Ricardo Lagac delivered a rousing display of grit and composure to rule the boys’ 16-and-under division, stunning top seed Krelz Gecosala in the finals of the Mayor Edwin Olivarez National Junior Tennis Championships held recently in Sucat, Parañaque.

Lagac surged through a gauntlet of seeded players – beating Casimir Briggs, shocking No. 2 Anthony Cosca, stopping No. 5 Karl Almiron, and routing sixth seed Anirudh Palanisamy – before capping his remarkable run with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 victory over Gecosala in the finals at the Olivarez Sports Center.

Riding the momentum, the 16-year-old unranked Cebuano also competed in the premier 18-and-U class and sustained his fiery form. He dispatched Jomar Maranga, ousted No. 4 and doubles partner Troan Vytiaco, stunned fifth-ranked Felizardo Lota III, and advanced to the championship after receiving a walkover from Palanisamy.

Facing Almiron in the title duel, Lagac took the opening set, 6-3, stumbled in the second, 1-6, but regained his poise in the deciding set to carve out a thrilling 7-6(4) win in the tournament sanctioned by Philta and backed by Dunlop, Universal Tennis, ICON Golf & Sports, and the long-running Palawan Pawnshop junior program spearheaded by president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Jan Cadee Dagoon matched Lagac’s two-title haul to share MVP honors, dominating the girls’ side with equal brilliance. The Olongapo City native crushed Ayl Gonzaga, 6-1, 6-1, in the 16-and-U finals before holding off doubles partner Joy Ansay, 6-3, 6-4, to bag the 18-and-U crown in the weeklong event, which served as a side competition to the Open Championship.

In other results, Olongapo’s Cosca rebounded in the boys’ 14-and-U finals, scoring a 6-4, 6-4 upset over top-seeded Gecosala. Tyronne Caro took the boys’ 12-and-U title after Jan Villeno retired at 0-1. Ella Marie Paglaluan bested Gonzaga, 6-1, 7-5, for the girls’ 14-and-U trophy, while Amanda Barrido downed top seed Kyla Caguioa, 6-2, 6-3, to rule the girls’ 12-and-U class.

Liam Harrow captured the 10-and-U unisex crown with a gritty 4-5(5), 4-0, 10-6 victory over Raven de Guzman in the tournament held as part of Olivarez’s long-standing program to cultivate young talents and discover future national team prospects.

In doubles action, Dagoon and Ansay bagged the girls’ 18-and-U title, while Lagac and Vytiaco clinched the boys’ 18-and-U crown. Gonzaga and Vania Parawan topped the girls’ 14-and-U division; Caro and Gecosala ruled the boys’ side; and Matias Aguilera and Azl Gonzaga secured the 10-and-U unisex championship.