By LeVaughn Flynn, Staff ReporterKEMAR MCLEISH'S 50 points and 12 rebounds pushed Calabar to a perfect 5-0 record for the season as his team thrashed Jose Marti 103-57 at the Stadium courts yesterday in the ISSA/KFC Under-19 schoolboy basketball competition.
McLeish, who also had five assists and was celebrating his 17th birthday, single-handedly dismantled Jose Marti but got some help from Travis Thomas who added 16 points and 11 assists. Omar Holness top scored for Jose Marti with 17 points.
Calabar exploited Jose Marti's vulnerable defence which was poor in transition and even when the team was set.
"They weren't very well organised in what they were doing. They just didn't follow instructions," said Jose Marti's coach, De-Von Holmes, of his team that has a 1-4 record.
In other games in St. Catherine and the Corporate Area, Kingston College drubbed
Bridgeport 62-21, St. Catherine defeated Kingston Technical 71-52 and St. Andrew
Technical High School (STATHS) held off Greater Portmore 62-52 in the Under-19
group. In Under-16 action, Kingston College beat Bridgeport 64-38.
Edwin Allen High whistle a new tune
By Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
CHAMPIONS Denbigh left G.C. Foster semi-satisfied after the rural semi-finals of the UGI-sponsored ISSA high school girls netball competition yesterday.
Denbigh are defending rural junior and senior champions and are also the All-Island junior and senior title-holders but only the younger team managed to qualify after yesterday's action.
"Disappointed" is how coach Annette Daley described her teams' mood after the semi-finals but grateful in a sense after the juniors routed Cross Keys 28-9.
The senior team was beaten 35-26 by Edwin Allen.
"The seniors are very disappointed because they worked hard to retain the trophy. They wanted to follow in the footsteps of the team before but it never happened this year.
"The juniors are happy that they won but they share the disappointment of the seniors because they are very close. I know that they will be going all out to win the final because we have to ensure that something goes back to Denbigh," she said.
Edwin Allen meanwhile went home whistling a new tune after both the junior and senior teams qualified for their respective finals.
Before their nine-goal win over Denbigh, the young Edwin Allen side stopped Mannings 28-21.
Coach Minnette Reynolds was ecstatic.
"It's really a great feeling to reach this far, especially over Denbigh. The girls are very happy right now and looking forward to the final," she said.
FINAL SPOT
Holmwood also booked their final spot in the seniors to round off the list of qualifiers after defeating Mannings 32-24.
Coach Carlene Graham said her team had a plan and executed it well.
"We had a plan and the players did well getting into position early. They lost focus in the second half but still managed to maintain the lead and eventually win. Going into the final we need to go back to the drawing board and make a few adjustments because we are serious about winning," she said.
The finals will be played tomorrow at the same venue with Denbigh meeting Edwin Allen in the junior final at 1:30 p.m. and Holmwood meeting Edwin Allen in the senior match-up afterwards.
Knox past students honour Molly Rhone
MOLLY RHONE O.D., president of the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA), was among the three people honoured by the Knox Past Students Association at its grand awards banquet at the Hilton Kingston Hotel last week.
Rhone, who is also head of the Jamaica Netball Association, was recognised for her outstanding achievements in sports.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Roderick Hewitt, who is moderator of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and Lt. Col. (Commander) George Reynolds were honoured for their roles in religion and the military respectively.
Sports Minister Portia Simpson Miller gave the main address at the well-attended function.
Her speech emphasised the importance of service, especially to one's country and all three individuals she said, "had given their contribution for the love of country and the people who they serve".
Rhone replied on behalf of the honorees.
She thanked her alma mater for recognising them and took some time to reminisce on the 'good old days' when she attended the institution.
"Our days at Knox were well spent. We all have a commitment to the common thread of service and are determined to be the best we can be. We dared to think big and as it turns out, made the right decision.
"We've set high standards for ourselves and hopefully it is good enough for others to follow," she said.
Knox College hosts its awards banquet annually to honour outstanding past students, teachers and others who may have served the school.
