-advance to national playoffs
FOLLOWING an exciting and enthralling encounter at the Mahdia Community Centre ground last Saturday, it took the toss of a coin to declare Paramakatoi Secondary School champions of Region 8 when they came out victorious over the home team in the inaugural Digicel Schools’ Football tournament. Over 500 spectators from across the mining community thronged the venue at every vantage point available, to witness the two school teams play their hearts out, before referee Venton Mars was forced to resort to the coin toss to arrive at a winner, after regulation, extra time, penalty kicks and sudden death penalty kicks failed to do so, following a one all draw.
From the opening whistle, it was the eventual winners who signaled their intentions to take the championship trophy, when a Dixon Toney shot to goal went wide following a free kick that was taken by Sheldon Isaacs.
Ten (10) minutes later  an Isaacs shot struck the far post as Mahdia’s custodian Keon Justice was left in no man’s land on the near post, drawing oohs and aahs from those gathered at the venue, who recognized the visitor’s intentions to make the home team work for their weight in gold.
Mahdia had their share of fortune, when their skipper Travis Mc Kenzie sent a through ball to Orson Charles, one of the chief sinners for the mining town team during the match, only to see the petite looking striker missed an open goal, while Mc Kenzie himself sent a free kick hard and wide of the opposition goal from the top of the box.
Cheered on by a strong vocal group of supporters, Mahdia got renewed strength following Mc Kenzie’s shot and for the first time in the match, took the attack to their opponents resulting in a penalty kick being rewarded when Elbert Thomas picked up the ball inside the 18 yard box.
But to the surprise of the many spectators off the field and his teammates on it, Mitchell George took the spot kick and sent it wide of the uprights, even though Paramakatoi’s custodian Chavez King was going the other way.
As a seesaw battle took place for the remainder of the first half, both teams opted to take a defensive position, resulting in a nil all score line at the sound of Mars’ whistle which signaled lemon time.
It was Mahdia who took the lead four minutes after play resumed, when Trevon George, whom many felt should have taken the first penalty kick, stepped up to the plate to take the second one after seeing Charles being brought down by Scott Lewis who replaced King in between the uprights for Paramakatoi.
In a cool, calm and professional like manner, George beat Lewis to his right to spark off celebrations on and off the field of play in the 39th minute, with some Mahdia supporters saying amongst themselves, ‘Georgetown, here we come tomorrow.’
However, the goal that was conceded awoke a fighting spirit within Paramakatoi and they went on the attack in search of the equalizer like a rat hunting the cheese that is right under its nose and duly got the equalizer when Emery Wilson who was having a splendid afternoon in the left back position, found the back of the net from a goal mouth scrimmage 11 minutes after George’s penalty strike.
With the scores level and the pressure coming from on and off the field of play, Mahdia were forced to defend numerous raids created by Isaacs, Wilson, Charles Lewis and Robert Peters respectively.
The home team refused to lay back and have the opposition take control of things, orchestrating several raids of their own, led by Mc Kenzie, Alvin Daniels, Mitchell George and later Rownel Summer who replaced Trevon George immediately after he scored the opening goal of the contest.
Despite the many attacks, both custodians stood firm and kept their team in the hunt for glory during the remaining period of regulation as well as extra time, resulting in penalty kicks being used to decide a winner.
At the end of the first five kicks, the score line remained the same, while both teams suffered two crucial misses in the sudden death penalty shoot out and with the two lamp posts that were erected at the Northern End of the ground providing light, Mars was forced to use the coin toss in which Paramakatoi’s skipper called correctly.
At the brief presentation ceremony that followed, Regional Chairman of Region 8 Senor Bell lauded Digicel for their exemplary contribution towards sports in Guyana, while he congratulated the victorious team and urged the losers to work harder next time around.
For their efforts, Paramakatoi received the championship trophy from Digicel’s Corporate Sales Executive Trevor Williams, one set of uniforms which they will wear in the national playoffs and first place medallions, while Mahdia were left to swallow their pride in defeat receiving their runners-up medallions.
Paramakatoi will open their quest for the national championship, when they face Port Kaituma today at the Carifesta Sports Complex ground from 16:00hrs.