分类： sports

The RBC Royal Slam College tournament has reached its climactic stage, with Fatima College, Presentation College (San Fernando), Queen’s Royal College, and St Mary’s College securing their spots in the final four. The group phase concluded on October 26 at the Eastern Regional Indoor Sporting Arena in Tacarigua, setting the stage for an intense semifinal showdown.

In Group A, Fatima College demonstrated their supremacy with a commanding 112-67 victory over Queen’s Royal College (QRC), clinching the top spot. The trio of Williams Francis, Zachary Julien, and Idriis Martin spearheaded the win. Francis delivered a stellar triple-double performance with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 steals, while Julien contributed 29 points, six rebounds, and five steals. Martin added 23 points and eight steals to the tally. Despite a valiant effort from QRC’s captain Talib Daniel, who scored 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Fatima’s dominance was undeniable.

Holy Cross College secured third place in Group A with a 71-36 win over St Francis Boys’ College, led by Zion Redwood’s 17 points, eight rebounds, and six steals. However, Holy Cross had previously suffered a heavy defeat against QRC, where Daniel’s 35 points and 13 rebounds propelled QRC to an 85-56 victory.

In Group B, St Mary’s College emerged victorious with a 96-83 win over St Anthony’s College. Nkobi Ince shone with 35 points, eight rebounds, and six steals, while Zane Peters added 31 points to secure the Saints’ semifinal berth. Despite strong performances from St Anthony’s Amir Balgobin (33 points, eight rebounds) and Jahiem McLeod (29 points), they fell short against their northern rivals.

The semifinals are set for November 8, with St Mary’s facing QRC and Fatima taking on Presentation College. The tournament’s final will be held on November 9, with all matches taking place at the Tacarigua venue.

The 2025 First Citizens Boys’ Big 5 championship division playoffs commenced on October 29, marking the start of an intense battle for promotion among four Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division hopefuls. The five zonal winners—Hillview College (east), Mucurapo West Secondary (north), Palo Seco Secondary (south), Presentation College Chaguanas (central), and Speyside Secondary (Tobago)—are vying for a spot in the 2026 premier division season. Speyside enjoyed a bye on the first matchday, while the other teams took to the field. Presentation College Chaguanas hosted Hillview, and Mucurapo faced Palo Seco, with both matches kicking off at 3:30 PM. The competition will continue on November 1, when Speyside makes its debut by hosting Presentation in Tobago, and Mucurapo takes on the undefeated Hillview. Mucurapo narrowly clinched the north zone title by a single point, while Presentation dominated the central zone, finishing five points ahead of Chaguanas North Secondary. However, Presentation faced a tense wait as the league’s appeals committee dismissed Chaguanas North’s appeal regarding an abandoned match on September 22. The disciplinary committee awarded Presentation a 3-0 win due to poor field preparation by Chaguanas North, a decision upheld by the appeals committee on October 24. Palo Seco also benefited from a similar ruling, securing three points for an abandoned match against Rio Claro West Secondary. Palo Seco topped the south zone with 22 points, while Hillview and Speyside dominated their respective zones with commanding performances. The top three teams in the Big 5 competition will earn promotion to the 2026 premier division.

Off-spinner Joshua Davis delivered a standout performance during a Red Force trial match at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva on October 26, earning Man of the Match honors and catching the attention of head coach Rayad Emrit and chairman of selectors Rajendra Mangalie. Davis’ spell of four for 25 was instrumental in securing a ten-run victory for the Vikash Mohan XI over the Terrance Hinds XI, marking their second consecutive win in the trial series. The matches are part of the preparation for the upcoming 2025 CG United Super50 competition, set to take place in Trinidad from November 19 to 29. Davis claimed key wickets, including those of Yannic Cariah, Crystian Thurton, Terrance Hinds, and Jason Mohammed, disrupting the Hinds XI’s chase of a modest 213-run target. Despite a late surge from the Hinds XI, the Mohan XI held their nerve to clinch the win. Earlier, captain Vikash Mohan led the batting effort with a solid 59, supported by Jyd Goolie’s patient 46, as the Mohan XI posted 212 for eight. The Hinds XI’s Shatrughan Rambaran top-scored with 40, but their innings faltered under pressure. Another trial match was scheduled for October 28 as the teams continue their preparations.

The TT Red Force coaching staff, led by Rayad Emrit, faces a challenging task in finalizing their squad for the upcoming CG United Super50 tournament following an intense trial match at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, on October 28. The match, which showcased exceptional performances from multiple players, ended in a nail-biting finish with the Bryan Charles XI edging out the Vikash Mohan XI by a mere one run.

The Trinidad and Tobago (TT) women’s football team faced a challenging return to the pitch after a year-long hiatus, succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Jamaica in a friendly match at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva, on October 28. Despite the loss, co-coach Damian Briggs emphasized the positive takeaways, viewing the game as a crucial step in their preparation for the upcoming Concacaf Women’s Qualifiers and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The match marked TT’s first competitive outing in over a year, and the team showed glimpses of potential, particularly in the first half when Nikita Gosine equalized with a stunning strike after Jody Brown had given Jamaica an early lead. However, Jamaica dominated the second half, scoring three unanswered goals, including a fortuitous second for Brown in the closing minutes. Briggs praised his team’s energy and adaptability, highlighting the importance of learning from the experience as they aim to rebuild and refine their style of play. The TT squad, featuring a mix of local and overseas-based players, will next face Barbados on November 30 in their opening Concacaf qualifier. Briggs remains optimistic, stressing the need for continuous improvement and fitness as they navigate a challenging qualifying campaign.

The West Indies cricket team clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match T20 series against Bangladesh with a 14-run victory in the second game, held on October 29 in Chattogram. Fast bowler Romario Shepherd was awarded Player of the Match for his stellar performance, taking 3/29, as the visitors defended their total of 149/9. The Windies’ innings was anchored by half-centuries from skipper Shai Hope (55) and Alick Athanaze (52), who built a solid 105-run partnership for the second wicket. Despite a valiant effort from Bangladesh’s opener Tanzid Hasan (61), the hosts fell short, managing only 135/8 in their chase. The West Indies’ bowling attack, led by Akeal Hosein (3/22), Shepherd, and Jason Holder (2/20), proved decisive in restricting Bangladesh. The final T20 of the series is scheduled for October 31.