T&T Under-16 netballers placed fourth at the Caribbean Netball Association’s Jean Pierre Youth Championships in Dominica after their final match on Wednesday evening.
The junior “Calypso Girls” fell to a 26-12 loss to eventual champion Barbados, in the final match of a triple-header on day five, the final day of the tournament at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium in Roseau.
T&T, coached by former national senior captain Lystra Solomon-Simmons with Liselle Johnson as her assistant coach, improved in every match since the start of the youth tournament on Saturday.
However, they were not good enough to overcome the Barbadians, who played unbeaten in the six-team youth championships, named after late T&T star player Jean Pierre.
Leading T&T’s shooting once again was goal-attack (GA) Keiko Roy with eight gaols in 13 attempts as the junior local team struggled from the first past trailing, 8-1 at the end of the first quarter. There was no major improvement in the second quarter as T&T fell further away holding a 12-goal (16-4) deficit at the half.
To start the second half coach Solomon-Simmons introduced Akesi Quashie (1/1) as the goal-shooter (GS), replacing opener Adriana Moreno (3/6). T&T had its best shooting and defensive quarter in the third period, netting five goals while holding Barbados to three but the team in red, white and black still trailed by double-figures 10 (19-9) heading into the fourth quarter.
In the final period, coach Solomon-Simmons put Moreno back as goal-shooter but the Barbadians regained their composure and took the momentum back from T&T, led by leading shooter of the tournament Kennia Blackman and goal-attack Rynia Ifill.
Blackman scored three in four in the quarter to finish with 13 goals from 20 attempts, the same as Ifill but from 21 tries to help Barbados finish with 25 points from five wins.
T&T finished with 16 points from three wins against Grenada (16-11), St Lucia (22-8) and Cayman Islands (24-12) and two losses to Dominica (18-15) and Barbados (26-12). Overall, T&T had a goal average of 1.19. The shooters scored 89 goals from 75 against for a goal-difference of 14 and had 127 attempts for (AtF) and 125 attempts against (AtA) with an accuracy (Acc) of 70.08 per cent.
Second-placed Grenada (17) and third-placed Dominica (17) finished with the same record, but the two countries had respective better goal average 1.51 and 1.36 and goal difference of 42 and 28.
Despite T&T’s disappointing fourth-place finish, the team had three athletes on the top players’ listings. They were, not surprisingly, Roy (16) who apart from GA plays GS and wing attack (WA), and defenders Xhane Gray and Shian Lewis. Gray (16) and Lewis (14) play the goal-keeper (GK), goal defence (GD) and wing-defence (WD) positions.
On Thursday morning, Roy helped T&T top the team shooting competition ahead of Barbados and she placed second in the individual shooting competition behind Blackman. Roy also picked up the most accurate title while Blackman placed first in most goals scored overall.
The junior “Calypso Girls” were expected to return home yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.
Wednesday’s results
Grenada 34 (Keisia Mathurine 32/34, Anthonia George 1/5, De Jaune Bristol 1/3) vs St Lucia 14 (Kayla Auguste 4/9, Chimela Joseph 4/10, Vincecia Edward 6/8).
Cayman Islands 10 (Zanaiyah Williams 5/9, Jenesis Mitchell 1/4, Jade Allen 4/10) vs Dominica 28 (Kenya John 18/22, Le-Myah Forde 10/16).
Barbados 26 (Kennia Blackman 13/20, Rynia Ifill 13/21) vs T&T 12 (Adriana Moreno 3/6, Keiko Roy 8/13, Akesi Quashie 1/1). Quarter scores: 1st 8-1, 2nd 16-4, 3rd 19-9 (All in favour of Barbados)
Standings
Pl*Team*W*L*D*GF*GA*AtF*AtA*GD*GAvg.*Acc*Pts
1*Barbados*5*5*0*0*133*61*212*90*72*2.18*62.74%*25
2*Grenada*5*3*2*0*124*82*160*149*42*1.51*77.50%*17
3*Dominica*5*3*2*0*106*78*163*129*28*1.36*65.03%*17
4*T&T*5*3*2*0*89*75*127*125*14*1.19*70.08%*16
5*St Lucia*5*1*4*0*54*115*102*172*-61*0.47*52.94%*5
6*Caymani isl*5*0*5*0*49*144*96*195*-95*0.34*51.04%*2
Top players list
T&T: Xhane Gray (GK/GD/WD), Shian Lewis (GD/WD/GK), Keiko Roy (GA/GS/WA)
Barbados: Azaria Alleyne (GA/ GD), Kennia Blackman (GS/WA), Rynia Ifill (GS/GK), Maleah Murphy (C/GK), Siarah Small (GD/GK)
Cayman Islands: Amoya Burton (GD/GK)
Dominica: Le-Myah Forde, Kenya John, Nesha Remie
Grenada: Robyn Adams (C/WA/GA), Keisia Mathurine (GS/GA/WA), Aniyah Redhead (GK/GD/GS)
St Lucia: Keley Monlouis (GS/GA)
Contingent
Players: Shooters - Danya Mayers, Adriana Moreno, Akesi Quashie, Keiko Roy, Jada King; Centre court - Patryce Ashby, Khali Stephenson, Princess Taylor, Khemyah Anderson, Zaria Armour; Defenders - Xhané Gray, Denesa Hagley, Shian Lewis, Aneisha Hyles, Karina Alexis
Technical staff: Lystra Solomon-Simmons (coach), Liselle Johnson (assistant coach), Catherine John (manager), Abejah Johnson (trainer), David R. Mack (physiotherapist)