IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
Defending champions, the Milex Eaglets and three-time winners the Milex Eagles, both suffered upset losses in the quar ter-finals of the KPMG Squash League at the Liguanea Club on Thursday night.
Highly favoured for a repeat win, the Eaglets were toppled by the Saints in the quarters. Seasoned campaigner Shane Slater got things off to a winning start, when he beat Adam Lee 21/20, 9/21, 21/18, 6/21, 21/18 to put the Eaglets ahead. However, senior national team player Nathlee Boreland beat Aman Dhiman 18/21, 21/18, 15/21, 21/16, 21/16 and the Saints pulled even. Then Andre Wright beat All Jamaica Under-19 champion Tahjia Lumley, ending any hope of a repeat win for the Eaglets.
The bad news continued for Team Milex when the Eagles also suffered a shock defeat, falling to the Game Changers. Things looked dicey for the Eagles when former Caribbean Junior champion Akelia Wiltshire lost 21/18, 15/21, 21/16, 21/11 to Emir Crowne in the opening match. Then an epic battle was waged between 13-time All Jamaica Ladies Champion Karen Anderson and the crafty Jordan Dawson. The game was tied at 14/21, 21/14, 21/16, 14/21 when Anderson suffered an injury and the game went to Dawson.
Fresh-faced junior team, the Cereal Killers, sailed into the semi-finals after beating the Screaming Eagles. Noah HoTai gave the Cereal Killers the lead when he beat Shane Murray 21/19, 18/21, 21/5, 21/16 and then Karan Chatani sealed the deal by defeating Rajeev Venugopal 21/11, 21/18, 16/21, 21/20. Tobias Levy lost 21/11, 21/18, 12/21, 21/20 to Stuart Murray but the Cereal Killers already had the win in the bag.
Another surprise came when Stoneleigh Coffee beat Three+1. Veteran Patrick Chin did his part by convincingly beating Chris Hind 21/14, 21/19, 21/17. However, Stoneleigh stormed back when Stephen Jones defeated O’Neil Johnson 21/13, 21/13, 16/21, 19/21, 21/13 to draw level. Then, Stephen Shirley beat Richard Lee 21/14, 21/18, 21/20 to book Stoneleigh’s spot in the semi-finals.
The semi-finals of the 2018 KPMG Squash League will be played next Thursday at the Liguanea Club.
Alligator Pond lead Manchester Major League
Alligator Pond are now sole leaders of the Mikael Phillips-sponsored Manchester Major League at the completion of the halfway stage.
Alligator Pond knocked over Mile Gully earlier this week to move to 18 points and a clean record from their first six games. They also have impressive goal difference, having scored 12 and conceded one. Los Perfectos, who are not active this week, are on 15 points from their six games. Their only loss was to Alligator Pond in the season opener.
The t wo other matches to be completed this week ended in draws. Technical Strikers and Old England ended 3-3. Of significance, Old England were gaining their first point since the start of the season. Technical Strikers are marginally better with two points.
The final game saw Comfort and Villa United playing to a 0-0 draw. Both Comfort and Mile Gully are locked in mid-table on eight points.
St Elizabeth’s domination of Super League continues
The St Elizabeth teams firmly stayed on course for booking early semi-final spots following another convincing display in the return phase of the Charley’s/JB Rum South Central Super League.
The most dominant team, Blackstars of St Elizabeth, whipped Moores FC of Clarendon 7-1 with Sharndee Brooks and Orlando Ricketts both netting twice. They have moved to 29 points from nine wins and two draws. They are seven points clear of the nearest challengers in Zone One – Old Harbour Bay United and Vere United, who are both on 22. St Catherine’s Tru-Juice are fourth on 17.
The other preliminary zone is also led by another St Elizabeth team, St Bess FC, who, like Blackstars, are unbeaten. They have 24 points compiled from seven wins and three draws. Their last win was a 5-0 demolition of Manchester team, Greenvale FC. Another St Elizabeth team, Holland Police Youth Club, are second in this zone, having been lifted to 17 points after outscoring Rivoli of St Catherine 3-1. There is a rat race to reach these two led by the trio of Dunbeholden, Rivoli and York Town, who are all on 13 points.
Treadlight, Savannah Cross maintain Clarendon lead
Treadlight and Savannah Cross have maintained their early preliminary-zone leads in the 2018 Clarendon Football Association Major League season.
Unbeaten Treadlight notched their fifth win in spanking Football Central 4-1 away from home. They have dropped only a single point to be on 16 overall, four more than second-place Morgan’s Pass. In fact, the progress of Morgan’s Pass was halted by third-place Woodhall, who snapped them 3-2 to move to nine points.
Longsville and Comfort drew 1-1 in the final match earlier this week.
Zone B continues to be l ed by Savannah Cross with 13 points. They were inactive this week. Young Strikers are next on 10, followed by Kemps Hill on eight.
Treadlight’s Deno Bryan currently leads the goalscoring charts with six. The Morgan’s Pass pair of Duchane Campbell and Dafari Lee are on four each.
2018 Manchester Division One under way
The 2018 season of the Manchester Football Association/Jamalco Division One competition began last Sunday at the Kirkvine Sports Club. This is the third straight year that Jamalco is sponsoring this competition, which incorporates community-based teams.
Its major goal is to prepare at least one contestant for elevation to the Major League.
This year’s competition features 10 teams in two zones from which there will be two-way semi-finals. Last week’s start saw an opening ceremony and dress parade, and which provided the first opportunity for newly installed president Baron Watson to address the teams.
In the first of the three matches played, Star Zone Academy outscored NCU President ’s X1 4-3. Despite an outstanding hat-trick from NCU President XI’s Cardel Pennant, Star Zone triumphed on the back of Javanni Fraser’s two goals, one from Lorenzo Anderson and an own goal from NCU’s Davian Bennett.
The second game saw Central United FC overrun May Day FC 3-0, with Royel Peart netting twice. In the third match, Mandeville United edged Hope Village FC 2-1.