Junior teams take spotlight in today’s ISSA urban netball

TEAMS WILL be seeking semi-final spots when the final matches in the second round of the ISSA urban schoolgirls netball competition are played today at the Leila Robinson courts.

Juniors from Wolmer’s Girls, Jose Marti High and The Queen’s School will be in the spotlight today, as after cementing their semi-final spots they will be hoping for some momentum ahead of the final four matches next Thursday.

The Philip Pinnock-coached Jose Marti are having their best ever run at this stage of the competition and they will face Queen’s in a top-of-the-table Group Two encounter at 11:30 a.m.

After a narrow one-point win over the defending champions St Hugh’s a week ago, the Tracy-Ann Griffiths-coached Wolmer’s look set to head Group One when they take on Camperdown at 11:30 a.m.

Coach Griffiths will be using the opportunity to work on a few things ahead of next Thursday s semi-finals.

“This team is coming from the under-14 competition which went to the final last year,” Griffiths said. “We did not get past the first round in the under-16 competition a season ago so I am very proud of these girls and we will be using our final game on Friday to fix some little things ahead of the semi-finals.”

Jose Marti have reached the junior semi-finals for the first time and coach Philip Pinnock is hoping to remain unbeaten and top the group.“This team has created history and has improved after every game,” Pinnock said.

The winners of the game against the also unbeaten Queen’s will face defending champions St Hugh’s in the semi-finals.

St Hugh’s should win their final game today against Clan Carthy High and finish as runners-up in their group.

Jose Marti have a chance of creating more history today as they could be the only school in the competition to have two teams in the semi-finals.

In a crucial Group One senior match at 12:30 p.m. they will play St Jago High. Both teams are on six points each after losing once to group leaders Gaynstead High. The winners of this game will join Gaynstead in the semi-finals.

Defending champions St Catherine High and Norman Manley High, who are both unbeaten after winning their previous four matches, will meet in a Group Two decider to see who top the group. The winners will avoid Gaynstead in the semis and St Catherine High look set to continue their winning form.

Today’s matches

JUNIORS

Wolmer’s vs Camperdown – 11:30 a.m.

Tarrant vs St Jago – 11:30 a.m.

Clan Carthy vs St Hugh’s –11:30 a.m.

Jose Marti vs Queen’s –11:30 a.m.

St Catherine vs Norman Manley –12:30 p.m.

Jonathan Grant vs Campion –12:30 p.m.

SENIORS

St Andrew High vs Gaynstead – 12:30 p.m.

Jose Marti vs St Jago – 12:30 p m.

Tarrant vs St Hugh’s – 1:30 p.m.

Immaculate vs Bridgeport – 1:30 p.m.

St Catherine vs Norman Manley – 1:30 p.m.

Camperdown vs Campion – 1:30 p.m.