MIGUEL Lagac III (right) lifts the trophy after sweeping two singles titles in the Olongapo national juniors, alongside co-Most Valuable Player awardee Jan Cadee Dagoon (left) and Olongapo Tennis Club director Dr. Marion Ridon.
Photograph courtesy of PPS
Cebu City’s Miguel Lagac III delivered a statement performance, overwhelming local bet Anthony Cosca twice to dominate the Olongapo Tennis Club Junior Age-Group Tennis Championships at the Olongapo City Tennis Courts over the weekend.
Coming off a lengthy break, Lagac showed no signs of rust, instead displaying remarkable sharpness and control. He crushed Cosca, 6-0, 6-2, in the boys’ 16U finals before completing a dominant sweep with an even more emphatic 6-0, 6-1 victory in the 18U championship, emerging as the tournament’s lone double gold medalist in the Group 2 event presented by Dunlop.
Lagac’s dominance was underscored by his near-flawless run — dropping just four games across four matches in the 16U division and conceding only two games in four matches in the 18U bracket. It was a resounding return for the rising star, who had stepped away from competition following a strong early-season campaign that included titles in the MAC’s Crank It, the Zopiya Morales National Juniors and the Arcillas Cup.
After skipping the Palawan Pawnshop southern swing in Mindanao, Lagac’s comeback in Olongapo reaffirmed his status as one of the country’s brightest junior prospects.
In the girls’ division, homegrown talents Ayl Gonzaga and Jan Cadee Dagoon split the spotlight by capturing one premier title each. Gonzaga edged Dagoon in the 16U finals, 4-3 (ret.), while Dagoon struck back with a gripping 6-3, 7-6(3) win in the 18U championship.
Other results saw Pangasinan’s Jairus Peralta topple top seed Yuan Torrente, 6-1, 7-5, to claim the boys’ 14U title. Torrente, from Olongapo, later rebounded in the 12U finals, routing Joaquin Dacyon, 6-0, 6-2.
In girls’ play, Michaela Suarez from Muntinlupa City crushed Teresinha Calingasan, 6-3, 6-1, to secure the 14U crown, while local star Jaynelle Castro outlasted Misty Principe, 6-4, 6-4, to win the 12U title.
Doubles action also featured tight contests, with Dagoon and Gonzaga teaming up to edge past Claire Casiller and Shiloh Cruz, 8-5, in the 18U championship, while Troan Vytiaco and Martin Paulsen nipped Cosca and Johan Dacyon, 8-7(5), in a thrilling boys’ final.
Calingasan and Vania Parawan took the girls’ 14U doubles diadem with an 8-5 triumph over Castro and Suarez, while Peralta and Torrente bagged the boys’ crown with an 8-2 demolition of Maximus Calingasan and Jacob Dizon.
Beyond the results, the tournament underscores the growing impact of the Palawan Junior Tennis Program, a long-running initiative led by president/CEO Bobby Castro. Designed to discover and develop talent — especially from the provinces — the program continues to serve as a vital pipeline for the country’s next generation of tennis stars.
The circuit now shifts to Dumaguete from 6 to 10 April for the Visayas swing, followed by stops in Bacolod and Roxas City, where more young athletes will have the opportunity to compete, gain exposure, and sharpen their skills on a national stage.
