Business as usual for Hockey in 2018

Jan 04, 2019 Sports

By Calvin Chapman
The Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), which can easily be labeled as one of the better organised sport associations had another busy year in 2018 with the highlights being the successful hosting of the GTT National Championships and the Diamond Mineral Water (DMW) International Hockey Festival.
The association, headed by Phillip Fernandes also has its eyes on the future and during 2018, a few development initiatives were undertaken including the Ansa McAl sponsored male and female

Saints’ Donyale Nurse (left) has been one of the better female goalkeepers in 2018

Under-19 and Second Division Outdoor Leagues, National junior indoor tournament and an Under-19 Boys’ camp.
With the Junior Pan American Championships in 2020, the GHB put together a training squad of 40 U-19 Boys last October in a bid to better their sixth place showing in Canada at the last Championships in 2016.
GTT National Championships
The Pepsi and Woodpecker Hikers romped to a well earned double victory in the Men’s and Women’s Open Division when the curtains fell on GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships on Sunday November 4th last at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
The Men’s final finished 4-4 after full time but Pepsi kept their composure to outlast Old Fort via sudden death penalties. However, in the Women’s final, Woodpecker Hikers ended a decade long reign of GBTI GCC when they pulled off a 2-1 come from behind victory against the favourites.
Meanwhile, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) managed to secure the three other divisions that were contested, Male and Female Second Division and the Over-35 Division.
Diamond Indoor Championships
The 14th Diamond Mineral Water (DMW) International Hockey Festival proved to be a special edition as local fans witnessed Old Fort, GBTI GCC and Pepsi Hikers win the Veteran, Women’s and Men’s Divisions, respectively, for a clean sweep of the titles.
As expected, the Men’s final was a replay of 2017’s fixture between Hikers and Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) team of the Twin Island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) which failed to defend its title.

Hikers’ men and women clinched the national open championships before Hikers men went on to beat QPCC in the DMW Hockey Festival.

Hikers led 4-2 at the half and seem to be on track for an easy victory but two late goals in the final two minutes of play by Jordan Vieira and Jerazeno Belle sent the match into penalties during which Hikers’ ‘goalkeeper of the tournament’ Jason Hoyte was the hero with two brilliant saves.
In the Women’s final, GBTI GCC successfully defended their title after overcoming the strong opposition of T&T’s Shandy Carib Magnolia in the semifinal round before edging Ventures Hockey Club 3-2 in the final. On the score sheet for GCC in the final were their more consistent strikers of the ball of recent in Skipper Sonia Jardine, Marzana Fiedtkou and Gabriella Xavier with one goal each.
QPCC and their prolific forward Jerazeno Bell couldn’t stop the charge of the Old Old Fort Team that clinched the Over-35 division title with a nervy 4-3 victory.
National Junior Indoor Tournament
Old Fort lead by a solitary strike from Carolyn Deane allowed the ladies in red to upset GCC Spartans to win the Girls’ Under-21 Division while in the Boys’ U-21 final, the end of regular time saw the match in a deadlocked at 3-3 between Old Fort and GCC Pitbulls, which meant it had to be decided by penalties that the Pitbulls won 2-1.

Spartans were luckier in the Under-16 girls’ Division while St. Joseph won the boys’ under-16. Saints Scalpels and GCC Thunder captured the under-13 and under-10 mixed division titles respectively.
Bounty Paper Towel Developmental Leagues
The GHB/Bounty Paper Towel Development Outdoor League was majorly affected by the unpredictable weather in Guyana but nevertheless each match day was completed at the Saint Stanislaus College (SSC) ground, Carifesta Avenue. GCC made a clean sweep of the titles.
GCC Sequel’s forward Dwayne Scott was awarded the MVP of the Men’s 2nd division. In the Women’s Class, Pizza Hut GCC clinched the title with 22 points followed by GCC Bingo Spartans with 13 points.
Pizza Hut’s Carina Moller top scored with 15 goals while her teammate Sarah Klautky was the MVP and Donyale Nurse of Saints was awarded the Best Goalkeeper. GCC Pitbulls were led to the Under-19 Boys’ title by MVP Kareem Mackenzie who netted an unmatched 16 goals.

GTT National Championships 2018 Men’s MVP Aderemi Simon (on the ball) of Old Fort.

Women’s Second Division runners-up Bingo Spartans secured the Under-19 title ahead of Saints with their shot-stopper Donyale Nurse again emerging as Best Goalkeeper.
National Development Squad
Last October, the GHB selected a squad of 40 U-19 Boys to commence preparations for the Junior Pan American Championships, scheduled for 2020. The lads are under tutelage of a team of experienced coaches which include current and former senior national players Dwayne Scott, Anthony Cole, Dwight Sullivan, Robert France, Christopher Low-Koan and Robert Fernandes.
The full squad reads: Michael Hing (GK), Kareem McKenzie, Tariq Nelson, Rahim Oliver (GK), John Phang, Meshach Sargeant, Samuel Woodroffe, Shameer Bhagwandin (GK), Baraka Garnett, Samuel Garnett, Shomere Garnett, Tahrea Garnett, Tivesarid Garnett, Yusuf Brant, Symeon Daniels (GK), Shaquon Favourite, Dominic Alleyne, Omar Hopkinson, Deheron Wilkinson, Brandon Abrams, Paul D’ Andrade(GK), Kennard Jerricks, Nandalall Persaud, Theodore Thierens, Jonathan Williams, Warren Williams, Luis Adams, Nickel Ashby, Shemar Boston, Hilmar Chester, Edmond Chinian, Shakeem Fausette, Leroy Geer, Troy Hodge, Oshazay Savory, Ezekiel Springer, Quinn Tobin (GK), Kedar Hopkinson, Shoran James and Steffan Simmons.