THE Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) 2019 season got off to a flying start on Sunday with the Bounty/Antonio’s Grille one-day tournament at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence with Hikers men and GBTI GCC women taking top honours in their respective categories.

The day’s play got underway at 09:00hrs with a total of 36 matches.
The women’s final between GCC and Woodpecker Hickers went down to the wire. However, it was GCC’s Shebiki Baptiste’s fourth-minute field goal that copped the title for her side as no goals materialised. Hikers came close but could not get past Julia Gouveia (guest player) who was awarded the female goalkeeper of the tournament.

The men’s final was a showdown between longstanding rivals Bounty GCC and Pepsi Hikers. It was nothing short of excitement with seven goals being scored between the two sides. Hikers’ Aroydy Branford opened Hikers’ account before Jamarj Assanah scored the first of his brace in the fifth minute to double their lead.

However, GCC’s Kevin Spencer pulled a goal back in the eighth minute before Assanah completed his brace two minutes later. Hikers’ and national skipper Robert France added to the score card with a field goal in the 11th minute which was good enough to make the late efforts of Kevin Spencer (17th minute) and substitute Philip Fernandes (19th minute) in vain as Hikers held on for the 4-3 win.

The most promising junior player award went to Abosaide Cadogan of GBTI GCC, while her team mate Ulrica Sutherland was awarded MVP of the competition.
The next big event on the GHB’s calendar is the tri-nation series in March, when both national teams travel to Canada in March.

That series will be followed by the Pan American Challenge Cup (dates are to be confirmed) which will see both national teams play for qualification to the Pan American Cup.