Home of hockey rocking with 39th international festival

The Masters rolled back the years with the Old and Drag Down (ODD) team winning two of their matches, as the 39th Barbados International Hockey Festival continued Tuesday at the home of hockey in Wildey.

The week-long festival resumed at the National Hockey Centre in Wildey with several matches on the fixture and ODD with several notable veterans were outstanding, scoring a 2-0 win over Hikers and returned later in the day to edge A Badd Connection (ABC) 1-0.

Defending Masters champions University of the West Indies (UWI) Blackbirds were held to a 0-0 draw against All Stars. Earlier in the day All Stars buried NY Islanders 4-0 with a goal from Laurando Davis in the sixth minute, while teammates Terrance Prescod (9th), Errol Clarke (28th) and Karen Bannister (37th), all contributed after.

NY Islanders again struggled in the Master’s division when they were defeated 3-1 against Hikers led by goal scorers, Amanda Garrett in the 17th, Harry France in the 20th and Sharteza King in the 23rd minutes respectively.

In the Mixed category, title holders Rockets were unstoppable, defeating ABC 2-0, with a field goal from Dario Lewis in the 6th minute followed by a penalty corner from Marlon Daniel in the 30th.

Rockets, moving at a rather swift pace to advance into the playoff round, easily dominated 3-0 over the Madhatters. Once again, thank you Lewis was in the mix, scoring a field goal in the 37th minute while veteran player Angela Thompson added two goals in the 24th and 40th minute of the game.

Hikers won 2-1 against UWI when those two met in the Mixed competition but the UWI Blackbirds pecked ABC 1-0 with Ahijah Springer registering the lone goal in the fourth minute.

Unfortunately for UWI Blackbirds, they failed to win their two men’s games against Total Hockey Club (THC) 1-0 and ABC 2-0. The women did not disappoint however, they edged Toronto United 3-2 and commanded Du Badd 2-0.

Du Badd’s men held Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) to a 0-0 result and won 2-0 when they took on Barbados Union of Teachers. ABC men’s team went down 2-0 when they faced THC.

The Barbados International Hockey Festival was started in 1985 by Mike Owen, a well known hockey enthusiast;renowned cricket commentator, Tony Cozier; and Winsmore Humphrey, then President of the Barbados Hockey Federation.

(AS)