Sun | Apr 28, 2024

ISSA urban netball: No sweat for St Catherine, St Hugh’s

Published:Friday | November 10, 2023 | 12:11 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Tisheena Roach (right) of Gaynstead High looks for a teammate before making a pass during yesterday’s ISSA urban schoolgirls senior match against Jose Marti High at the Leila Robinson Courts. At left is Daunell Wilson of Jose Marti.
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
Tisheena Roach (right) of Gaynstead High looks for a teammate before making a pass during yesterday’s ISSA urban schoolgirls senior match against Jose Marti High at the Leila Robinson Courts. At left is Daunell Wilson of Jose Marti.

DEFENDING SENIOR champions St Catherine High and last year’s junior champions St Hugh’s High made winning starts in the second round of the ISSA urban schoolgirls netball competition at the Leila Robinson Courts yesterday.

In senior action in Group Two, the Phyllis Thompson-coached St Catherine High had an unusual 6-0 win over Bridgeport High. The Bridgeport team turned up with only five players, and one got injured in the first quarter and the game was blown off by the umpire as a minimum of five players have to take the court.

Among the juniors, it was an easy 25-13 win for the Nardia Hanson-coached St Hugh’s over Camperdown High.

In what was one of the feature senior games between 2021 finalists Gaynstead High and Jose Marti High, the Dalton Hinds-coached Gaynstead sent out a very strong message that they could be the team to beat in the competition. They outclassed Jose Marti 42-21 to win their Group One clash.

Led by brilliant shooting from goal attack Tishana Roach and goal shooter Daniella Josephs, Gaynstead were in control from the start and won all quarters. They led 12-4 after the first quarter and went into the half-time break with a healthy 23-9 lead. They continued their dominance after the break, stretching the lead to 34-14 after the third quarter before taking things easy in the final quarter for their 21 goals margin of victory.

Coach Hinds was pleased with his team’s big win to start the second round. “Ecstatic! I am overjoyed with the win. This is a very young team as we only retained two players from last year’s team. Most of them are from last year’s junior team, which failed to make the semi-finals,” said Hinds, who is happy for the work the team has been putting in so far.

St Jago High, Immaculate Conception High, and St Hugh’s all scored big wins in senior action yesterday.

In Group One, St Jago whipped Tarrant High 42-19, and St Hugh’s easily got by St Andrew High 32-12 as both winners joined Gaynstead on top of the group with two points each.

Playing in Group Two, Immaculate Conception outplayed Campion College 42-14 while Norman Manley High got by Camperdown High 29-15 as both winners joined St Catherine High on two points.

In junior action, St Jago, competing in Group One, got by Clan Carthy High 17-13 with Wolmer’s Girls getting the better of Tarrant 30- 10 in the other Group One match.

In Group Two, Jose Marti defeated Campion College 28-18, Queen’s defeated St Catherine High 28-20, and Jonathan Grant High outlasted Norman Manley 25-22.

The second set of matches in the second round will be played next Monday at the same venue.