T&T’s women’s and men’s Under-21 hockey teams got their Pan American Junior (U-21) Hockey Championship campaigns off to winning starts, yesterday, both via convincing victories over Jamaica at the Pan American Hockey Stadium, Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico. First up, the junior “Stickwomen” led by co-captains, Notre Dames’ Tamara De Nobriga and Amanda George of Ventures, registered a 3-0 win with a goal each from Kelli O’Brien, Brianna Govia and Dana-Lee De Gannes in their Pool B contest. O’Brien, one of eight Shandy Carib Magnolias players in the squad opened the scoring for the “Calypso Stickwomen” with a 24th-minute field goal for a 1-0 lead at the half. Seven minutes into the second half, O’Brien’s clubmate Brianna Govia made it 2-0 with another field goal before De Gannes of Notre Dame completed the scoring from a penalty corner set piece in the 57th minute for T&T to join USA and Chile on three points each in the six-team group.
On Monday, USA and Chile both won by 9-0 margins over Venezuela and Paraguay respectively for a share of the lead on goal difference over the Cathy-Ann Boucaud-coached T&T women. Today, T&T will go after its second win from as many matches when it faces Venezuela from 11.45 am, while Chile comes up against Jamaica in the 10 am match. Mexico and Argentina meet in Pool A at 6.45 pm. In yesterday’s other early women’s contest, Argentina trounced Brazil 10-0 while in the two afternoon matches, Canada faced Uruguay and USA met Paraguay. The Uruguayans blanked Mexico 3-0 in Monday’s other Pool A match. Tomorrow (Thursday), T&T has a rest day before returning to action against USA on Friday (11.45 am), Paraguay on Sunday (11.45 am) and Chile on Monday from 3.15 pm, ahead of cross-over playoffs. Three countries will qualify for the FIH Seventh Women's Junior World Cup. If a PAHF National Association is the host, that country will qualify automatically, together with the two highest placed teams.
Vieira hat-trick sets up 8-1 spanking
Corona Fatima’s Andrew Vieira helped himself to a hat-trick as the junior “Calypso Stickmen” spanked Jamaica 8-1 in their Pool A opener, yesterday. Vieira opened the scoring as early as the seventh minute and added his other items in the 14th and 35th minute while Nicholas Triston Grant (tenth, 35th) and Shaquille Daniel (31st, 70th) got two each, and Tariq Marcano, the other in the 50th minute for the winners who led 5-0 at the half. For the Jamaicans, captain Kemar Mitchell was on target in the 49th minute for his team to trail 5-1 for a brief moment. With the win, T&T joined Argentina on three points in the five-team pool. However, the South Americans, who pounded Guatemala 24-0 on Monday, lead by virtue of a better goal difference. Today, the T&T junior “Stickmen” led by joint captains, Aidan De Gannes of Notre Dame and Fatima’s Dominic Jaikaransingh, will hunt its second win when it faces Brazil from 3.15 pm while Argentina plays Jamaica at 1.30 pm, and in Pool B Canada meets Uruguay.
In Monday’s other matches, Canada crushed Puerto Rico 12-0 in Pool B and USA whipped Venezuela 5-1 in Pool C while yesterday, Mexico swamped Uruguay 4-0 in Pool B, while Chile came up against Barbados (Pool C). Tomorrow, T&T has the day off but will resume play on Friday versus Argentina (3.15 pm) followed by Guatemala on Sunday (10 am) to close out pool play. At the end of the first round, the top team in Pool A and Pool C as well as the runner-up from Pool B will advance to second round Pool D while the winner of Pool B and the runners-up from Pool A and C will contest Pool E from which the two qualifiers for the FIH 10th Men's Junior World Cup will be determined. The third-placed finisher will be the first reserve team. The teams placing third in Pool A and C and fourth in Pool B will comprise Pool F while the third-placed team in Pool B, as well as the fourth-placed teams in Pool A and C and fifth in Pool B will compete in Pool G all for positions seventh through 13.
By Nigel Simon
Source: www.guardian.co.tt