St Augustine Girls run away on Gibbs hat-trick

Top forward Chelsea Gibbs sealed a second-half hat-trick to assist undefeated runaway East Zone winners St Augustine Secondary in taking a 7-0 crushing victory over North Zone’s Bishops Anstey, on Tuesday, to land a place in today’s BGTT/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League North/East semifinal.

After taking a modest 2-0 half-time lead with goals from Laurelle Theodore and Ka-die Johnson, St Augustine, added quick fire goals from Celeste Thomas, a second from Theodore and three from Gibbs, who has again been instrumental in the team’s success.

The win meant that the Desiree Sargeant-led St Augustine team continued its unbeaten run from the beginning of the season, with only one drawn match in the process.

The result saw it seal a deserved place in today’s North/East semifinal, where it will come up against North Zone runner-up Providence Girls Catholic School, at St Anthony’s College Ground,

Westmoorings, for a place in next Thursday’s final. The match, along with all other knock-out fixtures today will kick off at 3.45 pm.

North Zone champion and finalist of last year’s North/East knockout competition, St Francois Girls’ College, will meet San Juan North Secondary, at QRC Ground, Port-of-Spain.

St Francois advanced to the last four phase after sealing a revenge defeat over El Dorado East, the same team which it lost to on penalty kicks in last year’s final.

San Juan North, meanwhile, a surprise package, recorded upsets against Arima North Secondary and St Joseph’s Convent, in the preliminary stage and the quarterfinal respectively, to advance.

The two winners will meet in the final next Thursday.

In South, all eyes will be on the clash of rivals, 2011 national InterCol champions Vessigny Secondary versus undefeated South Zone winner Debe Secondary, in the final at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.

Debe recorded an economical 2-0 win over Point Fortin East to reach to the final, while Vessigny went all out in an 8-1 demolition of Pleasantville Secondary, in the two semifinal matches.

The two met twice in the league this season, with Debe winning both legs 3-0 and 2-0.

A new champion will also be declared in Tobago today when Bishop’s High School meets Scarborough Secondary in the final.

Reigning Tobago InterCol champions Roxborough were brushed aside 6-0 in the quarterfinal by Scarborough, which went on to take a penalty kick win over favourites Signal Hill in the last four stage. Bishop’s, too has been in fine form in the competition, taking an easy 5-0 win over Senior winners Goodwood, before easing past Mason Hall 3-0.