Diamond Mineral Water Int’l Indoor Hockey Festival…Pepsi Hikers on top once again; Toronto Toros, Queen’s Park crowned champions

Nov 29, 2016 Sports

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Already labeled as one of the best Festivals since its birth, hockey fans were treated

to another breathtaking display for the second time as multiple times champions Pepsi Hikers and Queen’s Park, of Trinidad and Tobago, gave them an encore of their absorbing preliminary encounter to bring the curtains down on this year’s Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Festival on Sunday, at the National Gymnasium.
Just as they had done in the round robin phase, the two teams battled each other to the wire, before the local juggernauts prevailed by a narrow 7-6 margin to ensure that all the top prizes in the three categories did not leave these shores.
For their effort, Hikers became US$3000 richer to go with the beautiful winners’ trophy, while Queen’s Park returned home with a well deserved US$1500 and an attractive trophy as well.
Earlier, the Toronto Toros beat Woodpecker Hikers Ladies 5-1 to claim the first prize of US $3000 and the winning trophy, while Hikers received US$1500 and trophy.
Bal-Wash-ers of the USA defeated Queen’s Park in sudden death penalty flicks in the Men’s Veterans final to collect the first prize of US$1500 and several cartons of Carib Beer. The men’s final saw both teams began the game in all-out attacking mode with players moving at top speed from end to end seeking the upper hand.
Just four minutes into the match, powerful Randy Hope raced on to a ball on the right of the scoring circle and dispatched his shot cleanly into the Queen’s Park net eluding the diving goalkeeper Reiza Hussein.

Although top Trinidadian national striker, Akim Toussant drew his team level with a goal one minute later, Hikers responded with two more of their own in less than two minutes from MVP Aroydy Branford and Captain Robert France respectively.
The high-paced tempo seemed to be leaning in the Hikers favour and despite some fine goalkeeping at both ends, Queen’s Park’s Dominic Young executed an accurate penalty corner shot to give them their second goal, while Hope smashed home his second to move the score to 4-2 for the Hikers.
The second half saw no reprieve by both sides and the crowd continued to enjoy blistering counterattacks and an abundance of goals. Young Trinidadian international Jordan Vieira was first on the sheet in the second half as he foiled a Hikers attack dished a pass to Toussant, before outsprinting his marker down court to finish with a diving deflection goal.
Robert France however restored the two-goal cushion for the Hikers with a penalty corner deflection in the 28th minute, nudging the score to 5-3. Vieira scored his second at the 30th minute mark and Hope his third immediately after as supporters were held at the edge of their seats.
Two goals from striker Toussant and Trinidad under-21 captain Jordan Reynos for Queen’s

Park drew the scores level with five minutes left on the game clock. With the momentum in their favour Queen’s Park could have secured their first lead of the match after earning a crucial penalty stroke, drawing a deafening uproar from supporters of both sides, either in support or disapproval.
The diminutive Toussant stepped forward to take the stroke against the towering Jason Hoyte in goal for the Hikers, and eventual Best Goalkeeper Award winner. Hoyte produced for his side when it was needed most with a brilliant save to his right.
His heroics seemed to inject a shot of adrenaline into his teammates who continued their relentless search for the tie-breaker. Fittingly it was the veteran Devin Munroe who was instrumental in all six previous festival wins for the Hikers, who led the close out of Queens Park whilst securing the match with a terrific shot from the right.
With just four minutes remaining, Queen’s Park launched several futile attacks and the final whistle saw the Pepsi Hikers earn their record seventh men’s title. In the Ladies final between the visiting Toronto Toros and Woodpecker Hikers, the Canadians showed their superiority to capture the title with a comfortable 5-1 triumph to disappoint the large band of local supporters.
The Toros took the lead early through a penalty corner taken by Festival Most Valuable Player (Ladies) Kaelan Watson, who slammed her shot into the roof of the goal.
Poor passing by the Hikers Ladies gifted the Toros their second goal when Danica Jayme intercepted a weak pass, dribbled past two defenders, before beating the goalkeeper on the near post to take a 2-0 lead at the break.
In the final period, the Canadians playing with an air of confidence pressed forward from the initial whistle and netted their third and fourth goals shortly after the start, off the stick of Jayme to complete her hat-trick.
Hikers managed to pull one back through guest player Trinidadian national Allana Lewis, who beat the Toros goalkeeper with a powerful shot from just inside the arc. Watson then returned to net her second, before the final whistle sounded to end the contest.
In the veterans’ final between Queen’s Park and the Bal-Wash-ers, the latter prevailed in sudden death penalty shootout after regulation time ended 4-4. After all six attempts were saved in the resulting first round of the penalty shootout, Bal-wash-ers’ Inderjeet Bath and teammate Jesse Larson would pull off the win by both scoring in the sudden death round of the shootout.
Demerara Distillers Ltd Rep. Larry Wills assisted in the presentation of prizes.
Vets – Best Goalkeeper – Gregory Garroway (Bal-wash-ers); Most goals – Rafael Gouveia (Queen’s Park); MVP – Jerazeno Bell (Queen’s Park).
Women – Best Goalkeeper – Latoya Fordyce (Woodpecker Hikers); Most goals – Kaelan Watson (Toronto Toros); MVP – Kaelan Watson (Toronto Toros).
Men – Best Goalkeeper – Jason Hoyte (Pepsi Hikers); Most goals – Jordan Vieira (Queen’s Park); MVP – Aroydy Branford (Pepsi Hikers).

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