
By Patrick Lujan
The Yigo Typhoons aren’t supposed to be here, yet after eliminating the Who’s Who Dodgers in five games of the 2022 GML Semifinal Series on Saturday night, they now take on the top-seeded Junior Nationals in the best-of-7 Championship Series tonight in Game 1 at the Paseo Stadium. (UPDATE: Game 1 was rained out)
For the first-year Typhoons, their success is quite a surprise to the average baseball fan, except not surprising to the players themselves.
“Not really (surprised),” said manager Jeff Concepcion about making it to the Championship Series. “This team is very, very hungry. They wanted to prove to the league that they belong. In my boys’ minds, they are supposed to be here.”
Successful teams usually dub themselves as ‘family’. The Typhoons take it to the literal sense as the dozen-plus roster are all first-second-third cousins for the exception of R-Jay Joe and D.C. Nena – both who’ve grown up with the Yigo boys.
“That’s what makes us a little more different, because we’re all related. We’re family.”
– Typhoons manager Jeff Concepcion
CONCEPCION HOUSEHOLD
The intrigue doesn’t stop there. Jeff’s son Jake Concepcion is an intrical part of Yigo’s championship run. At the other dugout, however, Jeff has two younger sons playing for the Jr.’s – Javier and Jace. He says the competitiveness is running high in the Concepcion house.
“In the house right now, we’re going at it to beat each other’s @s$,” the dad said.
To add to that intrigue, Concepcion’s previous bench coach when they were the Astros is John Salas, who is now the Junior’s bench coach and youth coach for all the Concepcion boys.
“John Salas was my go-to guy. He’s still my go-to guy. He and JT (Juniors manager Joe Tuquero) really helped me get through the semifinal series.”
PITCHING IS KEY
Concepcion feels that the tandem of Joe and Julian Flores propelled Yigo over the Dodgers in the five-game series.
“Those are our horses. We aren’t going anywhere without them.”
With a long seven-game series, Concepcion looks to start tonight’s Game 1 with another arm after a tough semifinal series for the duo.
“Of course, I want to use them right off the bat, but I’m not going to ruin their arms. They need to get their rest.”
Regular season game: The Jr. Nats and Typhoons squared off in their only match of the regular season in their season opener with the Juniors winning 4-2.
NEW CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Friday, September 16
Game 2: Sunday, September 18
Game 3: Tuesday, September 20
Game 4: Friday, September 23
(If necessary) Game 5: Sunday, September 25
(If necessary) Game 6: Tuesday, September 27
(If necessary) Game 7: Friday, September 30


GPS Sports Calendar
December 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for November
1st
ISA BOYS SOCCER
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
2nd
IRON LEGENDS THROWDOWN
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
4th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER
ISA BOYS SOCCER
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
5th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for December
5th
Events for December
7th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Events for December
9th
40th GRC PLUMERIA ROAD RACE
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for December
10th
TOUR OF GUAM 2023
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
Events for December
11th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for December
12th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
12th
Events for December
14th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER FINALS
Events for December
15th
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for December
16th
3rd GUAM NINJA CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
16th
Events for December
18th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER ALL-ISLAND MEETING
Events for December
19th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
19th
Events for December
23rd
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
ISA HS BASEBALL FINALS
Events for December
23rd
Events for December
24th
Events for December
25th
Events for December
27th
Events for December
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for December
30th

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
3×3 HOOPS REPEAT AS GOLDEN BOYS

Basketball
RAPADAS LEADS WILD COUGAR COMEBACK

Baseball
GUAM HOSTS KIWIS IN U15 BASEBALL

Basketball
SHARKS FEND OFF DOLPHINS IN GIRLS HOOPS

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG Girls Basketball Playoffs