Chapter 19: The Awards
The awards ceremony was held the next morning in the school gym.
Rafael didn’t sleep much the night before. It wasn’t nerves. Every time he closed his eyes, he heard the noise from the stands and felt his teammates lifting him onto their shoulders. When he finally got up, Lia was already dressed and standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.
"You’re slow."
"It’s seven in the morning."
"The ceremony is at nine. Mama said we can’t be late for your trophies."
"I don’t know if I’m getting trophies."
Lia gave him a look. "Kuya. You hit four home runs in two games."
"Two in the semifinal, two in the final."
"Exactly."
Rafael laughed and reached for his uniform jacket. Elena was already in the kitchen packing a small bag of food, and Manuel was wearing his good polo shirt, the one he saved for important days. Nobody said much, but Rafael could tell they were excited.
The gym was full when they arrived. Students sat along the bleachers with banners from every school, and the teams were seated in rows near the stage. Rafael found his teammates near the front. Joshua had already saved him a seat.
"You look tired," Joshua said.
"You look like you haven’t stopped smiling since yesterday."
"I haven’t." Joshua leaned closer. "I told my mother we won, and she cried for ten minutes."
Paolo laughed from the other side. "My father framed the scorecard."
"He what?"
"He framed it. It’s in the living room."
Miguel shook his head. "That’s amazing."
On the other side of the gym, the Nueva Esperanza players sat in their own row. Gabriel Torres caught Rafael’s eye and lifted two fingers in a small salute. Rafael returned it. A few rows behind them, Adrian Reyes and the San Lorenzo team were talking quietly, and Adrian waved when he noticed Rafael looking.
Then the announcer stepped onto the stage, and the room quieted.
"Good morning, everyone. We’re here to recognize the players and teams who made this tournament unforgettable."
Applause filled the gym.
The first awards were small ones. Sportsmanship went to Adrian Reyes of San Lorenzo, and the announcer explained why. "After a hard loss in the semifinal, Adrian walked over and shook hands with the opposing team’s best player. That’s what sports are about."
Adrian looked embarrassed as he walked up to the stage. His teammates cheered louder than anyone. When he took the plaque, he glanced across the gym and gave Rafael a small smile.
Next was Best Defensive Outfielder, and the announcer paused before reading the name. "Nico, Davao Central Academy."
Nico froze in his seat.
"That’s you," Miguel said, pushing him. "Go!"
"Me?"
"Yes, you!"
Nico walked to the stage as if he couldn’t feel his legs. He accepted the plaque with both hands, and when he turned around, Joshua was standing on his chair, shouting. Nico laughed and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.
The Gold Glove for infield went to Kenneth Bautista of Nueva Esperanza, and the Best Catcher award went to his teammate, Enzo Marquez. Enzo walked up the steps, glancing back toward Rafael. Rafael gave him a thumbs-up. He remembered the intentional walk and the quiet "sorry."
"Most Improved Player," the announcer said. "Joshua, Davao Central Academy."
Joshua stopped moving. "What?"
"Go, go, go!" Miguel shouted.
Joshua stumbled onto the stage, nearly tripping on the last step. When they handed him the plaque, he looked at it like it might disappear. He turned to the crowd and pointed at Rafael.
"This one’s from his glove tip!" he yelled into the microphone.
The whole gym burst into laughter. Rafael covered his face, but he was smiling.
The Unsung Hero Award went to Paolo, and the announcer read out a short note. "He caught every inning of every game, called pitches, blocked balls in the dirt, and never complained."
Paolo walked up slowly, and when he got the plaque, he lifted it above his head like a championship trophy. Several of his teammates whistled. Rafael clapped hard, thinking about how many times Paolo had been the calm voice behind home plate.
Then the announcer changed his tone. "Now we’ll recognize the All-Tournament Team. These are the players who stood out across the entire tournament."
He read the positions one at a time.
"Pitcher, Gabriel Torres, Nueva Esperanza. Catcher, Enzo Marquez, Nueva Esperanza. First base, Joshua, Davao Central. Second base, Ethan, Davao Central. Third base, Carlo, Davao Central. Shortstop, Jared Castillo, San Lorenzo. Center field, Tristan Navarro, San Lorenzo."
Each name brought applause. Joshua and Ethan bumped fists as they walked to the stage.
"And in right field," the announcer said, "Rafael Santos, Davao Central Academy."
The gym exploded.
Rafael stood up, and his teammates were already pushing him toward the aisle. He walked to the stage slowly. When he reached the steps, he glanced at the bleachers and saw his family standing together. Lia was screaming, Manuel was clapping so hard his hands looked red, and Elena had her phone up. Mia stood next to them, smiling.
He took his place with the other players. Gabriel was next to him. Rafael leaned over.
"Good game."
"You too." Gabriel grinned. "I’m still thinking about that curveball."
"I’m still thinking about your slider."
They both laughed.
The final awards were the biggest.
"Coach of the Tournament," the announcer said. "Daniel Cruz, Davao Central Academy."
Daniel had been sitting at the end of the row with his arms crossed, and he looked genuinely surprised. The players stood up and cheered while he walked to the stage. When he took the plaque, he looked at the microphone for a long time.
"I don’t need to say much," he said. "These kids did the work. I only told them where to stand."
"Not true!" Joshua shouted from the audience.
Daniel smiled and shook his head. "I’m proud of them. That’s it."
He stepped back, and the announcer waited for the applause to fade.
"Now for the individual achievements of the tournament."
The gym went quiet.
"Home Run Leader. Rafael Santos, Davao Central Academy."
Rafael stepped forward.
"Best Batter. Rafael Santos."
More cheering. A few students chanted his name.
"Player of the Final. Rafael Santos."
Lia was standing on the bleacher bench again, and Elena was trying to pull her down.
"And finally, Most Valuable Player of the tournament." The announcer paused. "Rafael Santos, Davao Central Academy."
The noise was so loud that Rafael felt it in his chest. He walked to the center of the stage, and someone handed him a trophy so heavy he had to hold it with both hands. The medal was placed around his neck. Flashes went off from cameras in the crowd, and for a moment, everything felt unreal.
Alex Sterling had been named MVP seven times. He remembered every one of those ceremonies. The suits, the speeches, the cameras.
But he had never felt like this. Standing in a school gym in Davao, with a plastic trophy and a medal on a ribbon, he felt lighter than he had in decades.
The announcer handed him the microphone. "Would you like to say something?"
Rafael looked out at the crowd. He found his family first. Then Mia. Then his teammates, all standing.
"Thank you," he said. "I’m not the only reason we won. Every player on this team made a difference. Every one of them."
He looked toward Joshua, who was crying openly.
"And thank you to Coach Daniel, and to everyone who came to watch. Especially my family."
He stopped for a second, then smiled.
"My sister says I have to mention her."
The gym laughed, and Lia screamed, "YES!"
After the ceremony, the gym slowly emptied. Rafael’s family was waiting near the exit. Manuel didn’t say anything at first. He just pulled Rafael into a hug and held him for a long time.
"I’m proud of you," he said.
"Thanks, Pa."
Elena wiped her eyes and laughed. "I’m going to cry again."
"You’ve been crying since yesterday," Lia said.
"Shut up."
Mia stepped forward. She was holding something behind her back.
"I made this for you," she said.
She handed him a small piece of paper folded into a card. On the front, she had drawn a baseball with a tiny crown on it. Inside, in neat handwriting, she had written one line: "The best is still coming."
Rafael looked at it for a long moment. "Thank you."
"Keep it somewhere safe," Mia said.
"I will."
She smiled, and for a moment they both stood there without saying anything. Then Lia coughed loudly.
"Kuya, they’re waiting for pictures."
"Coming."
Daniel found Rafael near the parking lot after most of the crowd had left. He was holding a folder and looking like he had something on his mind.
"Rafael. Got a minute?"
"Sure, Coach."
Daniel opened the folder and pulled out a printed page. "As the city champion, our team gets to represent Davao City in the DAVRAA. The regional meet."
Rafael took the paper. It was a formal notice from the division office, with a schedule and a list of teams.
"The Davao City Durians," Daniel said. "That’s us now."
Rafael read the paper slowly. Seven teams would compete, all from different divisions in the region. Several of the names were unfamiliar. He had never seen any of these players before.
"It’s a different level," Daniel said. "New teams. Different styles. Nobody has seen you play."
Rafael looked up from the page and smiled.
"Good."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "You’re excited."
"Yes, Coach."
Daniel laughed and shook his head. "Of course you are."
He turned toward the field, where the last of the students were leaving. The afternoon sun made the scoreboard glow, and the bleachers were nearly empty.
"Get some rest," he said. "Tomorrow we start planning."
Rafael nodded and looked at the paper again. The name at the top was printed in bold letters.
DAVAO REGIONAL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION MEET.
A bigger stage was waiting.
End of Chapter 19