The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT was a clean sweep for the Eight Mile Rock Bluejays, the Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors, the Tabernacle Falcons and the Sir Jack Hayward Wildcats as they carried all four titles to Grand Bahama over their Government Secondary Schools Sports Association’s rivals over the weekend at the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

In the first Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Softball Challenge that was played on Friday and Saturday, the Bluejays knocked off the AF Adderley Fighting Tigers junior girls 18-15 and 10-7 and the Warriors spanked the Fighting Tigers junior boys 20-4 and 10-2.

In the senior girls’ division, the Falxons polished off the CR Walker Knights 14-4 and 12-3, while the Wildcats were too much for the CV Bethel Stingrays, winning 13-1 and 11-8.

It was supposed to be a showdown between the Grand Bahama Schools Sports Athletic Association and the GSSSA. But Grand Bahama brought their A games to the park as they out-classed their GSSSA counterparts.

Evon Wisdom, the sports director of the Ministry of Education, said they accomplished their goal, which was to have a series between the two islands.

“The tournament went very well and I can say that our minister (Jerome Fitzgerald) was very pleased,” said Wisdom, who organised the event. “People talk, but we wanted to prove that we can pull something like this off without any interference. We’ve had enough of the talk. We are interested in ideas in how we can keep our children motivated and keep them involved in positive activities.”

The challenge stemmed from the ministry’s pilot volleyball tournament last year when some of the championship teams from New Providence travelled to Grand Bahama to play in a tournament there. Wisdom said both the GSSS and the GBSSAA agreed to put on this challenge and the ministry did whatever was necessary to facilitate it.

He noted that as a result of how things turned out, the ministry will be looking at further events to put on before the close year is completed.

Senior Boys

Wildcats out-lasted Stingrays

“We knew coming into this tournament that we had an excellent team and the guys were focused,” said Sir Jack Hayward’s coach Emmit Higgins. “It’s been a while since we won our championship, but we practiced and we want to thank the Minister, Evon Wisdom and the ministry for putting on this tournament.

“It was long overdue. We were prepared to come from last year. However, it didn’t come to fruition, but it came through this time, so we came prepared. The good thing is we are only losing two of these guys, so if the rest of them stay with me, we should be back here again next year when they host the tournament again.”

Wildcats 11, Stingrays 8

While he got the job done on the mound, Quinton Cooper went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored to lead Sir Jack Hayward in the clincher in game two. Stanton Moss had a perfect 3-for-3 day with two runs scored and Carlo Thompson went 1-for-2 with two runs scored to help out.

For CV Bethel, Kenneth Curry went 1-for-3 with a RBI and Anthony Williams and Chodi Ferguson both scored two runs. Peron Rolle suffered the loss.

Wildcats 13, Stingrays 1

Quinton Rolle, who threw a one-hitter with a strike out, went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and as many runs scored, while Carlo Thompson was also 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. Quinton Cooper and Joshua Campbell both were 2-for-3 as well with two runs scored in game one.

Ashton Gray was 1-for-2 with a RBI and Chodi Ferguson suffered the loss.

Cooper finished with a 3-for-5 production for a batting average of .600. He also had four RBI and scored three runs, while winning one of their two games to earn the most valuable player award.

“It feel good. I was pitching a good game, but I felt off a bit and my team had to pull me through defensively,” said Cooper, of the game in pitched in the closer. “It feels good to win another MVP because I won it in Grand Bahama too. So I’m porud of my performance. I couldn’t have done it without my team.”

Senior Girls

Falcons polished off Knights

“The tournament was well organised and the girls played very hard. They came over here and they did what they were supposed to do and they won,” said Salakia Williams, coach of Tabernacle Baptist. “We had Breshante Dareus on our team, so all we had to do was play ball behind her and we came out on top.”

Falcons 12, Knights 3

With two-out in the bottom of the second, Brenshante Dareus was intentionally walked and Tabernacle Baptist scored three runs as they came from a 3-1 deficit to go up 4-3 and they scored eight more runs in the fourth to blow the game open to seal the championship victory.

Amber Basden was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored; Altavia Basden was 2-for-3 and Anthonia Cooper was 1-for-2 with a run scored as Dareus went on to secure the win on the mound on a two-hit, two strike out performance.

Diva Burrows gave up four hits, eight walks and struck out two for the loss. Kyshanti Beckford was 1-for-3 with a run scored for CR Walker.

Falcons 14, Knights 4

Fuliece Collie-Patton and Breshante Dareus both were 2-for-3 with a RBI and three runs scored; =Destiny Middleton was 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored and Kivah Dames was 1-for-4 with a RBI and run scored in Tabernacle Baptist’s game one victory.

Dareus threw a no-hit, six strike out performance for the win. Diva Burrows was tagged with the loss on seven hits and six strike outs.

Dareus, a member of the women’s national softball team that will be playing against their visiting counterparts in the ECAST tournament this weekend in Grand Bahama, was named the MVP after she finished with a 2-for-4 plate appearance for a .500 average. She also had a RBI and scored four times. She had a perfect 2-0 record on the mound.

It was.a good performance,” said the soft spoken 17-year-old Dareus. “We came here and did what we had to do. My performance wasn’t what I expected. but I think I did a good job. I’m just getting ready for the tournament with the national team.”

Junior Boys

Warriors easily prevailed over Fighting Tigers

“I want to first thank the parents because this was supposed to take place from December, but the parents and our principal believed in us and after going undefeated in Grand Bahama, they made every effort to get us here,” said Wayne Smith, coach of Bishop Michael Eldon.

“We worked hard from the out-set of the season and we knew that we had the team that was unbeatable. They executed properly and they performed as expected. I was very proud to be their coach. They are a bunch of young men, who will be splitting up this year, but we have an on-going programme and we hope that we can continue to build on what we started last year.”

Warriors 20, Fighting Tigers 4

Yeshva Saint her a perfect 3-for-3 night with three RBI and two runs; Aaron Levarity was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored; Chavez Fernander and Emery Burrows were both 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs and Keenan Barlett was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Antonio Smith got the win on the mound and Anton Hanna was the losing pitcher. Nicholas Russell was 1-for-3 with three RBI got AF Adderley.

Warriors 10, Fighting Tigers 2

Yeshva Saint had a perfect 3-for-3 day with six RBI, including a glam slam home run and a solo homer, to lead Bidhop Michael Eldon to victory in game two. Chavez Fernander was 1-for-2 with a RBI and two runs scored and Aaron Levarity and Dasino Douglas were both 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Antonio Smith was the winning pitcher on ntwo hits with six strike outs.

Brandon Rahming was 1-for-3 with a RBI and run scored and Anthon Hanna was 2-for-3 with a run scored in the loss.

Saint was named the MVP after he went 6-for-7 with a .857 average. He had two homers with nine RBI and six runs scored.

“It was good. We made a few mistakes, but it could be corrected,” Saint said. “What I did here today I did in the regular season in Grand Bahama, so I expected to perform like I did here.”

Saints and his team-mates received their awards from professional baseball player Anthon Richardson.

Junior Girls

Bluejays out-lasted the Fighting Tigers

Bluejays 18, Fighting Tigers 15

Jamese Roker went 2-for-4 with three RBI and as many runs scored; Savannah Cox was also 3-for-4 with two RBi and four runs scored; Kristina Pratt was 2-for-4 with a RBI and four runs scored and Choleo Smith was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored in the win in game one for Eight Mile Rock.

Anotinette Mitchell got the win and Lucianna Miller was tagged with the loss.

Denique Mackey went 2-for-3 with a RBI and three runs scored; Tisean Stevens was 2-for-2 with a RBI and two runs and Shontae Gibson was 1-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.

Bluejays 10, Fighting Tigers 7

Olita Almoji was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored; Jamese Roker was 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored and Chloe Stuart was 1-for-2 with a RBI as Antoinette Mitchell got the win on the mound in the clincher in game two.

Tercel Rolle went 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored and Shontae Gibson was 2-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. Lucianna Miller got the loss on a seven hitter.

Jamese Roker was named the MVP after she went 3-for-6 with a double for her .500 average. She had five RBI, scored five times and stole four bases.

Like the junior boys, Anthon Richardson was also on hand to present the wards to Roker and her Eight Mile Rock team-mates.