Digicel/ISSA semis today

by Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

THE Leila Robinson Courts will be buzzing with excitement this afternoon as the Corporate Area junior and senior netball teams hunt places in next Wednesday's finals of the Digicel/ISSA netball competition.

Semi-finals action starts at 1:30, with the juniors taking the court first. Defending champions, The Queen's School, will oppose St Catherine High, while favourites St Hugh's will battle Vauxhall. These matches will be followed by the senior games at 2:30 p.m. Queen's will oppose St Andrew High before St Hugh's match their skills against St Catherine High.

In junior action, it will take something special from the Rohan Robinson-coached Vauxhall team if they are to deny St Hugh's a spot in next week's final. Since winning the opening rally several weeks ago, they have been on a roll, putting away defending champions Queen's easily in the second round.

Vauxhall will be hoping for a repeat performance in their final game in the second round, where they humiliated the previously unbeaten St Catherine High team.

"If my team plays like they did in the semi-finals, we can beat anyone," said Robinson. Victory for Vauxhall will defend on the performance of outstanding goal attack Shantel Swaby.

In great form

Vauxhall will, however, have to find a way to deny St Hugh's goal shooter Kadie Ann Duhaney, goal attack Janelle Jones, centre Titanya Blackstock and wing attack Cian Smith, who all have been in great form all season.

After losing in the final last year to Queen's, St Catherine High will get a chance to avenge that defeat as they meet in what is expected to be an even contest. Both teams have similar records, as they have lost once so far this season. Queen's new-look team will be hoping for victory today and set up another clash with St Hugh's, the only team they have lost to in three years.

After their impressive win against defending champions St Hugh's two weeks ago, it should be smooth sailing for the Marvette Anderson-coached Queen's when they face St Andrew High in their senior semi-final. The majority of their players from last year's impressive junior team are now seniors, and they have been the most outstanding aggregation so far in the competition, and it will take something extra special if former champions St Andrew are to deny them.

It should be a different affair in the other semi-final, as the defending champions will have to be at their best if they are to deny the unbeaten St Catherine High their first visit to the final of this competition at this level. The defending champions were blown away by Queen's in the second round of the competition and will have to show a better performance if they hope to advance in their bid to retain their title.