Ateneo Midgets are PAYA Table Tennis back-to-back champs

Composed of four AJHS players and two AGS players, the Ateneo Midgets Team emerged as champion of the recent Philippine Athletic Youth Association (PAYA) Table Tennis Tournament, besting Xavier School San Juan (1^st runner-up) and La Salle Greenhills (2^nd runner-up). It was a back-to-back feat for the Blue Eagles, who also won the PAYA title in School Year 2022-2023.  

Rostered in the team are Altair Capistrano (7-Berno), Jacob Cobin (8-Dajani), Timothy Pachica (8-Favre), and Aston Panlaqui (7-Andlauer) from AJHS, and EJ Cobin (6-Campion) and Titus Pachica (2-Kamagong) from AGS.

Titus is currently the youngest player rostered in the Ateneo Midgets team. He was also the youngest player in the PAYA tournament and played singles in the 3rd match. His victory in that high-pressure game resulted in the Blue Eagles’ championship win.

The PAYA Table Tennis Championship was held on March 9, 2024, at the Xavier School Sports Center Badminton Courts in San Juan City.

A week after the PAYA title win, on March 16, the same team of Ateneo Midgets claimed the 1^st runner-up title in the Private Schools Athletic Development Association (PRADA) Table Tennis Tournament. The Blue Eagles achieved an impressive record of 6 wins and 1 loss throughout the tournament, eventually bowing to champion San Beda. Ateneo’s silver finish in the PRADA tournament is an improvement over last school year’s bronze finish.

Also participating in the PRADA tournament were La Salle Greenhills, International School Manila, San Beda University, Marist School Marikina, and Don Bosco Makati.  

The Ateneo Midgets were coached for the PAYA and PRADA competitions by Karen Jaleco.