■ Ofelia C. Empian
Perennial champion Benguet State University went home with 175 gold, 62 silver, and 51 bronze medals at the close of the Cordillera Administrative Region Association of Universities and Colleges (Carasuc) Meet held at the Apayao State College in Luna town from April 29 to May 3.
The BSU Wild Cats improved its last year’s medal haul of 127-73-32 medals with its athletes reigning in the football men, a five-peat champion in futsal women, chess men and women, and baseball and volleyball men.
BSU also ruled the Muay Thai, pencak silat, taekwondo, athletics, and dan-cesports, among other sports.
The athletes who formed part of the BSU Wild Cats are those from La Trinidad and Bokod campuses.
Host Apayao State College jumped to the second spot from last year’s sixth place finish with 40-53-61 medals.
Ifugao State University climbed to the third place with 36-61-66 medals from fourth place while Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology also forwarded one rung higher in the fourth place with 32-42-92 medals from last year’s fifth place.
Last year’s host Kalinga State University, meanwhile, went down from second place to fifth with 26-55-32 medals followed by Mountain Province State Polytechnic College on sixth place with 19-54-60 medals from last year’s third place.
The University of the Philippines Baguio was on seventh place with se-ven bronze medals in its debut at the Carasuc Meet.
MPSC will be the next year’s host of the annual sporting event.
