Sports Correspondent
Bishop’s High School of Tobago is the National Secondary Schools Netball League Girls’ 20 & Under champions for yet another year after beating Holy Name Convent of Port-of-Spain 15-5 in the gold medal match on the third and final day of the 2023 competition at the Southwest Regional Indoor Sports Arena in Egypt Village, Point Fortin, on Thursday.
Bishop’s opened a 7-1 lead at the half-time interval with captain and goal-shoot Shania Abraham and goal-attack Keiko Roy leading the shooting.
Goalkeeper Xhane Gray marshalled the Bishop’s’ defence as the winners went to take secure the crown.
Wing-attack Addinae Sylvester copped the Most Valuable Player (MVP) accolade after the Tobago champions played unbeaten on the day’s programme.
Holy Name Convent of Port-of-Spain improved on their third-place finish in 2022 while San Juan North Secondary School took the bronze medals after getting past Diego Martin North Secondary School 9-6.
In the group matches, Bishop’s topped Group A with victories over San Juan North Secondary (11-5) and Carapichaima East Secondary (21-3) to advance to the finals.
San Juan North Secondary was whipped by Carapichaima East Secondary 13-3. The fourth team in the group, St Joseph Convent of St Joseph, was disqualified from the competition after fielding a player who competed in the 15 & Under competition the day before.
Holy Name Convent of Port-of-Spain led the way in Group B with wins against San Fernando Central Secondary (11-6), Diego Martin North Secondary (12-1), and North Eastern College (17-6).
Diego Martin North Secondary defeated North Eastern College (10-5) and drew with San Fernando Central Sec (7-7).
In the shooting competition which took place in the morning session of the day’s programme, Roy was first with 41 goals with Toco Secondary’s Brianna Moreno second (36) and Chamara Francis of Holy Name Convent of Port-of-Spain in third (35).
Akeshi Quashie of Bishop’s High School (33) ended in fourth. Roy won the Girls 15 & Under Shooting crown in 2022.
Roy, Quashie, and Captain Abraham combined to ensure the Bishop’s retained the team shooting honours with 103 goals. Bon Air Secondary landed the second spot (87) leaving Rio Claro West Secondary (84) with the bronze.
Bishop’s of Tobago emerged as the top school in the tournament after defending the Girls’ 13 & Under title and capturing the first-ever Boys’ Open Division on Tuesday.
The school’s 15 & Under ladies were unable to repeat as champions and had to settle for third behind winners Diego Martin Central Secondary and Rio Claro East Secondary on Wednesday. In the shooting contest, Bishop’s swept the girls’ team standings for a second straight year after retaining the Girls’ 13 & Under, 15 & Under, and 20 & Under trophies. Bishop’s Boys had to settle for third behind Belmont Boys and Diego Martin Central Secondary.
Bishop’s took three of the four MVP trophies—Khemyah Anderson (Girls’ 13 and Under), Addinae Sylvester (Girls’ 20 and Under) and Solomon Okali (Boys’ Open). Daneill Zamore of Diego Martin Central Secondary was named the Girls 15 & Under MVP.
Among those present at the finals were the president of the Americas Netball Federation Dr Bridget Adams, the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Netball Association Sherry-Ann Blackburn, and former captain of the national senior women’s netball team Anika La Roche.
Diego Martin Central Secondary School won the Girls’ 15 & Under division on the second day of the National Secondary Schools Netball League finals at the Southwest Regional Indoor Sporting Arena in Point Fortin on November 15.
Diego Central beat Rio Claro East Secondary School in the finals 9-3.
Defending champions Bishop’s High School finished in third with a 6-2 victory over St Joseph Convent, St Joseph.
The Diego Martin team raised eyebrows when they defeated reigning champions Bishop’s High School 8-6 in their first match of the day.
Captain Rebekah Brizan and Joniah Beharry led the shooting with Wing Attack Anika Collins, who had an outstanding performance.
Goal Defence Danielle Zamore was excellent in marking out Bishops ace shooter Jada King.
Diego Martin Central then followed with triumphs over fellow Port-of-Spain and Environs team Success Laventille Secondary (18-10) and St Joseph Convent, San Fernando (12-7) to top Group B as the lone unbeaten team.
Bishop’s High ended in second after recovering to beat St Joseph Convent, San Fernando 16-6 and drew 13-13 with Success Laventille.