DMWI Hockey Festival – Defending Champs GCC Tigers and Hickers – Vets score opening wins

Good starts to their title defence, GCC Tigers destroyed Hikers in the Women’s Division, while the 2013 Veterans Champs Hickers edged out GCC as the Diamond Mineral Water International Hockey Festival got underway on Thursday night.

But there were other notable performances on the night – Aliyah Gordon playing for GCC Spice led a 10-1 trashing of Old Fort in the 2nd women’s encounter, Team GCC roughed up the Renegades in male play 12-2 and Old Fort spared their blushes earning a come from behind draw against the National U-21s, all at the National Gymnasium.

With a little improvement in the lighting department – GCC Tigers set the tone in the Women’s department in Game one of the 11th edition of the Festival.

Just back from the Central American and Caribbean Games – Ashley DeGroot opened the scoring for the Tigers in the 8th minute. Two minutes later she’d get support from Kerensa Fernandes – the first of her double.

Sonia Jardine would not be left out and extended the lead in the 11th – 3-nil. Lanica Persaud in the 16th gave Tigers a 4-nil lead, but on 20 minutes, National Striker Maria Munroe pulled one back for Hikers – 4-1 at the half.

On the resumption,  Fernandes completed her double in the 29th minute, Shebiki Baptiste added her name to the sheet and Jardine in the 36th made it 7. The margin of victory could have been bigger though – Tigers had one goal disallowed in the closing minutes and they missed a few opportunities to convert.

A few weeks ago in the GT&T Indoor tournament – Tigers destroyed the Hikers 9-nil.

In the 2nd female game – GCC Spice overshadowed their team-mates with a 10-1 beating of Old Fort. The damage was inflicted by national player Aliyah Gordon.

She tormented the Old Fort defence – hitting the back of the box seven times – three between the 4th and 7th minutes and the last four in the 2nd half of play – 22nd, 25th, 27th and 28th minutes.

Tricia Fiedtkou put two on the board, while Vanessa Pires had the other. Owinter Henry accounted for Old Fort’s Goal in the 6th minute of play to cut a 2-nil deficit in the opening minutes.

In the lone Veterans Clash –the Festival’s defending champions edged out the GT&T Indoor Champs 2-1.

The seniors started slow, the first 10 minutes a cagey encounter. Enter Philip Fernandes for GCC and the pace was upped immediately as he rushed the Hickers from all angles, but it would be Hickers who drew first blood when a penalty corner was awarded.

Devin Munroe in the 19th gave the advantage to Hickers. A minute later it would be 2-Nil – Munroe again, collecting a pass from the right of the field, to control and with nobody in his way, sent the ball into the upper left corner of the goal. They’d take the cushion into the break.

On the resumption both teams would fight hard, both knowing it would go either way. Munroe’s namesake on GCC – Devin Hooper would find the back of the net – shooting down the left side in the 27th minute.

No more goals would be scored in this game – 2-1 to Hickers.

The final game of the night – in the Men’s Division pitted Old Fort against the National U-21s and it would be an encounter to remember.

The juniors will no longer be taken lightly – after all they were losing finalists to Hikers just a few weeks ago at the GT&T Indoor.

With youth and speed on their side, the U-21s hustled from the opening minute – Aroydy Brandford catching a break down the right side and shooting on the move from a difficult angle –BAM- in the back of the net on nine minutes.

Their lead extended in the 14th minute of play through a penalty corner- Leon Bacchus the scorer. With play back and forth for the next few minutes, in the final minute of play before the half – a penalty shot was awarded to the Juniors – Brandford sending it past Tony Cole for a 3-Nil advantage.

Six minutes into the 2nd half – another infraction by Old Fort and another Penalty Shot awarded. Brandford would remain perfect on the night against Cole – 4-Nil.

Old Fort would finally catch a break when a Penalty Shot was awarded in the 36th minute of play, Omar Hopkinson putting their first goal on the board.

And it was what they needed. If history has taught us anything about Old Fort, it’s never count them out of a match, once there is time on the board. They’re at their best when their backs are against the wall.

Discarding youth and opting for experience in the final four minutes of play, Aderemi ‘Dove’ Simon, Dwight Sullivan, Jason DeSantos and John Abraham took charge. Simon on 37th minutes pierced the otherwise solid defence of the Juniors and sent it home 2-4 with three to play.

De Santos in the 38th had his shot on goal blocked, but he quickly re-grouped and offered another – GOOD – 3-4. On 39 minutes he’d add his 2nd and the equaliser – the small Old Fort contingent in the stands coming alive.

But with just about 30 seconds to play, the U-21s slowed the game down, time expiring on the clock – the only draw on the night.

In the opening Men’s Game four-time winners Hikers were made to work for their 6-2 victory over Saints.

Joel Hunte opened for Saints, but the experienced Jerazeno ‘Skill-Axe’ Bell found the equalized on 9 minutes. Jamaraj Assanah gave Hikers the lead in the 13th, but Reginald Harper, playing against his club team found the equaliser for Saints; 2-2 at the Half.

But when play resumed, Devin Munroe gave Hikers the lead. Robert France and Randy Hope then scored, while Bell added a 6th for good measure, shutting down Saints in the half.

The GCC/Renegades clash quickly became academic. With GCC up 2 after 7 minutes from Raphael DeGroot and Stephen Xavier; Peter Jones from Trinidad and Tobago pulled one back for the Renegades – a mix of locals and visiting players.

DeGroot completed his double in the 14th minute to give GCC a 3-1 advantage at half time.

On the resumption – GCC would suck the life out of the Renegades. Goals  galore at regular intervals.  Orland Semple scored a helmet-trick with goals in the 23rd, 34th, 35th and 39th minutes, so too Kevin Spencer (30th, 32nd, 35th and 38th)

Stephen Xavier’s double was completed in the 31st minute.

Round-Robin play continued today. Games begin at 11:00hrs, with the finals in the three categories tomorrow from  16:00hrs.

(By Leeron Brumell)

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