T&T’s chances of claiming a first ever Caribbean Netball Association Jean Pierre Youth (Under-16) Championship title suffered a heavy setback after they fell to a 0-3 mark in Castries, St Lucia, yeterday. Following a 17-234 loss in its tournament opener on Saturday night, the  Jayde Montoute-captained squad then suffered losses to St Vincent and The Grenadines, 14-21 on Sunday night, and in yesterday’s first session, at the Vigie Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, they went under to Dominica, 18-21.

On Sunday,  host and 2011 champions St Lucia followed up its win over Bermuda in the  15th edition of the competition with victory  over Dominica, and Bermuda upstaged Grenada. And in yesterday other early matches, Grenada got the better of St Vincent and The Grenadines while Barbados, winners in 2005 and 2012 overcame Bermuda.

Last night, T&T, which had its best finish of runner-up in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2008, all to Jamaica and was fifth last year came up against Bermuda while it meets Barbados (Wednesday April 15) and St Lucia, a day later. The tournament was originally carded to be an eight-team event, but St Kitts/Nevis opted out earlier this week while defending champions and ten-time winners overall, Jamaica decided against defending its title.

Schedule

Venue: Vigie Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, St Lucia

Today:
Shooting Competition, 4.15 pm
Dominica vs Grenada, 6.15 pm
St Vincent & Grenadines vs Bermuda, 6.30 pm
Barbados vs St Lucia, 7 pm

Tomorrow:
T&T vs Barbados, 6.15 pm
St Vincent & Grenadines vs Dominica, 6.30 pm
Grenada vs St Lucia, 7 pm

Thursday:
Dominica vs Bermuda, 6 pm
T&T vs St Lucia, 6.15 pm
St Vincent & Grenadines vs Barbados, 7 pm
Closing Ceremony, 8 pm

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On Fatima College Ground on Saturday evening, the crowd held its collective breath in the final minutes of the North America and Caribbean Rugby Association’s (NACRA) South Zone Championship match.

Guyana had the home team Trinidad and Tobago pinned right back in defense of its slim lead. One try more and last year’s Champion would have a successful title defense and an upset of the hosts.

Both captains agreed that it was a battle befitting of the South Championship match, with Guyana’s Ryan Gonsalves putting it like this, “It’s always a battle between us and Trinidad where the scoreline between us is never too big. It’s good for rugby in the Caribbean where no one team can dominate all the time. Once we keep this competitiveness we can show all the rest of countries that rugby in the Caribbean is on the rise.”

Ironically, it was Gonsalves himself that made the difference, or rather, failed to make the difference for his team because of what he explained was a “poor kicking day”.

Gonsalves missed two penalty kicks in the first half and overall Guyana missed all four conversion attempts which totaled eight valuable points down the drain.

“We just had a poor first half and didn’t have enough time in the second half to get one more try. We just have to learn to suck up the ones that we lost. Well done to Trinidad and Tobago.” said the disappointed Guyana leader.

On the other side of things, T&T’s captain Adam Frederick was a bit more willing to give credit to his opposite number, perhaps because he knew that things could have gone very differently in the end.

When T&T took a 22-10 lead on an Andre Cabrera try, followed up by a successful conversion with 20 minutes left in the match, the result seemed to be a foregone conclusion. However, T&T’s twelve point advantage came under siege for those final 20 minutes and Guyana found success in getting over the line twice to cut their deficit to just 2. Thankfully for Gonsalves’ “poor kicking day” they could not add on the conversions which would have put them ahead.

“Guyana is always a difficult team at the end of the game and they always have a little extra. They just keep coming.” says Frederick. “It was a good fight by our boys. We needed to finish and we did that.”

T&T will aim to reclaim the overall NACRA title they last won in 2008 when they take on Mexico in two weeks, possibly right here at home.

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Minister of Sport and Senator Brent Sancho made an early morning visit yesterday to the Mt D’Or Recreation Ground to meet with community representatives to discuss their immediate needs and plans for the space.

Sancho was accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister of Works and Infrastructure and Christine Newallo, Minister of the People and Social Development.

According to Sancho, the tight-knit community’s recreational options are severely limited but he pledged to provide the necessary upgrade to the facility, which will have significant input from the Ministry of Works.

Among the short-term solutions identified were temporary bleachers to provide additional seating for the spectators from the community who rightly support their team in competitive games.

With support from the Ministry of Social Development in identifying the needs of sport organisations in the community, the Ministry of Sport will also provide football equipment such as goal posts to improve the standards of the competitive game. Sancho expressed hope that the infrastructure would be in place in time for upcoming football tournaments in the community.

He also noted the importance of grassroots sport and its contribution to national representation, and highlighted the community of Mt D’Or as one that can also boast of nurturing many young persons who developed into national athletes, proudly representing the red, white and black.

On Saturday, Sancho made an unexpected stop at the Beetham Gardens after noticing youths playing football on a small field while driving by.

The former Soca Warriors defender showed he has not lost his touch though, displaying his “keep-up” skills with the aspiring footballers.

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{jcomments off}Mikel Thomas picked up silver in the open men’s 110 metres hurdles, at the Sun Angel Track Classic, in Arizona, USA, on Saturday. The Trinidad and Tobago hurdler clocked 13.57 seconds to finish behind American Aries Merritt, the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder getting to the line in 13.29. T&T/Central Arizona College athlete, Ruebin Walters was first in his section and third overall in 13.82. T&T’s Deon Lendore got home in 45.18 seconds in the premier men’s 400m. The clocking earned the Texas A&M University senior third spot in the event. The 2012 Olympic champion, Kirani James ran a world-leading 44.31 to top the field in his 2015 opener, beating his fellow-Grenadian Bralon Taplin into second spot. Taplin, a student at Texas A&M, clocked a personal best 44.89. Hezekiel Romeo secured seventh spot in the premier men’s shot put. The T&T/Central Arizona field athlete threw the iron ball 17.00 metres. Arizona State University junior, Jamol James produced a 6.97m leap to finish ninth in the premier men’s long jump. In the open men’s 400m, College of the Sequoias athletes, Ohdel James and Theon Lewis were ninth and 10th fastest, respectively, clocking 47.78 seconds and 47.93. University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) student, Aeisha McDavid was ninth in the open women’s long jump (5.16m) and 24th overall in the open women’s 200m (25.98). Marissa Gale earned women’s 400m silver at the Wes Kittley Invitational, in Texas. The Western Texas College sophomore completed her lap of the track in 54.55 seconds. Another T&T athlete, Jessica James was fourth in 55.01. Gale also competed in the women’s 200m event, clocking a wind-assisted 24.51 seconds to finish fourth, one spot ahead of South Plains College student Domonique Williams (24.54). Abilene Christian University (ACU) sophomore Sterlen Paul bagged bronze in the men’s 800m in one minute, 54.55 seconds. And another ACU student, Osei Alleyne-Forte was 17th overall in the men’s 400m in 49.29 seconds.

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Trinidad and Tobago held off a hard charging Guyana to claim a 22-20 win in the South Championship league to move to 2-0 in the pool.

T & T broke out to a 12-0 half time lead on tries from wing James Phillip and prop Ernest Wright with hooker Felicien Guerra adding a conversion.

In the second frame Guyana clawed back into the match as Kevin McKenzie touched down just two minutes into the second half to make the score 12-5.

The home side T & T responded on the hour mark as scrum-half Johnason Alleyne scored to make it a two twelve point lead.

It took just four minutes for Guyana to organize its first try of the second half as wing Avery Corbin finished strongly to put his side back into contention with fifteen minutes to go in the match.

The frantic nature of the match continued with T & T hitting for its bonus point try from inside centre Andre Caberra dotted down in the 69th minute for a 22-10 score.

Guyana still had some answers as just three minutes later flanker Richard Staglon crossed to cut the T & T lead to a converted try for the final eight minutes of the match. Jut before full time Kevin McKenzie hit for his second try but the conversion that would have tied it did not go over as T & T held on for the narrow 22-20 win!

Despite the loss Guyana came away with two bonus points for scoring four tries and losing by less than seven to leave them a point back 6-5 in the pool standings, but leaving Trinidad and Tobago with top spot with no pool matches remaining.

Other NACRA action saw Mexico dominate the Cayman Islands 24-3 meaning Trinidad and Tobago will host the Les Serpientes in the play-offs.

Scoring

Guyana
Tries:Kevin McKenzie (2), Avery Corbin, Richard Staglon

Trinidad and Tobago: 
Tries: James Phillip, Ernest Wright, Johnason Alleyne, Andre Caberra
Conversion: Felicien Guerra

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