QUEEN’S?COLLEGE?(QC) and Christ Church Foundation are the new champions in the respective Under-15 and Under-13 Barbados Secondary Schools’ Netball League.
On Thursday, QC captured the Under-15 crown with a 24-14 victory over Coleridge and Parry with a standout performance from their captain and eventual MVP, Niara Forde.
Brianna Holder was also impressive on the eve of her 13th birthday as she led Foundation to a 16-8 win over former queens Springer Memorial.
Ironically, three years ago Holder had claimed an MVP title after helping Charles F. Broome to win the Primary Schools Netball crown.
QC started with Latisha Edwards as goal shooter, Forde as goal attack, Saunte Thomas, wing attack, Brittney Small, centre, Janina Mayers, wing defence, Amanda Knight, goal defence and Imani St Rose, goalkeeper. Except for a switch in positions between the two speedsters Small and Thomas in the third quarter, QC kept the same seven on court.
The Husbands, St James side played a stifling defence and a crafty midcourt to deny CP and their imposing shooter Romancia Odwin any freedom. Odwin was also pressured by defenders Knight and St Rose to take low percentage shots that reduced her accuracy.
While Odwin scored 10 from 20 and Shondelle Harvey made four of six for CP, at the other end Forde shot 13 goals from 18 attempts while Edwards added 11 from her 18 shots. Except for the second quarter where CP came within one goal, QC controlled all of the running, taking leads of 6-3, 10-9 and 15-11.
Foundation’s victory in the Under-13 was more tense and satisfying since they were dethroning former queens, Springer Memorial. With a starting seven of Tiara Phillips, goal shoot, Holder goal attack, Kimone Walcott, wing attack, Chante Moore, centre, Lanesha Brathwaite, wing defence, Kadria Doughty, goal defence, and Sheridan Straughn, goalkeeper, Foundation kept faith in that group in the same positions for the entire match.
Foundation led 5-3 in the first half before running away champions 16-8 with Holder maintaining her excellence in midcourt and stepping up big in the circle to score eight goals from ten attempts.
The consistent Phillips, who injured her ankle at a pivotal stage of the second half, remained on court, to hit eight from nine.
At the other end, Shawnelle Trotman scored five of her six shots as goal shooter for Springer while goal attack Rashanna Thorne made three of nine in a game where nerves affected the young players who normally execute at a higher percentage.
Lester Vaughan placed third by stopping CP 10-6 in the Under-13 play-off while in the Under-15s, Parkinson Memorial clinched the third position by defeating Springer 15-12.
