Thu | Dec 12, 2024

Holmwood look for historic sweep of netball titles

Published:Wednesday | December 11, 2024 | 12:06 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Sarah-Marie Walker (right) of Holmwood Technical attempts to shoot over the hands of Dinthill Technical’s Janae Haywood (left) and Alihana Kelly (second left) during an ISSA Rural Schoolgirls’ Netball quarterfinal game at GC Foster College on November
Ian Allen
Sarah-Marie Walker (right) of Holmwood Technical attempts to shoot over the hands of Dinthill Technical’s Janae Haywood (left) and Alihana Kelly (second left) during an ISSA Rural Schoolgirls’ Netball quarterfinal game at GC Foster College on November 28.

HISTORY COULD BE in the making today at Manchester High School’s netball courts with Holmwood Technical seeking to win both the junior and senior ISSA All-Island netball titles.

Action will get underway at 1:00 p.m., as the Tracy-Ann Griffiths-coached Wolmer’s Girls take on Holmwood in junior action, while at 2:15 p.m., the latter’s seniors, who are defending all-island champions, do battle with St Catherine High in a repeat of last season’s fight for schoolgirl supremacy.

In the junior final, Wolmer’s, despite the momentum of winning their first-ever urban title at that level, should be pushed to the limit by a Holmwood team who are hoping to make up for last year’s disappointment at this stage.

Holmwood will be banking on the very tall goal shooter, Kaelyn-Kendra Smith, to keep the quick Wolmer’s defenders out of the game.

If Holmwood’s juniors can get by Wolmer’s, the seniors will go into their game against St Catherine with the knowledge that they are just a game away from becoming the first school to win every title on offer in a schoolgirl netball season.

The Holmwood seniors will be depending on goal shooter Syranna Brown, and goal attack Sarah-Marie Walker will be hoping to be on target to get their team to the top of the podium.

After a very close 45-42 win over their opponents in last year’s finals, Holmwood’s seniors will be hoping for back-to-back wins against a team making their third all-island final in a row.

Holmwood’s goal attack, Jada Ricketts, is undoubtedly the best schoolgirl netballer this season, combining clinical passing and accurate shooting. Her team will be hoping she can combine with centre, Jadionna Henry, and wing attack, Lacy-Ann Brown, who have also been good this season.

Even as the Phyllis Thompson-coached St Catherine have dominated urban netball in Jamaica, they are, even after two tries, yet to lift an all-island title.

Nullifying Ricketts will be key to their chances, while goal shooter Kaydeen Gordon gets the business done at the other end.

Still, Gordon isn’t expected to have things her own way with Holmwood’s defensive duo of goalkeeper Celina Collins, and goal defence Shaqwuan Hamilton will challenge her.