The Bounty – The Quicker Picker Upper Second Division Men’s and Women’s Hockey Leagues got off to a good start last weekend with matches on both days at the St. Stanislaus College ground, Carifesta Avenue.
The competitiveness of this year’s league matches in the Men’s division was immediately apparent from the opening Saturday afternoon matches. The SHC Savages managed to draw with the experienced defending champions GCC the Sequel 1-1, while an aging Hikers Cadets also played to a 3-3 draw with Bounty GCC.
The SHC Savages managed to capitalise on the Sequel starting the match without a goalkeeper as Hilton Chester capitalised on a rare Sequel defence error to roll his pass over the goal line in the 11th minute.
Sequel’s Patrick Edghill managed to draw the game even four minutes later in connecting with a pass from overlapping deep defender Dwayne Scott. Despite Sequel’s pressure, the Savages held firm allowing no further goals and seeing the match to a safe 1-1 draw.
The other Men’s match of the afternoon between Bounty GCC and the Hikers Cadets, which took place simultaneously, saw an exciting exchange of goals which also resulted in a draw 3-3.
Lennox Carrol scored first for GCC in the fourth minute of play, but Kevin Fogenay equalised two minutes later to leave a 1-1 halftime score. GCC would go ahead twice more in the second half through Meshach Sargeant and Jason Gomes, but the Hikers’ Sherwyn Caesar and Rene Edwards equalised on both occasions to leave the final score at 3-3.
The Sequel returned on Sunday to defeat their junior counterparts, Bounty GCC, 2-0 through goals from Fernandes brothers, Alan and Philip, while the SHC Savages edged YMCA Old Fort Aces 1-0 through a solitary goal from Captain Hilton Chester.
In the Ladies competition, Saints stunned the defending champions GBTI GCC Spice 2-1 in their opener. Young sensation Charlia Webb outpaced the Spice defence to score in the 13th minute for Saints giving them a 1-0 half time lead.
Dominique DeGroot rattled the Saints backboard four minutes into the second half to tie the scores, but Mariah Seegobind gave Saints the winner just three minutes later.
The Bingo Spartans squandered many chances in their battle against the YMCA Old Fort Bellas. Sound defence from Old Fort’s Candace Glenn and Julia Gouveia kept the marauding Spartans scoreless to end the match 0-0.
Matches continue every Saturday and Sunday at the St. Stanislaus College ground.