By Maria Monica L Borja
Engineering Warriors remain unbeaten
The Engineering Warriors once again exerted their dominance in intramural sports during the recently concluded The Xavier Cup, successfully holding the title for three consecutive years.
Garnering a total of 743 points, the Engineering Warriors bested nine other teams as they vied for victory, glory, and honor.
The School of Business and Management (SBM) landed on the second spot with 651.5 points while the College of Arts and Sciences ranked third with 418.5 points. (For the complete results, pop over here.)
"We celebrate when we win and laugh when we lose," shared Association of College of Engineering Students (ACES) president Ailene Llesis. "It's hard not to feel proud for bagging The Xavier Cup for keeps when the combined efforts of our athletes, teachers, alumni, volunteers, and cheerers have helped us so much."
Llesis added, "It's an honor to be a part of this tribe."
Eagles soar high in cheerdance tilt
The Xavier Cup 2016 kicked off with a cheerdance competition held on September 10 at the XU Gymnasium. Sounds of trumpets and drums reverberated, support of students for their respective colleges poured out, and cheers of the crowd filled the gymnasium, giving this year’s intramurals a warm welcome.
SBM All Stars reigned as the overall champion of the cheerdance competition garnering 87.38%, followed by the College of Arts and Sciences Supreme Coeds with a 76.06% and a 0.89% difference with the third placer, the Aggie Bullwhippers, who garnered 75.17%.
SBM All Stars team captain expressed his happiness after reclaiming the title. “After three years, the title is ours again and it feels great,” said Jacke Tanaka.
He also revealed the secrets to their team’s success in winning the competition: “Our secrets are teamwork and proper attitude during practice. The whole squad had to be united to achieve the goal,” shared Tanaka.
The opening ceremonies also featured a special performance of the XU Crusader Cheer All Stars who championed at this year’s T’nalak Cheerdance Competition in South Cotabato in July.
The Xavier Cup beyond personal glory
XU Office of Student Affairs director Ivanell Subrabas, who lit the torch symbolizing the onset of the college intramurals, shared three principles in his message for this year's The Xavier Cup: “(1) Living by the essence of sportsmanship; (2) Unity set by St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius; and (3) Above all, fighting for the greater glory of God.”
Sportsmanship. “May we be reminded to live by the essence of this whole event, instead of competition, the spirit of sportsmanship that each of us has to play in every game fairly. May we also exhibit firstly to our teammates and our opponents ethical behavior, integrity, and embrace in victory,” said Subrabas.
“Hopefully, apart from being proud, may we also feel humble amidst every winning, and instead of being discouraged, we take courage in facing defeat after all the most important thing is not so much about winning, but in taking part,” he added.
Remembering the unity set by St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius. “We may be representing a name of your college, but let us remember that we belong to the same university, to one community. Let us embody the same spirit that binds us together, the ideals of St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius that call us to live with one other, that call us to have union amidst diversity,” shared Subrabas.
Ad majorem dei Gloriam. “We fight not for ourselves but for His greater glory. In everything we do, we do them as an expression of our desire to please our God,” he emphasized.
XU Central Student Government president Edison Lacea, for his part, highlighted this year’s theme, “The Xavier Cup: Celebrating One Spirit.”
“Let us celebrate the Atenean spirit. Let us partake in our shared mission. Let us give value to the spirit of the games with a deeper promise of dedicating it, not only among ourselves, but also to the greater society,” said Lacea.
“Let us pray and show that these acts will not change us that sports unite us and we are stronger together.”