In your neighbourhood
Published:Saturday | March 5, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Melville wins Cal's pools finale
Calhoun Melville from Chelsea Pools Bar in New Kingston won the seventh and final tournament on the Cal's Spring Water/Real Vibes Party Wine all-island pools tour on Sunday, defeating Feurnando Anderson 4-2, 1-4, 4-1 in the double elimination final at Mystix Sports Bar, 783/4 Hagley Park Road.
The two-day tournament, which attracted a record 70 players from all over the island, closed off a highly successful tour which began at Hot Shots Pools Bar, Constant Spring Road, in August with victory going to Montego Bay-based Noel 'Schoolboy' Blagrove.
Blagrove, who won $80,000 then, proceeded to win three tournaments on the tour, including the penultimate one played in Negril in January. But despite being the island's No. 1 ranked player, Blagrove was knocked out early in this tournament, paving the way for another previous winner - Melville - to capture the $80,000 prize and trophy, presented by Sabrina Thomas, promotions manager of Cal's Manufacturing Limited.
Melville had earlier won the second stop on the tour in Mandeville last September.
En route to Sunday's final, he clipped Everett Austin 4-3, then accounted for Dean Blackwood and also Rohan McDonald in the quarter-finals, before dispatching Carl Hue in the semi-finals.
Anderson, on the other hand, beat Clive Powell from Mandeville in quarter-final action, and Demark McKoy in the semi-finals to set up the final showdown with Melville.
For his efforts, Melville received $80,000 and a trophy, Anderson $35,000 and a trophy, while in the play-off for third, McKoy beat Hue for third, securing $15,000 and a trophy, with Hue receiving $7,500. Players finishing from fifth to eighth place each received $2,500. They were Gary Manning (5th), Michael Jolly (6th), Joe McLeod (7th) and Andeous Gillings (8th).
In a short address, Sabrina Thomas said she was encouraged by the success of the tour as it took the game to the length and breadth of the island. She said Cal's Manufacturing is committed to sponsoring the tournament once again.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Nicky Lawrence, president of the Jamaica Billiards Association.
Mystix are PattexCup skittles champs
Mystix crushed defending champions Eastern All-Stars 6-1 to win the Henkel-sponsored Pattex Cup skittles final before a large crowd at Mystx Sports Bar, 783/4 Hagley Park Road, last Sunday.
Mystix, formerly Track Price Plus, surprised the star-studded Eastern team from Windward Road by racing into a 3-0 lead, thanks to wins by Clarence 'Micey' Williams, Alphanso Stewart and female player Rosie Hill. Eastern pulled back a game when their doubles pair of Clive Woolery and A. Kelly won, but thereafter it was all Mystix, as former singles champion Charles Service came up trumps, winning his game and teaming up with a novice player (doubles) to win a second game.
Skipper Cleveland Murray, whose services were not required, having been held back to play late, said although Eastern were considered firm favourites, this did not faze his team and they were confident of rising to the occasion.
"Over the years, these players now representing Mystix have won numerous titles for the now defunct Track Price Plus team, and this was a challenge we were really looking forward to", said Murray.
"We won with flying colours against a big-name team and this could signal the start of a successful run for Mystix in local skittles," he added.
Sistas skittlessingles final today
The Sistas singles final will take place at Willies Skittles Club, Three Miles Plaza, tomorrow, with teammates Robert McKen and Emmanuel Munda, both from Eagles, meeting in one semi-final, and Fitzroy 'Paul' Blair from Eastern All-Stars up against teammate Keitho Stephens in the other semi-final. The winners will meet in the final later in the afternoon, but before that there will be play in the women's singles final and men's rural final among four players from St. Ann.
The three women slated for the final are Eastern All Stars' Charlene Phoenix, Paulette Barrett from Eagles and Starliner's W. Newsome, who has drawn a bye to the final.
The action commences at 1:00 p.m.
Gregory Park takelast semi-final spot
Gregory Park Primary snatched the final semi-final spot in the LIME/INSPORT Portmore Primary Football League after they defeated Zone two opponents Belmont Park 2-0 at the Portsmouth field recently. Jhaun McKenzie and Rohan Beadle scored for Gregory Park. The winners placed second in their zone on nine points. Naggo Head took zone honours with 10 points.
Portsmouth topped zone one while Greater Portmore were runners-up.
In the other game at the venue Independence City and Waterford drew 1-1.
The semi-final pairings pit Naggo Head against Greater Portmore while Portsmouth challenge Gregory Park on April 6.
Passagefort test for Hurricane
Fifth-place club Hurricane (34 points) should be tested by Passagefort United (29 points), who are currently in eighth spot, in an 11th round game at Bayside in the Jamaica Domino Federation/Charley's JB Overproof Rum/Supreme Ventures Portmore/St Catherine League tomorrow. In another key game, joint second-place Eagle View (38 points) entertain seventh-place Ackee Pod at Old Braeton main road.
Other matches include defending champs Fort International at home against Lime Tree Grove at Passagefort Drive, leaders Right Stuff (40 points) take on North Street United at Cedar Grove, Caribbean Classic welcome Colours Sports Club at Portmore Lane, Triple X Old Harbour Bay host Westchester Nuckuz in Old Harbour Bay, Caymanas Track await second-from-top Masterpiece (38 points) at Caymanas Track, Ken's Wildflower take on Eradication at Portmore Plaza in Bayside, and Village Link take on Correctional Services at 3 Mega Way, in the Portmore Town Centre. All games begin at 11:30 a.m.
Power of Faith open against Gregory Park
Former champions Power of Faith International, originally known as Power of Faith Seniors, will open the fourth staging of the Power of Faith Ministries (PFM) 20/20 Church Cricket league
In the second game at 1:30 p.m. last year's beaten finalists, Old Harbour New Testament, take on another debutant Elim/ Victory Open Bible. Faith Temple New Testament are the defending champions. Meanwhile, the league has attracted 10 teams and for the first time a senior team with players over 40 years old will be in action.
Portsmouth jump to second with crucial win
Portsmouth jumped into second place in the LIME-sponsored St Catherine FA Major League with a crucial 2-1 win over Spanish Town Police at the Portsmouth field last Saturday.
Kevin Williams fired home a last-minute winner to add to Ranique Davis' early goal for Portsmouth, while Fabian Lee scored for the cops.
Leaders Black Lion (39 points) drew 0-0 with Rodwood, so too Albion and McCook's Pen.
Christian Pen blank Pen Acres 3-0
Christian Pen enhanced their semi-final chances in the LIME-sponsored St Catherine FA Division One league after their comprehensive 3-0 win over Pen Acres at the Christian Pen field last Thursday.
Christian Pen's ace striker Devon Wilson struck a double in the 30th and 67th minutes (penalty) while Derron Barr netted in the
The win consolidated Christian Pen's position at third in the league with 21 points. They trail Treadways (22 points) and runaway leaders Frazer's Whip, who have an unassailable 34 points. The loss hurt Pen Acres (13 points) considerably, since they are stuck in the relegation zone with only one match remaining against bottom club Invaders (12 points).
"Our team didn't play to instructions, that is the reason we lost today (Thursday)," Pen Acres captain, Errol Lindsay, said after the match. "We just have to try and win our last game and try to stay in the league," he said. Christian Pen's coach, Lenworth Reckford, said his team maintained its position in the standings and will be looking to take it another step.
"Our first aim is to make it to the semi-finals, and we are in third on 21 points, with two games to go. We are confident of beating any team in the semi-final or final, as our aim is to win the league. Frazer's Whip are the only unbeaten team in the league, and we are the only team I think have a chance to defeat them," an optimistic Reckford said.
Meanwhile, Frazer's Whip, the parish knockout champs and the reigning Division one mid-season champs, defeated Waterford 3-1 via goals from San-jay Williams (4th), Kymani Tomlinson (40th) Jevaune Benjamin (76th).
In another game, Upfront (18 points) moved from sixth to fourth with an important 2-1 win over seventh-place Racing United (13 points).
St James TT champs
The annual St James Table Tennis Association parish and open championships will take place next Saturday, March 12, at the Montego Bay Cricket Club, beginning at 9 a.m.
There will be lucrative cash prizes in the open and parish championship, with the men's singles winner set to pocket $40,000 and the women's champion $15,000. The runner-up in the men's singles will collect $20,000 and third place $10,000. The women's runner-up is set to receive $10,000 and third place $5,000.
The cash prizes for the men's singles in the parish championship are the same as the open, while the veteran's champion will take home $10,000. Entry fee is $1,000.
Campion, KC, Ardenne take TT titles
Campion College copped two titles and Kingston College and Ardenne High one each, at the urban finals of this year's Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) table tennis competition on Tuesday at the University of Technology. Coach of both Ardenne and Campion, Sandra Riettie, accounted for three titles while coach Colin McNeish earned one through KC.
In the finals, KC clipped Campion 3-2 in boys' under-19, Campion edged defending champions Meadowbrook 3-2 in girls' under-19, Campion blanked KC 5-0 in boys' under-16 and Ardenne blanked Wolmer's 3-0 in girls' under-16.
Girls' teams for both finals qualified by being the top two teams in their preliminary round groups. To reach the under-19 boys final, KC drubbed Calabar 4-1 and Campion trounced Wolmer's 4-1 as well, in semi-finals. There were two three-team groups in boys under-16 semi-finals, with round-robin play in each group. To reach the final, Campion topped Group 1 by blanking both St Jago and Wolmers by similar 5-0 scores and KC placed first in Group 2 by blanking both Jamaica College and Hillel by 5-0 scorelines. Hillel defeated JC 4-1 to place second in Group 1 while St Jago beat Wolmers 4-1 also, for second place in Group 2.
In play-offs for third-place trophies, Wolmers pipped Calabar 3-2 in boys' under-19 and St Jago nipped Hillel 3-2 in boys' under-16.
Meadows, Rivoli rule Super League
The St Catherine pair of Meadows and Rivoli continue to rule the South Central Confed Super League after 10 rounds. In last week's round, Meadows held on to their one-point lead with a 2-1 win over parishmates Bodles, while Rivoli kept the race hot, travelling to Hounslow in St Elizabeth to beat Newell 2-1.
Clarendon's Monymusk (16 pts) held on to third place despite being held to a 0-0 draw in their rescheduled parish derby with New Bowens on Wednesday. Downs of Manchester made the biggest push up the standings, beating De la Vega City 1-0 on a Conroy Sinclair 40th-minute goal to join fourth-place Bodles on 12 points. Next are the pairs of Naggo Head and Newlands, who are both on 11 points.
It is significant that Mile Gully, on the strength of two goals by Manchester High schoolboy Oral Johnson, won for the first time, defeating Tru-Juice 2-1 at Bybrook. Their four previous points had come from draws.
Games on this weekend: Today - De la Vega vs Naggo Head and Bodles vs Monymusk.
Tomorrow - Newland vs Meadows; Rivoli vs Tru-Juice; Mile Gully vs Downs; and New Bowens vs Newell.
Appleton upset Super Action
Appleton Estate, coached by national Under-20 coach Andrew Edwards, beat leaders Super Action 3-1 to provide the main highlight of last week's round of the Wray and Nephew-sponsored St Elizabeth Major league.
Appleton Estate have now climbed to 24 points and fourth overall. Super Action are still in front - their 31 points four better than the new second-place team Tafari Lions. Black River dropped to third after a surprise 2-1 loss to Burnt Ground. Tafari Lions had an emphatic 3-0 away win over Parottee.
The rest of the standings read: Mountainside and Vineyard on 18 points, Burnt Ground seventh on 14, with the pair of Young Brazil and New Holland on 13 each.
Games on this weekend: Tafari Lions vs Super Action; Appleton vs Treasure Beach; Vineyard vs Parottee; Braes River vs Black River; New Holland vs Burnt Ground; and Mountainside vs Young Brazil.
York Town stun Gimme-Me-Bit
Struggling York Town created the major upset of the 2010-11 Claro/Captain's Bakery Clarendon Major League season when they clipped the previously unbeaten Gimme-Me-Bit 1-0 last weekend.
Gimme-Me-Bit had been virtually flawless, winning eight straight games for a perfect score of 21 points and boasting impressive statistics of 14 goals for and three against. Despite the loss, they kept their lead atop the standings by a mere point over Spartan Athletic.
The win lifted York Town from eighth to sixth place on 10 points. It was their third win of the season but they still have a poor goal difference of minus three. Longwood also joined in the giant-killing mood of the weekend, stopping third-place Woodhall 1-0. The win pushed them from seventh to fifth, just a point above York Town.
New Green, Hill Stars to contest mid-season final
New Green and Hill Stars have earned the right to contest The Captain's Bakery Manchester Major League mid-season final. This game was originally scheduled for this weekend but has been put back a week to facilitate tomorrow's funeral service for former Manchester referee and avid track and field volunteer, Delroy 'Zuggu' James.
New Green booked their berth in the final when Christopher Milton's 79th-minute goal at Brooks Park gave them a 1-0 win over Porus. Hill Stars beat Comfort 2-1 to move to 16 points, the same as Porus. However, a much better goal difference secured their berth. New Green's win pushed them to a chart-topping 18 points.
The rest of the standings read: Kendal fourth on 12 points, the pair of Comfort and Georges Valley follow on 11 pts Young Diamonds, Starliner and Mandeville United head the relegation battle at this stage.
In other results last weekend: Young Diamonds beat Mandeville United's 2-0 while Georges Valley stunned Star Liner 3-0.
St Elizabeth Co-op Credit Union Division One
After three rounds, Northampton and Rocky Hill are the respective zone leaders of the 2010-2011 St Elizabeth Co-op Credit Union Division One football competition.
Northampton, semi-finalists last season, lead Zone A with seven points from three games, while Rocky Hill are atop Zone B on five points. Northampton opened their campaign on February 10, beating Retrieve United 2-1. They followed up by defeating Middle Quarters Police Youth Club by a similar margin and then drew 0-0 with Round Hill.
Rocky Hill beat Newmarket 2-1 in their opening game then drew 0-0 with Longwood United and 1-1 with Knoxwood.
Also in Zone A, Round Hill, who won their opening game and drew their following two matches, are in second place on five points. Knoxwood, who won one match, beating Haughton 4-0, are second in Zone B on four points.