Leaders register big wins in Sunshine Open League
DEFENDING champions University of the West Indies (UWI) Pelicans, along with Mico ‘A’, JAMALCO, Cablepro and GC Foster Strikers ‘A’ registered big margins of victory in the Sunshine Open League netball competition at the Leila Robinson Courts on Saturday.
As was expected, the group leaders and the more fancied teams defeated their opponents quite comfortably, and in the process maintained their unbeaten winning streak with a little over four rounds remaining to complete the preliminary rounds of the competition.
Meanwhile, last Sunday’s 24 matches were postponed due to showers that made the courts very slippery to play on. These games were re-scheduled starting last Monday.
Pelicans played two matches last Saturday, defeating Molynes United ‘C’ 31-4, and then brushed aside Duhaney Park ‘A’ 54-3. They remain on top of Group Eight with 18 points from six straight wins from as many starts.
Nine-time champions JAMALCO maintained their unbeaten streak in Group Three by winning both games on Saturday easily. The Winston Nevers-coached Clarendon-based team first disposed of Spanish Town 35-7, then followed it up with a 40-7 drubbing of Rollington Town ‘A’. Both wins pushed JAMALCO to 21 points from seven straight wins from as many matches.
Friendship beat Police ‘B’ 21-13 and Boulevard Baptist 23-11 to remain unbeaten in Group Two and are on top with 15 points from five consecutive wins. Police ‘B’ and Top Mountain Flames are both locked in joint second place with 15 points, but from seven games apiece.
Top Mountain Flames beat Jetsetters ‘B’ 11-6 and Hannah Town 18-14. Former many-time Open League champions Waulgrovians are lying in fourth position with 12 points from seven games.
GC Foster Strikers ‘A’ and Blades United ‘A’ are joint leaders in Group Four with 18 points each after playing six matches each. GC Foster ‘A’ won two games last Saturday, defeating Waterhouse Eagles 34-9 and Genesis 30-10. Blades ‘A’ also came out with two wins on Saturday beating Boulevard Baptist ‘A’ 26-15 and Pembroke Hall 21-11.
Mico ‘A’, coached by Janet Guy, crushed Greenwich Town 53-9 to move to the top of Group Six with 15 points from five games, while Waulgrovians ‘B’ defeated Tryall Heights 30-5 for their fourth straight win from as many games and are in second place with 12 points.
In other matches played last Saturday, Global United ‘A’ got the better of Jetsetters ‘A’ 25-19; Arnett Gardens outscored Duhaney Park ‘A’ 21-12; Jobs Lane ‘B’ got past Liguanea United ‘A’ 20-17; Pembroke Hall defeated Wolmer’s ‘B’ 27-10; Molynes United ‘B’ outclassed Saints 26-13; Genesis whipped Duhaney Park ‘B’ 32-9;
Liguanea ‘A’ beat Red Challenge 21-12; Ken’s Wild Flower cruised past Global United ‘B’ 25-3; Sports and Games ‘A’ got past De La Vega 15-10; Jetsetters ‘A’ outscored Liguanea United ‘B’ 21-12; Arnett Gardens got the better of Molynes United ‘C’ 23-18; Molynes ‘B’ and SKIBO played to a 14-14 draw.
Spanish Town beat Hagley Park 20-11; EXED Saints got by Alexander Strikers ‘B’ 15-11; Police ‘B’ outscored Upper Camp 21-14; Tantrum beat Waterhouse Eagles 21-13; Duhaney Park ‘B’ got the better of Wolmer’s ‘B’ 14-8; Liguanea ‘A’ defeated Police ‘C’ 28-5; Red Challenge got past Sports and Games ‘A’ 12-9 and Molynes United ‘A’ brushed aside Global United ‘B’ 27-2.
In Sunday’s matches, Waulgrovians ‘B’ whipped Tryall Heights 30-5; Mico ‘B’ easily beat Queen’s Park Rangers 22-6; Westchester put away Wolmer’s ‘A’ 26-6; New Kingston Raiders clipped Sports and Games ‘B’ 19-18; Alpha ‘A’ defeated Drewsland 27-15 and Jobs Lane ‘A’ outscored Blades ‘A’ 17-11.
The Open League continues on Saturday with 40 matches scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm.
— Gerald Reid