By TENAJH SWEETING
tsweeting@tribunemedia.net
WITH most sports returning to the track, court and soccer field after being derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government Secondary Schools Sports Association (GSSSA) soccer season made its debut.
The sport was shelved for three years due to the pandemic but got underway for the government junior and senior schools last week Wednesday.
Yesterday’s games featured the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves versus the LW Young Golden Eagles.
The HO Nash Lions also battled against the CH Reeves Raptors.
For the seniors, the CR Walker Knights took on the CC Sweeting Cobras in both senior boys and girls competition.
Meanwhile, RM Bailey Pacers matched up with the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins.
The day saw eight games played across both divisions. For the juniors, the Timberwolves dominated the junior girls of LW Young. The first half of gameplay saw the team go up 2-0 despite a slow start by them overall. After coming out of the second half the Timberwolves’ Anaya Riley was determined not to let the Golden Eagles get a score on the board.
Riley delivered a final kick to the soccer ball, scoring a powerful goal for the visiting team. The young player scored two of the three goals for the winning team.
Cleon Carnegie, soccer coach for the Timberwolves, talked about the junior girls’ big win. “It’s a good win. It was a slow start but the girls came together and they made some adjustments after halftime and the girls went on the field and executed those plans.”
He added that, in the second half, the team looked to increase the pace, have more awareness on defence and improve their ball-handling.
The head coach credited Riley’s effort on offence. He said that she is an intelligent player and brings a lot of technical play to the Timberwolves team.
The Timberwolves’ junior boys dominated in their games against the Golden Eagles. The team capped off the soccer matchup 5-0 to defeat the team. The L W Young junior boys and girls will look to avenge the ugly losses against the A F Adderley Tigers today on the D W Davis soccer field.
In more junior action, the Lions and Raptors soccer showdown ended in a draw with the score 0-0.
Seniors
The Knights have been claiming their dominance in GSSSA sports all year long. The school nabbed victories at the 2023 GSSSA track and field championships and recently added volleyball championship hardware to their collection. The team will now look to make their mark in soccer as both the senior girls and boys team kept their opponents scoreless on the day.
The Knights’ senior girls defeated the Cobras 10-0 for a comfortable win. Additionally, the seniors boys followed suit shutting out the team 7-0 to go home with a big win.
The R M Bailey Pacers faced off against the Doris Johnson Mystic Marlins at the D W Davis playing field. The Pacers’ senior girls took care of business against the Mystic Marlins after defeating them 6-1. Meanwhile, the boys dominated 4-0 to add a win to their season total.
The GSSSA soccer season rolls on as the juniors of S C McPherson will take on the Raptors next. Also, the A F Adderely Tigers will match up against the Golden Eagles. For the seniors, the Knights will go up against the Timberwolves and the C V Bethel Stingrays will battle against Government High School Magic.
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