Championship for the Green-and-White squad.