MANILA -- How do you conquer a UAAP season?

For perennial general champion University of Santo Tomas (UST), acing the first-semester tally answers half of the question.

With seven events already in the books, UST emerged as the clear front-runner in the UAAP general championship race, topping the seniors and juniors divisions going into the last phase of competitions.

The España-based school collected 153 overall points in the seniors fold to boost its claim for a record 37th overall and 12th straight general championship trophy and barrel ahead of archrivals De La Salle University and University of the Philippines (UP) which finished second and fourth, respectively.

La Salle amassed 136 markers to eclipse the 118-point harvest of third placer Ateneo de Manila University which won back-to-back titles in men’s basketball and judo. UP and Far Eastern University tied for fourth with 111 notchers apiece.

UST scored a title repeat in men’s taekwondo and beach volleyball and won the men’s badminton crown. It also had runner-up finishes courtesy of its men’s and women’s judo and table tennis, and women’s taekwondo teams.

UST ranked third in men’s swimming and fourth in men’s and women’s basketball, women’s swimming and beach volleyball. It placed fifth in women’s badminton, which La Salle ruled to offset its male counterparts’ failed title bid against UST. La Salle also wound up bridesmaids in men’s taekwondo.

Powered by three-time MVP Enchong Dee, the Taft-based contingent also dominated men’s swimming. La Salle took the third spot in women’s basketball, table tennis, judo, swimming, beach volleyball, and taekwondo.

Ateneo landed second in men’s and women’s swimming, and third in men’s badminton and taekwondo.

UP meanwhile reigned supreme in women’s judo to essay a rare four-peat, and women’s swimming. The Diliman unit settled for third in men’s judo, table tennis and beach volleyball.

FEU captured titles in men’s and women’s table tennis, and women’s taekwondo while finished second in men’s and women’s beach volleyball and women’s basketball, and third in men’s basketball and women’s badminton.

The Season 72 hosts could have overtaken UP if not for its lack of entries in men’s and women’s judo and swimming.

University of the East (UE), Adamson University and National University rounded up the standings with 78, 54, and 21 points, respectively.

In juniors play, UST built a 91-point headway with title feats in girls’ swimming and volleyball, and taekwondo to keep its closest pursuer UE, which reaped 68 markers, at bay. Ateneo checked in third with 46 points.

Left to be played in the UAAP calendar are men’s and women’s volleyball, athletics, chess, fencing, tennis, football, softball and baseball. By Anthony Divinagacia