Davao’s Mulatto Pilipinas tops Zone Cup in Vietnam

Team Mulatto Pilipinas (PNA photo)

DAVAO CITY – Team Mulatto Pilipinas from Davao City beat 12 other international frisbee teams to emerge Pool A champion in the prestigious Zone Cup 2015 held in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam on Sunday.

Spearheaded by playing couple Daisy Jane Cimafranca and Joie Monterola, Mulatto crushed early tormentor Whisby Nation of Taiwan, 15-9 in their exciting championship game on Sunday.

Mulatto started their campaign with a 13-3 win over Powers-Japan but bowed to the Taiwanese, 9-11 in the elimination round last Saturday.

The Dabawenyos, however, bounced back with a 10-8 win over the Red Mao Bosses in their third outing.

Mulatto ended the opening day with an identical 10-8 victory over the Bomb-Mixed International Team in the cross-over.

In the final day of action, Mulatto kept its winning form by again whipping the Red Mao Bosses, 13-5 in the quarterfinals.

Mulatto then clobbered the Dark Horse-Mixed international team by a similar 13-5 victory in the semifinals to again face Whisby Nation.

Mulatto Pilipinas was also played by Vergil Nelson Canedo, David Libo-on III, Bryle Quimintan, Kaiser Angelo Basil, Rodel Villafranca, Carlos Anthony Montejo, Antonio Francisco, Jeffrey Yee, Drian Verdeprado, Benjamin Yap, Jeaster Sabornido, Vincent Balucanag, Jerson Ray Royana, Sheila Mae Obra, Rozel Barug, Jean Tuvilla, Lien Verdeprado, Maryviel Dublin, Joan Coleen Lim, Gladys Oliverio, Rica Garcia and Pia Marie Dumaquita.

The organizers of Zone Cup 2015 congratulated Mulatto on their well-deserved championship.

“This year’s A pool field featured one of the best gatherings of ultimate talent we have seen in an Asian tournament,” said organizer Vu Truong of Zone Top Quality Ultimate Apparel.

It included both strong, long-established clubs and one-time collections of great players from all over Asia and beyond. There were many competitive battles and no team went undefeated or winless.

In the end, two well-known clubs – Mulatto and Whisby Nation – faced off in the final treating those who stuck around to great display of ultimate skill and desire.

“Whisby Nation put up a great fight, but this year belonged to the stars of Davao. Congratulations to both finalists on a great game and all of this year’s Zone Cup participants on their competitive, spirited play,” said Truong.

Mulatto, however, was not really expecting to win the title.

“We really didn’t expect to win this Zone Cup championship. We just did all our best,” said team owner Daisy Jane Cimafranca.

She said that her players were very focus since they started training.

“That’s why the chemistry of the team was really great,” said Cimafranca.

It was Mulatto’s biggest achievement in the international ultimate competition. Mulatto was the Pool B champion in the Singapore Ultimate Open 2011 and placed 5th in the Pool A of the Singapore Ultimate Open 2012.

Mulatto then finished second runner-up in the 13th Annual Pan-Asian Tournament held in 2013 and placed also second runner-up in the 2014 Malaysia Ultimate Open.