Wolmer’s, St Hugh’s juniors advance to urban schoolgirls’ netball final

WOLMER’S GIRLS and St Hugh’s High juniors maintained their unbeaten runs this season to lead four teams into the finals of the ISSA urban schoolgirls’ netball competition following semifinal action yesterday at the University of West Indies gymnasium.

Defending senior champions St Catherine High and The Queen’s School will meet in the senior final.

The Tracy Ann Griffiths-coached Wolmer’s juniors defeated St Catherine High 36-11 while in the second semifinal, the Nardia Hanson-coached St Hugh’s stopped Gaynstead 28-20 to set up a mega final.

In the seniors, the Marvette Anderson-coached Queen’s remained the only unbeaten senior team so far this season after cruising past Camperdown High 25-19 while Gaynstead suffered their first defeat of the season when they were beaten 36-30 by St Catherine.

In the first match of the day, last year’s beaten finalists Wolmer’s rushed into a 10-4 lead after the first quarter before extending their lead to 21-5 at the half. They led 29-8 after the third quarter before closing out with an impressive victory by a 25-goal margin win. Kaelyn Smith with 33 goals from 38 attempts top-scored for the winners while goal shooter Rochelle Martin, with 10 from 11, led the way for the losers.

Coach Griffiths praised her team.

“Congratulations to the girls. Once again we are in the final and we want to go all the way this time. I was very pleased with my defensive unit as they put the St Catherine team under constant pressure,” Griffiths said.

In the other junior semifinal, St Hugh’s were tied at 7-7 with Gaynstead after the first quarter but separated themselves from their opponents in the next three quarters, with scores of 15-12, 21-17 and 28 -20. Goal shooter Kamaya Brown with 11 from 18 and goal attack Kherisha Pecco, 17 from 24, led the way for the winners.

“Today the girls came out and executed well as whenever Gaynstead tried to close, the gap they found extra,” coach Hanson said.

For the third year in a row, St Catherine’s seniors got the better of Gaynstead with the Spanish Town-based school reaching their third successive final.

It was very close for three quarters as St Catherine led 10-9 after the first quarter before both teams went into the half-time break tied at 17-17. After the third quarter, St Catherine had a narrow 25-24 lead before outscoring their opponents 11-6 to close out the win in the final quarter.

Goal shooter Kaydeen Gordon with 27 goals from 34 attempts and goal attack Kayla Wright, with nine from 13, were the leading scorers for the winners while goal shooter Mackayda Thomas, with 26 from 36, scored most goals for Gaynstead.

It was smooth sailing for former champions Queen’s in the final match of the day as they easily got the better of Camperdown. The winners led 10-5, 13-10, 21-12 and 25 -19 for the win as Mikala Morrison top-scored with 19 from 26 and goal attack Donae Brown, six from 18. Natayne Asphall with nine from 11 and Dejanea Harvey, with 10 from 15, were Camperdown’s top scorers.