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Whitehall Primary on top in Courtney Walsh cricket

Whitehall Primary School maintained their unbeaten run in the Courtney Walsh Foundation 20/20 cricket competition last Saturday, when they defeated Grants Pen by 63 runs at Whitehall playing field to make it four in a row.

Batting first, Whitehall scored 145 for four off their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a solid opening partnership between skipper Rushane Gordon (73) and T. Wilmot (21).

Grants Pen in reply were bowled out for 82 in 17 overs, with B. Campbell getting 26 and Jerome Jones taking two for 19 off four overs.

On the previous Saturday, Whitehall Primary clipped defending champions Waltham Primary by four runs in a rain-affected match, reduced to 15 overs due to the weather.

Whitehall made 106 for four off their 15 overs - Rushane Gordon 27, Mark Tenn 23.

Waltham fell four runs short in their reply, reaching 102 for four in an exciting contest which saw them needing six runs off the last ball to win.

Having won all four matches, Whitehall lead the standings with maximum 12 points, ahead of Waltham and Grants Pen.

In another match played on Saturday, October 9, Grants Pen beat Nannyville by 44 runs. Grants Pen 143 for nine off their allotted 16 overs - B. Campbell top-scoring with 58. Nannyville 99 off 12 overs, with B. Mitchell getting 53 not out.

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Mullings wins Cal's pool tour No. 3

Jody Mullings from Mandeville won the third leg of the Cal's Spring Water/Real Party Wine eight-ball pool tour last weekend, when he defeated Rhys Chen from Ocho Rios 4-3 in an exciting best-of-seven final at Kendan Pool and Games, 32 Jarrett Street, Montego Bay.

Coming from 1-2 down, Mullings fought back strongly to lead 3-2 after five games, before Chen levelled the scores at 3-3.

With everything to play for in the seventh and deciding game, Mullings capitalised on a blunder by his opponent to take the spoils.

For his efforts, Mullings received $80,000 and the championship trophy, while Chen secured $35,000 and a trophy. In the playoff for third between the losing semi-finalists, Clive Powell, also from Mandeville, blanked Jamar 'Fibre' Johnson 3-0 to capture the $15,000 prize, while Johnson secured $7,500 and a gift basket containing Cal's products. Trophies and prizes were presented by Nugent Ximines, managing director of Cal's Manufacturing.

Players finishing from fifth to eighth received $2,500 each. They were Glendon Spence from Lucea (5th), Montego Bay's Noel 'Schoolboy' Blagrove (6th), who won the opening leg of the tour in Kingston, Calhoun Melville (7th), winner of the tour's second leg in Mandeville, and in eighth spot noted 'C' class player Radcliffe 'Brandy' Robinson from Mandeville.

Organised by the Jamaica Billiards Association, the tournament attracted 50 players - 13 drawn from 'A' class, 26 from 'B' and 11 from 'C'.

The fourth stop of the tour is scheduled for Chelsea Pool Bar on November 27 and 28.

Racing Links are RFL champions

In a hard-fought contest, the unbeaten Racing Links defeated Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) 1-0 in sudden-death penalty kicks to win the 2010 Racing Fraternity League (RFL) seven-a-side football final at Ironside playing field, Gregory Park, on Sunday, October 17.

After playing to 0-0 in regulation and extra time, both teams then scored five penalty kicks each in the shoot-out. The goal was then moved back twice the normal distance for sudden-death play.

Two players from each team missed during this crucial stage, before Racing Links' ace striker Kerrigan Carty converted. CTL's Frederick 'Polka' Kenward then missed a vital penalty after he turned his back to the goal and struck the ball with his heel. The ball went wide, much to the disgust of his teammates and supporters, thus handing Racing Links the trophy.

The main players for Racing Links were Dr Jason Wright (son of Dr Paul Wright), Oliver Buchanan and, of course, Carty, who emerged the competition's leading scorer with five goals.

In the presentation of trophies and prizes which followed, the championship trophy was presented by former president of the St Catherine Football Association, Lincoln 'Happy' Sutherland, to the winning captain, Dr Jason Wright.

Other awards went to leading scorer Carty, Security (most improved team), Trainers (most disciplined team), while Oneil 'Jigga' Whyte, who represented Zone 'A' winners Landscape, was voted the competition's MVP. A total of 12 teams from the racing industry (divided into two zones) participated.

Sponsors were the United Bookmakers Association, Track Price Plus, Markham Betting, Champion Betting, General Painting, McKay Security, Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association, Sports Gear and Trevor Dunkley & Associates.

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General Accident, Scotia 'A' in BH netball final

Defending champions Scotiabank 'A' and former champions General Accident will meet in the Business House Netball Association Senior League final at the Indoor Arena this evening, starting at 6:30, as the curtain comes down on the 2010 Business House netball season.

Only these two teams have managed to win the competition unbroken in the past eight years, beginning with Scotiabank 'A' in 2003, followed by General Accident for the next five years (2004-2008), beating Scotia 'A' in five consecutive finals, before Scotia resumed winning ways last year in the absence of General Accident, who took a one-year break from the competition.

The Winston Nevers-coached Scotia 'A' are unbeaten in nine matches this season, while General Accident, suffered their only defeat against Scotia in the preliminary round three weeks ago, losing by 12 points. On that occasion, General Accident were without the services of national representative, goal attack Nadine Bryan, who is back in the team today.

Bryan is, in fact, one of six national players in General Accident's line-up, along with player/coach Oberon Pitterson, goal shooter Margaret Lawrence-Byfield, Kerry-Ann Brown, Tamara Hylton and Peta-Gaye Thomas.

Scotiabank 'A' also boast a number of former national players, including ace goal shooter Marsha Murphy, the league's leading goalscorer, along with captain Naudia Brown, Viola Francis-Cummings, Kamieka Sherwood, Andrea Markland and Trecia Stewart.

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Champions Red Square

Levar Williams emerged the local community hero, as it was his lone strike which secured the Peter Bunting title for Red Square. They scored a 1-0 win over Hope Village as the Georges Valley Community League came to a close last weekend.

Williams later picked up a well-deserved cash incentive of $10,000 and the most valuable player trophy. For their championship efforts, Red Square won top prize of $80,000, followed by Hope Village, who secured $60,000. Hope Village's Kirkland Holness was adjudged the league's best goalkeeper and he, too, pocketed $10,000.

The third-place play-off was played earlier and Sweden Street, with goals from Andrew Watson and Fitzroy Thompson, beat Comfort 2-1. Sweden Street secured $40,000 while Comfort were presented with $30,000 for finishing fourth.

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New Bowens, Spartan win big at Clarendon Awards

Major League champions New Bowens and Division One winners Spartan FC bagged the major awards on offer for the 2009-10 Clarendon Football Association (CFA) season during a ceremony held at the Bridge Palm hotel in Toll Gate.

New Bowens, in addition to collecting the magnificently carved Captain's Bakery Trophy and 30 goal medallions for their players and officials, pocketed prize money of $180,000. Among their ranks, the most valuable player award and $10,000 incentive went to Maxwell Patrick, while their coach Joseph Gunter stole the honours in that category, along with $10,000 cash.

However, New Bowen's Leon Callaghan had to share the $10,000 prize money for leading goalscorer with Jemil Forrester of runners-up Milk River, as the two got 16 goals each. The only category that New Bowens failed to feature in was an award and $15,000 cash incentive for the Most Disciplined Team, which went to Gayle FC, which interestingly finished a disappointing eighth of 10 competing teams.

The function capped a wonderful year for New Bowens, who also secured prize money for winning the mid-season final, as well as the CFA-sanctioned Jamalco Football League. They have also earned promotion to play in the upcoming season of the South Central Confed Super league.

Spartan FC, who won the Division One ahead of Freetown, collected their $60,000 prize money and trophy from Rohan Cupid, marketing and communications manager of sponsors FX Trader. Jerome Willis of Spartan, with nine goals, took home the top goalscorer award, while Davian Williams secured the most valuable player award. New Longsville got the most disciplined team award.

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John Green highlights special awards

Veteran youth football administrator, John Green, was acknowledged for outstanding contribution to Clarendon football and among several person singled out by the Clarendon FA for special plaques and cash awards.

Green, the main talent scout and the organiser behind Clarendon's development programme, was presented with the special award as he said farewell from all active football duties. President Mike Ricketts wished him well in retirement but said his input was welcomed at any time.

Also acknowledged for outstanding services to football was Juici Patties head Jukie Chin, a native of the parish. Lennon High, emerging powerhouse in schoolgirls football, were also given a special award. It was noted that several of their players formed the core of Los Perfectos who, in their first season, have reached the final of both the National Senior Women's Knock-out and league. Their coach, Merron Gordon, is also the coach of Los Perfectos.

Female referee Cardella Samuels was acknowledged as the top referee for duties performed in the parish Major League, and Lloyd Reader best assistant. They were presented with cash award of $10,000 each.