THE Queens School and Holmwood Technical High were crowned respective Junior and Senior Digicel/ISSA All-Island netball champions at Clarendon Park yesterday.

The Queen’s got past Holmwood, 34-20, in the Junior decider, while it needed extra-time for Holmwood to defeat St Hugh’s, 35-31, in the Senior section.

The Queen’s were winning their second title at this level after victories in 2006, while for Holmwood, it was their fifth consecutive Senior crown.

In the Junior final, The Queen’s were too hot for Holmwood and dominated the entire match. They led 8-6 at the first interval after coming from two goals down.

They went on to dominate the second quarter and took a five-point lead at half-time, 16-11.

From here on it was clear that Holmwood had no answer for The Queen’s pair of Sade Ffrench — who shot a game-high 21 points — and Khadijah Williams (13), as they closed out the third period with an eight point lead, 25-27. At this point, the Holmwood team had already conceded defeat.

Winning coach Marvette Anderson told the Observer that it was their hard work and dedication that led to their success.

“We have been working at it all year long. In fact, from last year when we lost the Urban finals we made a pledge that we were going to go all the way, and this is what happened today,” she said.

The Senior League decider was a game to be remembered, as both teams exchanged the lead at various times throughout the match.

It was Urban Area champions St Hugh’s who took an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter, but numerous turnovers saw them being held to a 6-6 stalemate at the end of the first break.

They however came out looking ominous in the second period and deservedly took that quarter, 16-11.

The defending champions Holmwood would however, turn up the tempo and came out firing — scoring five unanswered goals in the first two minutes before taking the third quarter, 22-20.

Both teams then traded the lead in the fourth quarter which ended 28-28.

In the five minute extra-time period, the Manchester-based school showed why they are the defending champions, outscoring their counterparts 7-3, with national junior representative Deneen Taylor shooting a match-high 32 points.

St Hugh’s Chiquana Reid scored 20 points, while Desrene Brown had 10.

Holmwood’s Carline Graham said it was a bitter-sweet feeling, having not completed the double. In the end she was proud of her troops, however.

“I’m elated; we’ave been working all year long and we decided that we were coming out here to defend our title. Being down, we were not worried because we knew that there was a lot of time to go. In the end both the Juniors and the Seniors did well”, said Graham.

A victorious Holmwood Technical Senior League squad receives the All-Island netball trophy from representatives of sponsors Digicel and ISSA after defeating St Hugh’s, 35-31, in the final at Clarendon Park yesterday. (Photo: