Sun | Apr 28, 2024

St Catherine, Gaynstead, St Jago remain perfect in schoolgirls’ netball

Published:Tuesday | November 14, 2023 | 12:10 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Deandra Edward (right) of Jose Marti High tries to catch the ball ahead of Tisheena Roach of Gaynstead High during a senior match in the ISSA urban schoolgirls netball competition’s second round at the Leila Robinson Courts on November 9, 2023.
Nicholas Nunes/Photographer
Deandra Edward (right) of Jose Marti High tries to catch the ball ahead of Tisheena Roach of Gaynstead High during a senior match in the ISSA urban schoolgirls netball competition’s second round at the Leila Robinson Courts on November 9, 2023.

The senior teams of defending ISSA urban schoolgirls netball champions St Catherine High, Gaynstead High and St Jago High remained perfect after picking up their second straight wins in the competition at the Leila Robinson Netball Courts yesterday.

Playing in Group One, Gaynstead dismissed Tarrant High 60-17 and St Jago stopped the previously unbeaten St Hugh’s High 31-24. Both winners now lead the group with maximum four points.

St Catherine were too good for the previously unbeaten Immaculate Conception High in Group Two with an easy 44-19 victory to lead the group with four points.

The encounter between Immaculate and St Catherine was expected to be a close affair but it turned out to be a one-sided affair. The match was dominated by St Catherine’s goal shooter Kellian Hunter.

Immaculate, with Ashene Dorman shooting well, actually took the early lead going up 4-2 before St Catherine came into their own after a slow start to lead 11-7 after the first quarter.

With Hunter on target with her shots and the lanky goalkeeper Kaydeen Gordon foiling several Immaculate attacks, St Catherine raced to a 26-11 lead at half-time .

Coach Phyllis Thompson was not surprised by St Catherine’s easy win.

“I was definitely not surprised with our win today as the girls put it together and played to plan and delivered,” she said. “In the final quarter most of the players were rested as the surface of the court was a bit rough and with more crucial matches to come, we wanted to ensure we had no injuries going forward.”

In other senior matches played, three teams picked up their first wins after losing in the first set of matches. Jose Marti High got by St Andrew High 28-6, Norman Manley High beat Campion College 24-13 and Bridgeport High stopped Camperdown High 29-19.

In junior matches, defending champions St Hugh’s were 22-10 winners over St Jago, Queen’s School edged Jonathan Grant 22-21, Norman Manley whipped Campion 28-15, Jose Marti turned back St Catherine 29-21, Immaculate edged Camperdown 20 -18 and Wolmer’s Girls beat Clan Carthy High 23-13.

The competition will continue tomorrow at the same venue.