Crowds of supporting children and adults stormed onto the fenced playground at Coronation Park on Monday, November 17, where the male members of the young football team from the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School were leaping in the air after winning the National Bank-sponsored Primary Schools Tournament.

Cheering football winners from the Adrian T. Hazell School

In the male teams, the Valley Primary School placed second; the Alwyn Allison Primary School, third; and the Morris Vanterpool Primary School, fourth.

In the female teams, Orealia Kelly Primary School came first; the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, second; Valley Primary School, third; and Island Harbour Primary School, fourth.

Nighttime photos: Two male players in action

It is now 20 years since the National Bank has been sponsoring the popular football tournament from which a number of accomplished young players and students have emerged. The Adrian Hazell Primary School (originally Road School) has won the matches for 10 of those years.

The Central Christian Primary School at Rey Hill also participated in the tournament and one of its footballers, Malik Morancie, was classified as being among the “Most Valuable Players” of the tournament.

NBA’s Director Ralph Hodge addressing young footballers

The closing matches were exciting and were witnessed by large crowds who took up positions at several of the vantage areas ringing the playground. The high point came in a battle between the male players from Valley Primary and the Adrian T. School when the latter sent the last competing ball flying into their rival’s goal post. In addition to the main trophies for the four winning schools many individual players were awarded for outstanding performance.

In the male players, the Goal Keeper Award went to Aristo Woodley, Best Defender, Kallis Franklin and Best Midfielder, Juwany Walters, all of the Adrian T. Hazell School; and Best Striker, Cyril Bradley of Valley Primary School.

Director of Sports Alkin Rogers and NBA’s Staff at presentation ceremony

In the female category, all the winners of the awards for Best Gold Keeper, Best Defender, Best Midfielder and Best Striker were from the Orealia Kelly Primary School. They were Aaliyah Gumbs, Tequania Lake, Ta’rah Niles and Coleen Johnson respectively.

The Most Outstanding Players in the tournament were Juwany Walters of the Adrian T. Primary School and Coleen Johnson of the Orealia Kelly Primary School.

Presentation to one of the winning girls

The presentation ceremony was chaired by Deslyn Smith, Market Research & Business Development Support Officer of the National Bank of Anguilla.

In his congratulatory remarks, Member of NBA’s Board of Directors, Ralph Hodge, promised that the National Bank would do everything within its power to foster youth development. “In Anguilla today that is so troubled, we believe that a tournament like this will bring together not only players from the primary schools, but also parents and guardians from all of the communities, and we hope that with all that is happening on the island that such a tournament would create a dampening effect,” he said.

He expressed the hope that everyone had enjoyed the tournament and offered his congratulations to the first and second place winning schools in particular.

Presentation to Goalkeeper

Director of Sports, Alkins Rogers, made the point that while the teams from four of the schools did not make it to the top positions in the tournament they had made an exceptional effort this year and should be applauded. He had much praise for the excellent performance in the closing matches in which teams from the Orealia Kelly and the Adrian T. Hazell Primary Schools battled for supremacy, and in which the male team from the latter school and the female team from the former school emerged winners of the overall tournament.

Mr. Rogers joined Mr. Hodge in thanking the coaches, referees and other officials for their excellent roles in the tournament.

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News