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• Confident Tobias Levy dominates squash junior trials

  A confident Tobias Levy dominated the Jamaica Squash Association's national junior trials for the U19 and U17 age groups for girls and boys at the Liguanea Club in Kingston. The trials ran from Friday March 17 to 19 with 16 players vying for spots to represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Junior Squash Championship in July.

  Competing in the U19 category, Levy, who also benefitted from a walkover, won three of his other four matches in straight sets but was taken the distance by Arjan Trehan, who eventually lost 5-2. At the end of it all, Levy won 15 of 17 games for a winning percentage of 88 per cent.

  Alex Chin, meanwhile, was second with a 12-8 win-loss margin while Rhys Greenland was third with 11-9 margin.

  Levy credits his dominance on the court to his work ethic.

  "I have been playing squash since I was young. I have been dominant from I came on the scene,” he said. “I would say my racquet skills and how smart I am on court definitely puts me above everyone else. I think I understand the game very well. I have been training hard. It's not just talent, I have been training hard from when I was young so it helps me stay dominant,” said Levy, who said winning the U19 category was crucial.

  "It means a lot, especially because I get to go represent my country as the best player in the junior age. It also feels good because I have a lot of competitors that are out for me and train hard to beat me but I keep training hard and play well so I stay dominant."

  Thomas Overton won his three matches to top the Boys U17 ahead of the very competitive Lucas Thompson.

  Savannah Thompson emerged top of the Girls U19 matches after beating Eleanor Hind in straight sets 3-0 before beating Katherine Risden 3-2.

  Risden finished second overall.

  Sanjana Nallapati did not drop a game to come out the victor in the Girls U17, despite being pushed by Mehar Trehan, who won half her six matches.

  Nallapati said that it was tough to play her.

  "Mehar and I go far back. It's always a tough battle because we are family and going against family is very tough because you don't want to whip them,” she said.

  “With the two of us it’s always a five setter. It’s been that way for a really long time and its never really known who is going to win. This time Mehar played phenomenally. I thought I played well as well. We definitely played at a high intensity like we usually do.

  "For the Caribbean Championship I hope to do extremely well."

   

   

   

  Vice President of the Jamaica Squash Association expressed optimism about Jamaica’s chances of doing well at the Caribbean Championships.

  "We have some strong players here in these categories, experienced players who have been to the Caribbean tournament before,” said Levy, who is also chairman of the selection committee.

  “I think we have a good opportunity to win a couple of categories and hopefully also the team event. Hopefully we can bring home the Caribbean trophy this year for the team event and one or two of the individual events as well. It would be great."

  The trials for the U15, U13 and possibly U11 players, will be held in June.

• Pembroke Hall, St Patrick's crowned INSPORTS primary school football, netball champions

  Corporate Area teams Pembroke Hall and St Patrick’s were crowned INSPORTS Primary Schools national football and netball champions, respectively, and walked away with JMD$200,000 (USD$1300) each on a rainy day at the Discovery Bay Community Centre in St Ann.

  St Andrews’ Pembroke Hall Primary defeated Corinaldi Avenue Primary of St James 1-0 courtesy of substitute Nathan Hudson while Kingston’s St Patrick’s defeated defending champion Bethabara Primary of Manchester 18-15 in netball.

  Both Corinaldi Avenue and Bethabara collected JMD$125,000 (USD$816) for second place.

  Meanwhile, St Catherine’s Bridgeport defeated Holland Primary of St Elizabeth 3-1 for third place in football while Corinaldi Avenue beat White Horses of St Thomas 13-8 for third spot in netball. They each received JMD$75,000 (USD$490) while the fourth-placed teams got JMD$50,000 (USD$326).

  Tianna Clarke of Pembroke Hall, the top female player was named MVP for the football competition and Danelia Clarke of St Patrick’s was the netball MVP.

  In addition, the winning coaches received gift vouchers valued JMD$10,000 (USD$65) each.

  Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, Olivia Grange was impressed with the quality of play and congratulated the champions.

  “Today is a special day for you,” the minister said before handing out the winners’ trophies.

  “Remember, this competition saw over 200 schools starting the competitions and the fact that you are all here as the leading teams means that you have worked hard and trained hard to be here today.

  “I want to congratulate Pembroke Hall for being the champion in the football competition and I want to congratulate St Patrick’s for netball. But I want to tell the others you are all winners the fact that you are here today.”

  Major Desmon Brown, INSPORTS’ acting executive director noted that these competitions are all about unearthing and harnessing talents at the grassroots level.

  “These schools look forward to these competitions. A lot of senior athletes came through these competitions, so it is very important. It is important that these kids have an outlet for sports and this is what it is all about,” said Major Brown.

  “During Covid when we didn’t have these competitions and camps we got calls from a parent that one kid threatened to commit suicide because he had nothing to do.”

• Fowler scores 55 goals to help West Coast Fever begin Suncorp Super Netball League campaign with 62-61 win over Melbourne Vixens

  Jamaican superstar Jhaniele Fowler was at her dominant best to help the West Coast Fever win a dramatic rematch of the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball League grand finale over the Melbourne Vixens at the RAC Arena in Perth on Saturday.

  The end of the first quarter saw the Fever enjoy a 17-12 lead before the Vixens won the second by one to reduce the halftime deficit to four, with the Fever leading 32-28.

  The third quarter saw the Vixens chip into the lead a little more to set up a tense fourth quarter with the score now being 48-46 in favour of the Fever.

  The teams fought to the end in the final stanza, with the Fever eventually coming out 62-61 winners.

  Fowler, who has won the league’s player of the year award for the past five seasons, shot a perfect 55/55 to lead the Fever to a win to kick off the defence of their 2022 title.

  Elsewhere, Shimona Nelson scored 53 goals from as many attempts to lead the Collingwood Magpies to a 71-63 win over the New South Wales Swifts, for whom Romelda Aiken-George scored 30 goals from 35 attempts.