By Morissa Lindsay
Christ Church Foundation School (CCFS) are the two-time double crown league champions after a dominant showing from both their girls and boys team this afternoon in the National Sports Council Senior Volleyball Championship final played at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium. Known as the Beacons, CCFS were unstoppable as the girls came from a set down to win 20-25, 25-16 and 15-12 against Barbados Community College (BCC). While the boys of CCFS swept aside The St. Michael School in straight sets 25-15 and 25-7 in the other final.
During a post-match interview, CCFS captain and national player Serena Edwards said she was impressed with her team and how they executed not only in the final but throughout the season. “I must say I am impressed with the team, especially when I left Barbados to compete at the CAC Games in beach volleyball, they held it down and reached the final. At the end of the day my team is as strong as its weakest link and we all pull together,” Edwards said.
In the opening set of the girls’ final BCC won by five points and put the reigning queens under pressure. However, with Edwards leading from the front as an exceptional young outside hitter along with Dessani Waithe who is also capable as an attacker, CCFS held their own.
Coached by Fernando Skeete, CCFS responded well in the second set and were in control 8-4 and 16-7 at the first and second technical timeouts thanks to Waithe serving very well and Edwards killing those front court shots.
Left: The boys of Christ Church Foundation School repeated as two time volleyball champions.
CCFS also defended well at the nets with McKayla Beckles and Aasia Brice teaming up to stop BCC. The queens of schools volleyball also had the services of Sierra Rayside to bank on when needed and BCC were kept on their toes trying to defend.
BCC captained by Shaina Bradshaw were oftentimes guilty of handling balls that were seemingly going out of bounds.
The match went into a must win decisive third set and BCC got off to a horrific start losing the first three points before they finally scored.
CCFS looked the better of the two teams and they stamped their authority 8-3 when they switched sides. With such a comfortable lead in the third set, CCFS went on to win yet another girls volleyball title.
The boys of CCFS did not break a sweat as they made light work of SMS in the final. Whenever CCFS and SMS meet in sports there is always a rivalry between the two schools and today was no different.
CCFS coach Fernando Skeete was happy to win the double in schools volleyball.
However, in the finals this afternoon, the boys of CCFS were a much stronger unit and they tore the bark off SMS. As early as the opening set, CCFS blew SMS away 25-15 and completely destroyed the lads from Martindales Road 25-7 in the second stanza led by Captain Kaiel Johnson, a national swimmer as well as outside hitter Nkoya Bailey-Williams who represents Deacons men’s volleyball team in the Barbados Volleyball Association competitions.
The lads of CCFS did not drop a set during the competition and coach Skeete was happy about that as he gave an overview on the team’s performance saying, “I am a bit disappointed with the girls leading to the semi-finals and final, but we use it to our advantage and came out victorious. For the boys, this year’s competition spoke to the skills of our players and the cadre of players that we have, I was always very confident we would be dominant in this competition.”
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
