IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Sistas skittles singles quarter-finals

A new champion will be crowned in the 2011 Sistas skittles singles competition, after defending champion, Winston 'Wimpy' Lyew from Willies Strikers, was knocked out by Eagles' captain Clinton 'Fly Up' Thompson in the round of 16 last Saturday night at Mystix, 78 ³/⁴ Hagley Park Road.

Thompson defeated Lyew 2-0 to advance to the quarter-final round of the competition tonight at the same venue. He has been drawn to play clubmate Robert 'Dave' McKen, a five-time singles champion.

Other players in the last eight are former champions Fitzroy 'Paul' Blair and Nehemiah 'Fatta' Henry, both from Eastern All-Stars, along with teammate Keito Stephens, Emmanuel Munda and Rudolph 'Niah' Mullings from Eagles, and Karyl 'Chassy' Walker from Willies Strikers.

The other quarter-final pairings for tonight's matches are Munda vs Walker, 'Fatta' Henry vs Stephens and Blair vs Mullings. Match time is 7 p.m.

Last Sunday, McKen defeated veteran Errol Wright of Dragon 2-0 to advance, Munda beat Winston 'Jubby' Nevins from Starliner 2-0, Henry stopped former champion Leslie 'Toothpick' Puranda from Eagles 2-0, Stephens defeated David 'Shabba' Adams from Starliner 2-1, Walker beat clubmate R. Grant 2-0, 'Niah' Mullings beat Paul Latchman from Willies 2-0, Blair stopped R. Barrett from Willies 2-0 and, of course, Thompson blanked reigning champion Lyew 2-0.

Meanwhile, as the quarter-finals of the Pattex Cup competition continued at Bejon's Sports Bar, Hughenden Plaza, last Sunday, defending champions Eastern All-Stars defeated Walthan Strikers 6-3 and Starliner clipped Olympic Strikers 6-5.

In tomorrow's semi-finals at Mercury Skittles Club, Old Harbour Road, Mystix will oppose Willies Strikers at 1 p.m. and Eastern Strikers will take on Starliner in the second match. The winners will meet in the final on Sunday, February 27.

 Final round of Cal's pool tourney Feb 26, 27

The seventh and final round of the Cal's Spring Water/Real Vibes Party Wine pool tour takes place on February 26 and 27 at Mystix Sports Bar, 78 ³/⁴ Hagley Park Road.

Once again all the top players in the island will be on show, including Montego Bay's Noel 'Schoolboy' Blagrove, who has won three of the six tournaments played so far to win over $240,000 in total prize money.

By virtue of his dominance on the tour, Blagrove has firmly established himself as the No. 1 ranked player in the island.

The eight-ball double elimination tournament offers a first prize of $80,000 and a trophy, second $35,000 and trophy, third $15,000 and fourth $7,500. Entry fee is $1,500 for members of the Jamaica Billiards Association.

The draw will take place at Hot Shots Pool Bar, 103 Constant Spring Road, next Wednesday night during the weekly mini-tournaments. There will be free entry for the mini-tournaments this time around.

 St Catherine teams lead Super League

St Catherine teams still hold on to the top two spots in the South Central Super League but there are signs that the Clarendon teams are beginning to show their mettle.

Defending champions Meadows head the standings on 17 points followed by Rivoli on 16. Clarendon's Monymusk jumped to third from fifth after inflicting defeat on the previous leaders, Rivoli, in last week's feature match.

That game was an exciting affair with all three goals coming in a four-minute burst, starting with Monymusk's first strike in the 89th, and Rivoli storming back with the equaliser via the penalty route in the final minute.

The teams were separated in time added on when Andrew Issacs ( 93rd min) scored to give Monymusk an important win. In other results from last weekend's seventh round: Meadows stopped De la Vega 2-0, New Bowens, who are in sixth position, came from behind to defeat Downs of Manchester 2-1, Naggo Head won 2-0 over Mile Gully, St Elizabeth newcomers Newell ambushed Bodles 1-0, while Newland won the St Catherine derby over Tru-Juice 2-1.

Matches slated for this weekend are: Today - New Bowens vs Tru-Juice; Newland vs Downs and Bodles vs Naggo Head. Tomorrow: Rivoli vs Meadows, Mile Gully vs Newell, and De la Vega vs Monymusk.

 St Elizabeth Major League round-up

The St Elizabeth Wray and Nephew Major League resumes tomorrow with three games.

Beaten mid-season finalists Super Action will host Treasure Beach at Mountainside while third-place Tafari Lion entertain Vineyard Youth Club at Lacovia.

The final game will see Parottee hosting the Appleton Estate's team.

Super Action lead the table with 28 points, followed by mid-season champions Black River, who are on 24 points. Tafari Lions follow on 21 points.

 Gimme-Me-Bit on top in Clarendon

Gimme-me-bit extended their unbeaten run to six games, while keeping their lead atop the Claro Clarendon Captain's Bakery Major League.

Gimme-Me-Bit won two games over the last week - starting with their 1-0 over Freetown in last week's double-header at York Town, before eking out another 1-0 win on Tuesday, this time over Longwood.

Second-place Spartan Athletics (14 pts), who are also unbeaten, dropped points for the second straight game when they were held to 1-1 draw by Woodhall. Original Hazard, who stopped Gayle FC 1-0 on a Sean Bell goal on Thursday, are third on 13 points while Woodhall hold on to fourth place on 11 points.

 Porus, Hillstars clash in Manchester Major League

Porus and Hillstars, who are joint leaders of The Captain's Bakery Major League, on 13 points, will meet in the feature game of round eight tomorrow.

Hillstars were idle last weekend on which Porus capitalised, beating bottom-place team Mandeville United 1-0. Also moving up was New Green (12 pts), who defeated neighbours Young Diamonds 2-1 at Brooks Park. In other games from the last round, Comfort (10 pts) dropped to fourth after a 2-2 with Georges Valley while Kendal (9 pts) and Star Liner ended 1-1 at NCU.

The remainder of the weekend schedule reads: Kendal vs Georges Valley and Mandeville United vs New Green (today). Tomorrow: Young Diamonds vs Star Liner at Hanbury.

 Genus Pharmacy mid-season final

Revenge-seeking outfit Watson Grove face off with Westport in the Genus Pharmacy-sponsored Portmore Division Two football league mid-season final tomorrow at the Passagefort field, tomorrow at 3 p.m.

Watson Grove (15 points), who returned to the top of the tables with a 1-0 win over Queens Park last Sunday, play against a Westport side that upset them 2-1 in their fifth-round encounter last month. The winning team will take home the Genus Pharmacy trophy and a cash award.

 Royal Lakes outshoot McCook's Pen 4-2

Royal Lakes outshot McCook's Pen 4-2 in a wild game, in a LIME St Catherine FA Major League football encounter last Saturday.

All six goals came in the second half. McCook's players and coaching staff must have been smiling, after Damion Wellington (50th), Chadwick Taylor (57th) sent them into a 2-0 lead, with 33 minutes left in regulation time.

Royal Lakes, however, hit back in spectacular fashion, as ace striker Orville Mullings notched his sixth and seventh league goals of the season in the 80th and 89th minutes. Rodene Palmer and Dwayne McQueen also scored for the victors. In other games, leaders Black Lion edged Dunbeholden 1-0 with a Miguel Brown strike, Wanderers, through goals from Kemar Phillpotts, Shamar Rowe and Akeem Collins blanked Cumberland 3-0, and DB Basovak and Rodwood drew 1-1.

 Caribbean Classic, Ackee Pod in feature

Caribbean Classic and Ackee Pod meet in a feature match in the Jamaica Domino Federation/ Charley's JB Overproof Rum/Supreme Ventures Portmore/St Catherine League at Classic's home ground, Portmore Lane, Portmore Gardens, tomorrow.

Classic and Ackee Pod are tied for fifth place with 28 points apiece. Leaders Right Stuff coming off a break should walk over Garveymeade at their Cedar Grove home base. In other games, red-hot Fort International have an easy away assignment against Caymanas Track, Eagle View welcome Lime Tree Grove at Old Braeton main road, Hurricane look to school Correctional Services at their Bayside base, Masterpiece coming off back-to-back losses oppose Ken's Wildflower at Old Harbour Road, Triple X Old Harbour Bay at home against Passagefort United, North Street United await Westchester Nuckuz in Spanish Town, and Village Link take on Eradication at 3 Mega Way. All games begin at 11:30 a.m.

 Watson Grove in second final

Watson Grove advanced to their second final of the season after they defeated Hellshire United 2-1 in a semi-final game in the Colin Fagan-sponsored Portmore Division Two knockout tournament at the Passagefort field last week Thursday. Cyan Crooks and Julius Johnson scored for Watson Grove. The winners are also in the league's mid-season final. The knockout final will be played on a date to be announced.

Fitzroy Blair