INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—Overmatched.

The Philippines went under a powerful Thailand juggernaut, 5-0, in both boys’ and girls’ team ties to drop out of the team competition of the 14th ASEAN Schools Badminton Championships at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Tuesday.

With world-ranked players in tow, Thailand drubbed the host in all 10 matches—all in straight sets and none lasting more than 30 minutes—to forge a duel with defending champion Indonesia in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Singapore also fashioned out similar 5-0 routs of Brunei in their own boys’ and girls’ duel to arrange a semifinal encounter with Malaysia, which was seeded to the next round along with Indonesia.

Filipino ace Joeffer Escueta bowed to Thailand’s No. 1-ranked junior player and World No. 258 Pisit Poodchalat, 12-21, 10-21, in the first of three singles.

The 14-year-old Escueta, a Palarong Pambansa champion, raced to a 4-0 lead in the first set against Poodchalat, 16, before the Thai pulled even at 7 and then took control of the match.

“We have younger players here compared to the Thais because (in Thailand), they have high school students who are already 18 years old,” said tournament organizer Joy Encabo of the Philippine Sports Commission. “Our players gave it their all.”

The Philippines will resume its campaign in the individual competitions starting Thursday.

“He had deep smash plays and he read my netting,” said Escueta, a sophomore at Colegio Monterey de Pila in Laguna, who appeared intimidated by the 5-foot-7 Poodchalat, who stood two inches taller.

Earlier, three-time Palaro champ and 2007 Singapore Youth doubles champion Gelita Castillo lost to Nichaon Jindapol, 21-9, 21-12, in only 22 minutes in the first girls’ match.

“I had a hard time adjusting to (Jindapol’s) drop shots and slice,” the 5-foot-4, 13-year-old Castillo said in Filipino.

Danica Bolos and Abigail Garcia fell to Artima Serithamarak and Chayanit Chadchalam, 21-11, 21-5.

Camille Yang bowed to Prangnuch Lerthiran, 21-6, 21-9, in the second singles; Dia Nicole Magno and Rochelle Andres dropped the second doubles to Salinee Somsri and Boonsita Thumpanichwong, 21-8, 21-13; and Jessalam Sampurna yielded to Nuttaya Sanlekanun, 21-14, 21-2.

Peter Gabriel Magnaye lost the singles to Nipitphong Phuangpuaphet, 21-17, 21-11, before Greg Paz and Lance Bautista bowed to Bodin Isara and Pollawat Boonpan, 21-14, 21-16.

Patrique Francisco Magnaye and Peter Garbriel Magnaye bowed to Sarayuth Seatung and Sermsin Wongaprom in the second doubles, 21-10, 21-15. John Robert Ner lost to Pawarit Supasri, 21-13, 21-17, in the third boys’ singles.