Champs remain on course

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

DEFENDING junior and senior champions, Queen's High and St Hugh's, respectively, stayed on course to retain their titles in the urban area ISSA/Digicel schoolgirls netball competition, following semi-final action at the Leila Robinson Courts yesterday.

Queen's High, who are also the all-island champions, turned back the challenge of St Hugh's 28-18 and will meet first-time finalists, Meadowbrook High, who got the better of St Catherine High 20-18.

Like their junior team, the Marvette Anderson-coached Queen's High senior team also qualified for the final, as they brushed away the improved Bridgeport High 26-22. In the final they will be up against the defending champions, St Hugh's, who turned back St Andrew High 26-17.

Comfortable lead

Queen's juniors took some time to settle, but finished the first quarter with a comfortable 8-4 lead. The defending champions came out in a different mood in the second quarter, as goal attack Shade French and goal shooter Khadijah Parker found their range, while centre Kalesha Freckleton and wing attack Tavia Porter made excellent passes to enable them to race to a 16-8 half-time lead.

Despite playing gallantly for the remainder of the game St Hugh's made too many simple errors as the champions ran away to score a 10-point victory.

Both Parker and French netted 14 goals each.

In the other junior semi-final, which brought together two semi-final first-timers, it was like a carnival affair before the start of the game as both teams brought a large host of supporters, who were cheering wildly before the start.