On a thrilling Sunday of competitive netball hosted in their home village of Fancy, Ball Blazers of Fancy pulled off a dramatic late comeback to secure the top title at the 2025 Shevern John North Windward Netball Tournament, finishing the tournament undefeated with a narrow 38-37 one-point win over final opponent Trail Blazers of Owia.
The road to the final delivered its own major upset, shaking up the tournament’s established hierarchy. Overland Netball Team, which had claimed the championship title in every iteration of the competition since its launch in 2022, was unexpectedly eliminated in the semifinal round, clearing the way for Trail Blazers of Owia to advance to the championship match.
Play unfolded with a clear advantage for Trail Blazers through the first three quarters of the final. The Owia-based squad held narrow leads through each stage: 8-7 after the first quarter, 17-16 after the second, and 29-26 heading into the final 15 minutes of play. But in a stunning fourth-quarter turnaround, the home team Ball Blazers rallied, outscoring their opponents to flip the scoreline and clinch the championship on their home turf.
In addition to the open senior division, the tournament hosted two lower age and developmental competitive categories. In the junior division, the Sandy Bay Police Youth Club was awarded an automatic default victory after their opponent, Sandy Bay Secondary School, failed to appear for the scheduled championship match. The developmental division delivered another close match, with Sandy Bay Government School edging out Fancy Beamers by a single goal to take the category title, finishing the match 8-7.
Following the conclusion of all matches, the tournament’s organizer and North Windward Parliamentary Representative Shevern John spoke at the official awards and presentation ceremony. During his address, John announced that the next major local sporting event organized under his framework, the Shevern John North Windward T10 softball cricket competition, is scheduled to kick off in May this year, building on the momentum of the successful netball tournament to support grassroots sports in the region.