Volleyball / Soccer

[Feger]

World Organized Rocball action resumes today

By Shan Seman
Reporter: Saipan Tribune

Action in the ongoing World Organized Rocball Community League resumes today at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

Scheduled to test each others' skills are powerhouse Watch & Learn and Kich Fairo as the two teams collide at 11:30am.

Watch & Learn enters riding a two-game win streak and is just a half a game behind defending champion Mwaliyas in the pennant race, while the Kich Fairo players sport a 1-1 win-loss card after splitting their first two games of the season.

A win by Watch & Learn will force a two-way tie atop the team standings. The team is currently tied with Da Lani Kynez and Dublon Chiefs, but a loss will drop the team to third place.

In the event that today's match up does not conclude before time expires, the bout will resume tomorrow at 11:30am.

Meanwhile, the Dublon Chiefs and Da Lani Kynez will clash on Thursday in a battle of unbeatens to close the third round.

The bout is expected to conclude on Friday

[Feger]

Watch & Learn inches closer to third straight victory in Rocball league

By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

WATCH & Learn swept the first three sets of its match against Kich Fairo yesterday at the Marianas High School Gym to move a set away from keeping its record clean in the World Organized Rocball Community League.

With Mark McDonald leading the way scoring 14 points, Watch & Learn was enjoying a 49-15 lead over Kich Fairo when the game was halted yesterday after the third set.

Watch & Learn increased its lead to 34, after clobbering Kich Fairo in the third set, 18-5

McDonald drilled his second goal in the game in the third set to power Watch & Learn to a 13-point win in that set.

McDonald so far has nailed two goals. He made the first one in the opening set, which ended with Watch & Learn pounding Kich Fairo, 15-3.
Kich Fairo?s best game so far was in the second set, but still Watch & Learn prevailed, 15-7.

After the third set, the competing teams had scored eight aces, four xunxs, seven kees and two goals.

The match resumes today with Watch & Learn aiming for a juiced out win that will improve its record to 3-0.

If Watch & Learn loses the fourth set, the game will go into overtime, as rocball rules state that the leading team can only claim the match if it prevails in the fourth set.

In case of an overtime, Kich Fairo must win two sets to steal the game, while Watch & Learn needs only one set.

Kich Fairo is hoping to improve its 1-1 record. If it fails, Kich Fairo will be a loss away from being eliminated in the 10-team field.

Three teams have been knocked out of the tournament. They are the Ballers and 670?s Finest, who are both winless in three games, and the Bwi Bwiis, who hold a 1-3 slate.

A Watch & Learn win will put them in a tie for first place with defending champions the Mwaliyas.

Tied for second place are Da Lani Kynez and the Dublan Chiefs, who have identical 2-0 records. They part ways tomorrow.

The Caropinos and Black Magic are the two other teams fighting for the four playoff spots. Black Magic is winless in two games, while the Caropinos have a 1-2 record

[Feger]

Watch & Learn downs Kick Fairo, remains undefeated


By Shan Seman
Reporter: Saipan Tribune

Watch & Learn remains on a hot streak after the team picked up its third straight win, forcing a two-way tie atop the standings of the World Organized Rocball Community League.

The team, comprised of staff of Marianas High School, easily turned back Kich Fairo, taking all four sets in regulation for a 64-24 juice out victory yesterday at the school?s gym.

Watch & Learn set the tone of things to come early by holding Kich Fairo to just three points while hammering away for 15 to win the first set, with Mark McDonald highlighting the win with a goal.

Kich Fairo was able to do better in the second set, but despite putting up a better effort, the team couldn?t figure out a away to get over the hill. Watch & Learn had no trouble putting points on the board, and strolled to a 16-7 win.

At that point, Watch & Learn held a commanding 21-point lead in the overall points tally, 31-10.

It got worse for Kich Fairo, while the game became sweeter for Watch & Learn. Kich Fairo definitely watched and learned a thing or two in the third set as the team went down again.

Watch & Learn got another goal from McDonald, and widened the lead to 49-15 after taking the third set, 18-5.

McDonald smacked his third goal of the match in the fourth set, and Watch & Learn easily closed the match with a 15-9 victory.

Mark McDonald (MHS Physical Education Teacher) finished as the game?s heavy hitter after leading Watch & Learn with 23 points. He knocked in three aces, four kees, and three goals.

Tyce Mister (Vocational Education Teacher) also had a solid outing for Watch & Learn with 10 points on an ace, a xunk, and three kees.

Wein Kapwich led the low scoring effort of Kich Fairo with four points on two aces.

Rocball action continues today with a big game as Da Lani Kynez and Dublon Chiefs collide at 11:30am. Both teams enter with undefeated records, each sporting a 2-0 card.

[Feger]

Strong performance for Dublon Chiefs


By Shan Seman
Reporter
The Dublon Chiefs are determined to keep their perfect record intact, and the team showed it yesterday.

Faced against fellow undefeated Da Lani Kynez, the Chiefs played as the aggressors and quickly established control before taking the first three sets as action in the ongoing World Organized Rocball Community League continued at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

Control of the match seemed to be in Da Lani Kynez?s corner in the early stages as the team held a 7-4 lead in the first set.

The Chiefs, however, refused to go down and put up a surging attack that resulted in the team turning the tables and cruising to winning the set, 16-11.

With momentum in their corner, the Dublon Chiefs continued to pound away in the second set.

The Chiefs dominated and took advantage of the unusual struggle by Da Lani Kynez to take the set, 16-4.

At that point, the Dublon Chiefs were enjoying a 32-15 lead in the overall points tally.

Not satisfied, the Chiefs continued to push the best they could.

Da Lani Kynez seemed to have broken their cold spell when Myron Laniyo connected for a goal to make it 3-3, but it was not to be for Da Lani Kynez as the Chiefs took command.

Ichnis Kapwich connected for a goal and the Chiefs soon found themselves at set point, 15-4.

Da Lani Kynez was not going down without a fight, and racked up five straight points to pull closer. Their effort, however, was not enough as the Chiefs closed out the set, 17-9, to increase their lead to 25 points, 49-24.ft:

All is not lost for Da Lani Kynez as the team still has a chance to pull off a comeback. Rocball rules indicate that the team leading heading into the fourth set must win the set to close the match. If the team trailing wins the set, the match will go into o-kon-overtime in Rocball terms.

The team leading after regulation will then have a bit of an advantage, only needing to win one overtime set. The team trailing must win two o-kon sets to succeed.

The fourth set unfolds at 11:30am today.

Both teams entered the bout with perfect 2-0 win-loss records. At the end of the second round, the two teams were tied with defending champion Mwaliyas and Watch & Learn atop the team standings. Mwaliyas and Watch & Learn won their third round matches, and whoever wins between Da Lani Kynez and Dublon Chiefs will force a three-way tie for first place.

8) Ybonn Kapwich currently leads the Dublon Chiefs with 12 points after connecting for two aces and four kees, while Ichnis Kapwich and Tarnes Kapwich have seven and six points, with Ichnis hitting two kees and a goal, and Tarnes smacking in three aces.

Laniyo leads Da Lani Kynez with five points on a kee and a goal.

Action continues on Monday with the final match of 2006. The league will take a break after the match and resume in January 2007.

[Feger]

Dublon Chiefs victorious against Da Lani Kynez


By Shan Seman
Reporter
The Dublon Chiefs did something that no one was able to do so far this season, and that was defeat Da Lani Kynez.

After winning the first three sets on Thursday, the Dublon Chiefs returned to the Marianas High School Gymnasium on Friday in hopes of closing out the match for their third win in as many chances in the World Organized Rocball Community League.

At first, though, it seemed like Da Lani Kynez was going to extend in the game into overtime as the team held control of the fourth set.

Faced against set point, the Dublon Chiefs stormed back, and managed to juice out for a 67-41 victory.

The win improved the Chiefs' win-loss record to 3-0, forcing a three-way tie with defending champion Mwaliyas and Watch & Learn. The loss dropped Da Lani Kynez to 2-1.

Da Lani Kynez trailed by 25 points, 24-49, after the first three sets, but returned to the court in high spirit, knowing full well that their chances were very well alive.

Rocball rules state that the team leading heading into the fourth set must win the set in order to close the match. If the team trailing wins the set, the match will go into o-kon-overtime.

The Chiefs were in control in the very early stages of the fourth set, grabbing a 6-2 lead with a goal Ybonn Kapwich highlighting the run.

Da Lani Kynez clawed back, though, and Kaleo Olaitiman served up a goal that sparked a rally. Da Lani Kynez built a 10-5 lead, but saw it disappear after the Dublon Chiefs went on a 6-0 run to regain advantage, 11-10. The run also featured another goal by Kapwich.

The bout was knotted at 11-11 when Myron Laniyo connected for a kee to give Da Lani Kynez some breathing room, 13-11. That sparked another big charge as the team again built a good lead, 17-11.

At set point and leading by six points, it seemed like Da Lani Kynez had wrapped up the win and forced overtime.

But the Chiefs refused to give in, and staged an impressive rally. The team scored three straight points, then Orig Toun connected for a kee to bring his team to within a point, 16-17. The team knotted the game at 17-17, making it set point for both teams.

Dublon Chiefs was on the attack, and a kill attempt was blocked at the net by Laniyo, but unfortunately for Da Lani Kynez, the ball landed out of bounds, resulting in the 18-17 clincher for Dublon Chiefs.

The Chiefs were able to take the first set, 16-11, then increased their lead to 17 points, 32-15, after winning the second set, 16-4. The team then controlled the third set for a 17-9 win.

The match featured seven aces, two xunks, 16 kees, and five goals.

8) Kapwich finished as the game's heavy hitter as he led the Dublon Chiefs with 20 points. He pounded the ball for two aces, a xunk, four kees, and two goals.

Laniyo led Da Lani Kynez with nine points on three kees and a goal.

[Feger]

Black Magic evens record with o-kon victory


By Shan Seman
Reporter
Black Magic broke back to the .500 mark after defeating Fa'atingaluugh-formerly Caropinos-yesterday in the World Organized Rocball Community League at the Marianas High School Green Court.

Despite winning the first three sets with ease, Black Magic had a tough time closing out the match, but still managed to picked up win No. 2 by winning in o-kon-overtime.

Black Magic dominated the first set on Monday, putting on a scoring clinic and cruising to an easy 15-5 victory. The highlight of the set, however, came from Fa'atingaluugh's corner when Dino Mettao connected for a goal.

Fa'atingaluugh still couldn't find a way to put up a better fight in the second set, and as a result, Black Magic continued to pound away for another easy victory, 15-6. At that point, Black Magic was ahead by a mile, 30-11, in the overall points tally.

The Fa'atingaluugh players finally broke out of their slump and began to put up more points on the board in the third set. The team, however, was plagued with three mishaps on first serves, and Black Magic remained dominant for a 15-10 victory to take a 24-point lead heading into the final set of regulation, 45-21.

Despite the large deficit, Fa'atingaluugh still had a shot at winning, and all the team needed to do was win the fourth set and force overtime. Rocball rules indicate that a team leading heading into the fourth set must win the set to close the match. Regardless if the team still leads after four sets, but if it drops the fourth set, the game will go into o-kon.

Black Magic surprisingly went cold in the fourth set, and Fa'atingaluugh took advantage.

Fa'atingaluugh held their opponents to just six points, while going off for 15 to keep their hopes alive. Ryan Lisua put up big points for the team in the set, connecting on three straight aces.

Black Magic, however, still held advantage as the team only needed to win one overtime set, while Fa'atingaluugh needed to win two sets in o-kon.

The Black Magic players were not happy with going into o-kon, and put an end to the bout with a 10-6 win.

Elly Apilis led Black Magic with eight points courtesy of an ace and three xunks, while Lisua finished as the game's heavy hitter after leading Fa'atingaluugh with 12 points. He had four aces, a xunk, and a kee.

Meanwhile, World Organized Rocball Community League coordinator Jim Feger said the bout closed the 2006 year as action will resume in January 2007.

[Feger]

It makes make a difference:

When a team is allowed five hits to score, that team has some advantages over their opponents with the traditional three hit play:

1. It allows a team to recover from a missed played ball after the third hit.

2. It allows a team more opportunity to set up for a multiple point, backcourt score.

3. It allows a team more flexibility to move the ball from one side of the court to the other for better offensive/scoring plays.

4. It allows a team more choices of when to spike off a set ball.

5. It allows a team to break the predictable bump, set, spike routine.

6. It defines the difference between which team is playing offense and defense.

7. It forces the three hit, defensive team to adjust more as a reactionary force.

8. It breaks up the mind-set and monotony of the three hit count for spectators.

At least, these are some of the more obvious effects.

[Feger]

Here is the background information on the different logos and prints of the Rocball T-shirt.

The bird on the back is a personal view on a legendary bird of prey called a Roc. You can look it up on the Internet. It is described by many different cultural/civilizations, but most notable in the tales of Sinbad the Sailor. (In India it was referred to as the ?Firebird? and in American Native folklore, it was called a ?Thunderbird?).

"The Land of MU" as legend would have it, and you can find this on the Internet, is a lost continent of the Pacific Ocean region that extended north to Hawaii, south to Fiji, east to the Easter islands, and west to the Marianas.

"The Myth Of Vim" is that people who use to live on the lost continent of Mu had no way of naturally dying. If a person did not die by accident or violence, they could live as long as they liked and only died if they decided they had lived long enough, and committed suicide by jumping off a high cliff into the ocean.

The Red ball between the upper Roc wings represents the wind, waves, islands, seven phases of the moon, and the sun.

The oval design in the lower section of the Roc is "infinity" with the word "Micronesia" cryptically written.

Under the right sleeve are the four major island groups not part of the Federated States of Micronesia, but are in Micronesia. The large circle is Saipan and the smaller circles from left to right are Guam, Palau, and Marshall.

Under the left sleeve are the four major island groups that make up the Federated States of Micronesia. The Large circle is Chuuk (once known as Truk), and the smaller circles from left to right are Kosrae, Yap, and Pohnpei.

On the front of the T-shirt...well...as you can see that is self-explanatory. But:

Rocball is a game derivative of volleyball, with its roots of play founded in a sport once played by athlete/warriors of the Aztec Civilization called Tlachtli. (you can look up Tlachtli on the internet. It was the first team sport ever played with a rubber ball).

[spagmasterswift]

Great breakdown on what the symbols mean mate and thanks again for the T-shirt. Been wearing when I'm out jogging

[Nijo]

Rocball t-shirts!?! Did I miss a link? How do we get one???

[Feger]

Rocball t-shirts!?! Did I miss a link? How do we get one???

Hello Nijo

The shirt sent to Spagmasterswift was kind of a proto type. I made some shirts up for our Rocball players. I give them out to the team captains and high scorers in ceratin type of plays after each round of competition.

I sent one to Spagmasterswift for being the Rocball enthusiast on this forum. I also sent one to a high school student in Wisconsin, USA, and one to the webmaster of a volleyball website in Australia. They were kind of promos to feel out their reactions. So far, I have had positive feedback from our league players and those recipients in Great Britain, Australia, and USA.

I haven't mass produced them. But, maybe sometime in the future I'll try doing it.

[Big Seany]

I also have a Rocball t-shirt, which rocks. Thanks Jim. Also a big shoutout for getting the size right - fat bastard size. Wore it to the pub the other day and go mad crazy love from people.

[Feger]

Hey Sean

Glad I got the right size. And, pleased to know your shirt became a conversational piece at your local social club.

Thanks for the input !

[Feger]

The 5 Hit Shirt
Rocball

“Wisconsin, USA”

“haha so i wore my shirt to school yesterday and everyone complimented me on it.
But they wanted to know what all that stuff was and i tried to explain it the best I could but this certainly helps.
Some of my firends are sitting next to me right now in history class and i made them read it and they think the shirt is even cooler now.”

“These shirts are incredible!!! And even better, we have people asking me and taylor about/for them, we tell them about the game, and agree to throw a shirt their way if they'll play.. i think our school is hooked on rocball.”

"Michigan, USA"

"I've had a lot of people compliment me on my five hit shirt too. I've actually used it as my warm up shirt the last two weeks and everyone thinks it's really cool."

[Feger]

Black Magic spell too strong for Kich Fairo


By Shan Seman
Reporter

Black Magic was just too strong for Kich Fairo and broke over the .500 mark behind an impressive victory yesterday as action in the world Organized Rocball Community League continued at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

Entering yesterday's session with a slim 28-22 lead, Black Magic was able to slowly increase the advantage in the third set, then blew away the competition in the fourth set for a 61-43 victory.

With the win, Black Magic improves its win-loss record to 3-2, while the loss was Kich Fairo's third in four games.

As reported in yesterday's edition, Black Magic was holding a 6-3 lead in the third set when time expired. When action resumed, Black Magic kept a firm hold on its slim lead and was able to close the set with a 16-12 win to increase the overall lead to 10 points, 44-34.

Despite trailing by 10, the Kich Fairo players knew they still had a chance since in Rocball, the team leading heading into the fourth set must win the set to close the match. If Kich Fairo wins the set and also overcomes the 10-point deficit in the overall tally, they will also win the match.

At first, it seemed Kich Fairo was going pull off the stunner. With Zerolyn Fiden at the service line, the team was able to open with a 6-0 run.

Black Magic, however, was not ready to give the win away. The team calmly clawed back and held the opposition to just three points the rest of the way for a 17-9 clincher.

Black Magic took the first set, 15-7, despite a goal by Kich Fairo's Typhoon Saito. Kich Fairo came back in the second set and won, 15-13.

Joe Taitano was the game's heavy hitter with nine points after connecting for three aces, a xunk, and a jam, while Saito led Kich Fairo with five points on a kee and a goal.

Rocball action continues today with Da Lani Kynez and defending champion Mwaliyas squaring off. Watch & Learn and Dublon Chiefs close out the round with a battle of unbeatens next week. Watch & Learn, Mwaliyas, and Dublon Chiefs sit atop the team standings with perfect 3-0 records.

All teams will face each other once before the semifinals cast is determined. Teams advancing to the Final Four will then battle in best-of-three series, with the two victorious teams scoring slots in the championship series.

The Rocball World Title will then be up for grabs in the best-of-five championship series.

Meanwhile, sport creator Jim Feger disclosed yesterday that Rocball continues to attract interest around the world. Two juniors, Rob Petrie and Taylor Braun, currently enrolled at Catholic Memorial High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin were recently recipients of the official World Organized Rocball T-shirt and have already created two four-person teams that will compete in the sport.

Both have indicated to Feger that they've received positive feedback from other students regarding the shirts and the sport.