Benilde ends San Beda’s reign, emerges NCAA overall champion

MANILA, Philippines – St. Benilde edged San Beda by the skin of its teeth to emerge the new overall champion in the 89th NCAA general race in one of the most closely fought results in the history of the country’s oldest league.

The Blazers won in men’s badminton and women’s soft tennis but it was its victory in men’s beach volley in Puerto Galera in Mindoro last month and a fourth place performance in track and field at La Salle-Dasmarinas last week that sealed them their first general championship since emerging at the helm five seasons back.

St. Benilde amassed a total of 550.5 points, barely supplanting the Lions – whose three-year reign came to a crashing halt after ending up 6.5 points behind with 544 points – for its third general championship after finishing first in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Also helping propel the Taft-based school to the top were its second place finishes in chess, women’s table tennis and taekwondo and men’s and women’s swimming as well as its third place efforts in men’s table tennis, lawn tennis and taekwondo and women’s volleyball.

San Beda won in men’s basketball and football, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s table tennis and men’s and women’s taekwondo and soft tennis but it couldn’t deliver in some sports that led to its downfall.

San Sebastian, relying on victories in women's beach volleyball and chess, wounded up third with 428 points, while Arellano had 413.5 points in fourth spot.

San Beda, however, consoled itself by plucking the general championship in the juniors division, dethroning San Sebastian with 311 points on first place finishes in basketball and football.

CSB-La Salle Greenhills was at far second with 274 points, while Letran wound up third with 264 points. The Staglets came fourth with 260 points.