MAY PEN, Clarendon —  Denbigh High and Holmwood Technical High schools were among the teams on top at the ISSA/ Digicel Netball Awards in Kingston, according to a news release from telecoms giant Digicel.

Denbigh High were rural champions for the junior division. They went on to place second in the all-island championships, losing the coveted title to The Queen’s School. In the senior division, Denbigh came in second for the rural championship after an action-packed finale against Holmwood Technical.

Denbigh also won prizes for topping their zones in both the junior and senior categories.

Holmwood Technical were crowned rural champions but were stopped short in the All-Island Championship by The Queen’s High. Holmwood also took top awards for their zone, for the junior and senior divisions.

The release said Denbigh’s Mayah Manning received a phone from sponsors Digicel for having 92 per cent accuracy in shooting. Holmwood’s Tracy-Ann Francis also received a phone for completing the season with 95 per cent accuracy in shooting. The latter attributed her precision to “lots of hard work, training, practising during my lunch time by taking shots, and lots of guidance from my coach”.

The rural area’s most valuable player awards also went to representatives from Denbigh and Holmwood. Kelly Scott who plays centre for Denbigh High’s junior team was elated to be receiving her award of a trophy and a brand new smartphone courtesy of Digicel. “I am very surprised that I won the MVP [award] as this is my first year starting for the junior team. I worked extremely hard throughout the season and I am just happy that it paid off.” said Scott. In the rural-senior category, Holmwood Technical’s goal attack, Nicole Dixon walked away with the MVP award.

Digicel’s sponsorship executive, Mark Martin, gave special thanks to the coaches. “It is important that we highlight the work that the coaches have done. They were mothers, fathers, friends and teachers to the ladies; their guidance was not only exemplary on court but also off court,” he said.

Janice Walker and Christine Bartley, coaches of Denbigh High, received the coach’s awards of a plaque and a smartphone. Karlene Graham, coach of Holmwood Technical also received an award in that category.