– as National Junior indoor hockey heads for thrilling finale
(Kaieteur News) – SHC S’Team continued their impressive run at the Guyana Hockey Board’s National Junior Indoor Hockey Championships, recording another victory on the penultimate day to strengthen their push for championship honours as the tournament heads into yesterday’s finale.
The Cliff Anderson Sports Hall provided the stage for another absorbing day of competition, with teams battling to maintain their momentum, secure vital victories and build confidence ahead of the tournament’s climax.
The stakes were high, with important semifinals tickets on the line. The remaining contenders had little room for error in their pursuit of national junior indoor hockey supremacy across the U17 and U21 divisions.
In the lone Boys’ Under-21 division match on Thursday, SHC S’Team continued their relentless charge, overcoming OFHC Vipers 3-1 behind a commanding double from Ezekiel Moses.
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Moses broke the deadlock in the 12th minute before Jabari Lovell doubled S’Team’s advantage three minutes later, giving the side a firm grip on proceedings.
OFHC Vipers responded through Yonick Norton to reduce the deficit, but S’Team remained composed under pressure. Moses struck again in the 23rd minute to complete his brace and seal another important victory for his team.
The result underlined S’Team’s consistency heading into the final day, with Moses once again proving decisive when it mattered most.
The Girls’ Under-17 division also produced an emphatic display, as OFHC Phantom Troupe overwhelmed Hikers Junior Jets 4-0 in their Group A encounter.
Tinashe Henry and Keitanna Percival gave Phantom Troupe a commanding start, establishing a two-goal cushion before Percival took center stage with two further strikes in the 11th and 17th minutes to complete a hat-trick.
Percival’s clinical performance proved the difference, as Phantom Troupe combined attacking efficiency with defensive discipline to register a convincing shutout.
In Group B, SHC Sensations also kept their opponents at bay, defeating Multi Stars 3-0. Isabelle Grouper led the charge with a brace, continuing her influence in the competition as Sensations produced a composed performance to strengthen their position ahead of the decisive phase.
The Boys’ Under-17 competition delivered its share of drama, with Hikers Hatchets edging Multi Alumni 1-0 in Group C.
The tightly contested encounter appeared destined for a narrow finish, and Keyon Todd supplied the decisive moment in the 18th minute, finding the breakthrough to spark celebrations for Hikers Hatchets.
However, it was GCC Outlaws who produced one of the most dominant attacking displays of the day, overwhelming SJHS Warriors in a goal-filled encounter.
Eli Atwell set the tone with an early brace, while Kristen Viapree added a different dimension to the Outlaws’ attack with three goals of his own. Jaleel Bynoe also found the net in the 18th minute, but the Warriors were unable to contain the relentless pressure as the Outlaws maintained their attacking intensity.
With the preliminary battles now complete and the semifinal line-up confirmed, attention turns to the championship-deciding day, when the best-performing teams across the various divisions will compete for a place in the finals before the ultimate showdown for honours.
At press time, OHFC Vipers, GCC Cowboys moved ahead with wins in the U21 division, while OFHC Phantom Troupe, SHC Sensation SHC Sigmas had already booked spots into U17 final with crucial wins.
Source: Kaieteur News
