Expect upsets in softball
By EKONIA PENI, Senior Softball Writer
MEMORIES of last year’s national softball championships in Kavieng, New Ireland province, will set off a bitter challenge from host centre Port Moresby as softball playing centres gather in Port Moresby this weekend for the annual national tournament.
It will be the 32nd national softball championships. It is being sponsored by the National Gaming Control Board and will pitch off on Good Friday, March 21, and close with the finals on Monday, March 24.
It will be another opportunity during which men’s and women’s teams will battle for outright supremacy and to claim the champions flag for the 2007-08 softball season in their respective competitions.
The Bisini softball diamonds and the grandstand - the best in Papua New Guinea - have been prepared by hosts Port Moresby men’s and women’s softball associations for their rivals.
Those confirmed to send teams besides Port Moresby are; Tabubil, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Kavieng and Lihir.
There is more to just getting together for the national championships.
What makes national championships special is the great rivalry between teams that emerges every time they take the diamonds.
It is rivalry that can cause a heart attack for the faint-hearted, anger for the shot-tempered, or tears for the emotional person at the wrong end of the final.
This will be the reality of the contests this Easter weekend and the more reason for softball supporters, friends and foes to come together and see for themselves the results during the finals next Monday.
Facts on the national softball championships since 2000 show that Lae and Madang have been the dominant centres winning both the men’s and women on many occasions ratjer than Port Moresby where softball was born.
It makes you wander why Port Moresby men’s and women’s been unable to win the national softball titles.
Then spare a thought for Rabaul who with their home grown talents have also been unable to win a softball title since 2000 due to the volcanic eruptions of 1994 that have made recovery of the sport difficult.
But for the record books, in 2000 the national championships was staged in Rabaul where Port Moresby men’s beat Rabaul 7-0 and Port Moresby women’s beat Mount Hagen 3-1.
The national championships were cancelled in 2001.
In 2002 the championships was staged in Lae where Port Moresby men’s defeated Lae 4-3 and Lae beat Port Moresby in the women’s final 6-1.
Lae again hosted the championships in 2003 and dominated in both men’s and women’s. Lae beat Madang 7-0 in the men’s and they beat Port Moresby women’s 10-7.
Lae were hosts again in 2004 and the finals during that championships was fought out between Lae and Madang in both competitions. Lae beat Madang 11-1 in the men’s while in the women’s Lae beat Madang 5-4.
In 2005 Port Moresby hosted but never had a team in the finals which was again played out†between Lae and Madang teams. In the men’s Lae defeated Madang 8-7 while in the women’s final Madang beat Lae 9-8.
In 2006 the national championships was taken to beautify Madang where Port Moresby never featured again in the finals which were played out between Madang and Lae teams again.
In the men’s Madang edged Lae 5-4 while in the women’s Lae thrashed Madang 13-6 in the respective finals.
Last year (2007) the teams converged on bilas ples Kavieng with teams from Kavieng, Kara Nalik and Lihir being fielded to give the host centre more chances of winning the tournament.
Luck never came the New Irelanders’ way as the finals were played out between visiting teams.
In the men’s Madang defeated Lae 3-1 while in the women’s a strong Kokopo team fought bravely but lost narrowly to Lae 3-2.
This weekend Port Moresby teams will be on the warpath to reclaim both the men’s and women’s national softball titles in what would be a great challenge to watch.
Dominant centres Lae and Madang in both men’s and women’s since 2002 remain hot favourites to retain their respective crowns although they know that a real challenge by the host centre awaits them.
And they will no doubt come prepared and have to play their hearts out if they are to retain their status.
Never under-estimate Tabubil, Lihir and Rabaul who for some unknown reasons give me the feeling that they could create a few upsets to reach the finals next Monday.

* Enjoy the Easter and see you all at the Bisini softball diamonds
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