Latest update May 4th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 17, 2015 Sports
The finals of the GT&T National Indoor Championships produced some of the most exciting and entertaining hockey seen in a long time as the competition concluded on Sunday evening at the National Gymnasium at
Mandela Avenue. A single goal separated the victors from the silver medalists in two of the three competitions with matches being held in the balance until the very end.
The highly anticipated men’s first division matchup between GCC and the Pepsi Hikers was a repeat of many finals in recent years as the two clubs, both with vociferous cheering sections, squared off yet again for the chance to win gold. The teams had played to a tense 3-3 draw in their pool round clash on the opening night and now returned in the final where an outright winner would be crowned.
GCC got off to the mark first in the seventh minute when pool round top scorer Orland Semple successfully executed a penalty corner shot into the Hikers net. The Hikers lifted their work rate over the next few minutes and were rewarded four minutes later when Jamarj Assanah and Robert France both replied within a minute of each other to give the Hikers a 2-1 lead.
Dwayne Scott drew the match even at 2-2 in the 13th minute and Kevin Spencer produced a remarkable goal for GCC to by skillfully outwitting a plethora of defenders before sending his shot past goalkeeper Jason Hoyte to take GCC into halftime with a 3-2 lead.
GCC seemed to settle into a comfortable defensive position as the met every Hikers challenge with astute defence and composure. The Hikers however would win a penalty corner three minutes into the second half and would have to rely on specialist Shane Samuels to break the deadlock. With the pressure of advancing goalkeeper Rawl Davson blocking most of the goal, Samuels produced a stunning finish that flew like a bullet into the top far corner of the
GCC net.
Samuels’ goal seemed to awaken GCC once again who enjoyed a dominant period where Dwayne Scott and Devin Hooper would swing the game to 5-3 in GCC’s favour in the 26th and 28th minute with a pair of goals. The Hikers refused to crumble to the pressure and Jamarj Assanah would respond just two minutes later to set up a crescendo by Samuels. As the Hikers earned two penalty corners in the 34th and 37th minutes, Samuels reproduced his fine form and nailed both strikes to take his team into the lead for the final time at 6-5. GCC withdrew their goalkeeper in the dying minutes in favour of an extra field player to gain the attacking advantage but the Hikers absorbed their attack and Devin Munroe’s counterattack saw the Hikers score their final goal just before the buzzer for the 7-5 win.
The ladies final produced another thriller with the GCC Tigers opposing their counterparts the GCC Panthers. The match soon became a duel between Tigers Captain Sonia Jardine who finished on a hat-trick and energetic Panthers striker and eventual MVP, Shebiki Baptiste who scored all four of the Panthers goals for the win. After scoring the opening goal in the seventh minute, the Tigers would see Baptiste level the scores on three occasions throughout the match
before scoring the winner four minutes from full time with each goal celebration eclipsing the previous one and the crowd responded in appreciation.
The Old Fort men out-dueled the Hikers earlier in the evening for the men’s second division crown. While the Hikers were first on the board through overlapping defender Rayon Branford, Old Fort’s Jason Clarke and Jael Gaskin secured the victory in the 26th and 28th minute to claim the gold.
At the end of the evening, several individual awards were presented along with the winner’s trophies and medals by Ms. Anjanie Hackett, GTT’s Manager of Marketing and Public Relations.
Most Promising Player male – Omar Hopkinson
Most promising female – Minsodia Culpepper
Men’s Second division:
Most promising goalkeeper – Michael Hing
Most Valuable Player – Jael Gaskin
Ladies division:
Most promising goalkeeper – Sarafina Phillips
Most Valuable Player – Shebiki Baptiste
Men’s First division:
Most promising goalkeeper – Medroy Scotland
Most Valuable Player – Shane Samuels
GRA catch EXXON trying to hunch GUYANA over 11 BUS dollars in one shot!!!!
May 04, 2024
SportsMax – The West Indies Women defeated hosts Pakistan by eight wickets in the fifth and final T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium yesterday to complete a 4-1 series victory....Kaieteur News – I have not read the decision of Justice Sandil Kissoon in the case brought by the Guyana Teachers’... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]