Noel Kampton is on a mission — and so far, he’s slaying the ghosts of his past, one giant at a time.
If there were two teams that haunted Kampton the most during his previous Spikers’ Turf stint, it would be Cignal and Savouge — the same programs that dealt him painful setbacks in the last Invitational Conference when he was still with De La Salle University.
The Super Spikers, then known as the HD Spikers, handed the Green Spikers their first loss after a 4-0 start, sparking a skid that derailed what once looked like a promising campaign.
“Simula nasa La Salle pa ako, hindi ako nananalo sa Cignal eh,” the former V-League Finals MVP said.
“Kaya ngayon, sobrang happy naman ako na nanalo kami sa Cignal. Pero hindi pa tayo ‘yung porke nanalo kami sa defending champions masaya na kami,” he added.
But if the loss to Cignal stung, the heartbreak against the Spin Doctors cut even deeper — it capped off a painful four-game losing skid that ultimately slammed the door on La Salle’s semifinal hopes.
Fast forward to the 2025 Invitational Conference, and Kampton has flipped the script in emphatic fashion.
(C) Spikers Turf Images
Now donning Criss Cross colors, the 25-year-old winger has exacted revenge on both tormentors.
First, he helped the King Crunchers defeat Cignal in four sets, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 25-18, last Sunday. Then the team swept Savouge, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22, on Wednesday to keep their spotless 5-0 record intact.
In his first campaign with Criss Cross, Kampton has not only exorcised his old demons but has also emerged as one of the league’s brightest young stars — dazzling on both ends and proving he belongs on the big stage.
He tallied 16 points and 11 excellent receptions against the Super Spikers, then followed it up with 12 points built on seven attacks, three aces, and one block, on top of six excellent receptions and five excellent digs against the Spin Doctors.
“Sobrang happy lang ako,” Kampton said.
“Sabi ko nga sa interview ko, ‘yun nga ‘yung sa [last] Spikers’ Turf ko, sobrang heartbreaking sa’kin kasi last playing year ko sa La Salle, hindi kami nakapasok sa [semis] because of them. Tinalo rin kami. Alam ko straight sets din ‘yun eh.”
With his side quest complete, Kampton knows it’s time to lock back in on the bigger mission at hand.
“But for me, sige lang, nandyan lang ‘yung standings eh. Pero ang importante one game at a time talaga. Kalimutan muna natin na 5-0 kami, ang importante pumunta kami sa game para manalo kami.”
