Hillel retain Prep Schools TT crown
Two-time defending champions Hillel are still national champions in prep schools table tennis.
Their number one team — they entered two teams in the competition — retained the title on Friday during the finals at the YMCA in Kingston, and they have now won three times in a row, in the competition, which has been on the calendar of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) for 19 years.
The Hillel number one team clipped many-time former champions Sts Peter & Paul 3-2 in the final after both teams qualified for the final by topping their respective three-team groups.
In Group 1, Hillel 1 blanked Hillel 2 by a 5-0 score-line and edged St Andrew 3-2 to place first, as Hillel 2 trounced St Andrew 4-1 to place second. Sts Peter & Paul, who were champions five years in a row from 2002 to 2006, topped Group 2 by crushing Portmore Missionary 2 by a 4-1 score-line, and surprising number two seed Portmore Missionary 1, by a 3-2 score. Portmore Missionary 1 drubbed Portmore Missionary 2 5-0, to place second in the group.
In the play-off for third place between second-placed teams in the groups, Portmore Missionary 1 beat Hillel 2 4-1, for the trophies.
Hillel are coached by Peter Daley, Portmore Missionary by Richard Mitchell, Sts Peter & Paul by Rohan Schloss, and St Andrew by Godfrey Gregory and Dale Parham.
In singles events which were also contested, Jon-Pierre Daley of St Andrew (Peter’s son) and Brianna Lindo of Portmore Missionary, were Under-12 champions, while Daniel Isaacs of Hillel, and Fiona Li of Sts Peter & Paul won the Under-10 titles.
In individual events in the team final between Hillel 1 and Sts Peter & Paul, Julian Newnham outlasted Daniel Isaacs 3-2, and Alessio Tulloch overpowered John Azar 3-0, for Sts Peter & Paul to give them a 2-0 lead. These turned out to be consolation victories though, as Jenna Harrison eased past Fiona Li 3-0, Senna Summerbell blew away Nathan Chin 3-0, and Hritik Amin overcame Zane Walters 3-2, to win the last three matches and the title for Hillel 1.
At the end of play it was announced that as of next year, teams for each match will comprise of three boys and two girls, changing from four boys and one girl. A number of parents then assisted president Godfrey Lothian in making the presentations.
