DEFENDING champions Camperdown High begin their title defence when they play away to Campion College as the 2016 Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Urban High Schoolgirls Junior and Senior League competitions get under way today.

The Campion College and Camperdown High senior league encounter should start approximately 3:30 pm after both teams face each other in the junior league at 2:30 pm.

Dalton Hinds, coach of junior league defending champions Gaynstead, said he has a good team to defend the title, as he has not lost too many players to the senior league division.

“Last year we had to use some of our Under-16 players in the seniors as the school does not have a sixth form. They have to graduate and either they go to local colleges here, overseas to further their education, or transfer to other local high schools who have sixth form,” Hinds said.

The Gaynstead coach said he has retained six of his juniors from last year’s winning team, and two players who played in the seniors will now be playing in their right age-group (juniors).

“We will have a strong team as Gaynstead finished second in the all-island Under-14 competition final last year and they are the players who will step up to the juniors,” he added.

According to Hinds, he does not concentrate on watching his opponents in action before deciding what strategies he should apply when they meet.

“The team goes out there to play to their best ability, and also wants to win each and every match. That’s not part of our playing tactics,” said Hinds, who is confident of defending his Junior team title.

Meanwhile, Wayne Stewart, coach of senior league defending champions Camperdown High, said he has retained six of last year’s players and should have a very good chance of retaining his title.

He said he is looking to qualify for the second round of the competition, but firstly will have to get by both Holy Childhood and Immaculate Conception who are the other strong teams who are in the zone.

“I am not going to underrate any particular team whatsoever, but today I will be concentrating on winning our opening match against Campion College as this is not an easy zone,” Stewart said.

“Three of my top players are still in the team: shooters Ramona Lawrence and Idara McCarthy, and centre Shanika Cephas,” he added.

Meanwhile, former junior and senior league champions The Queen’s School captured both Opening Rally played at the Manchester High School Courts last Friday.

The Queen’s defeated May Day High and Holmwood High in the finals.

The other matches scheduled today are: ZONE B — St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) vs Holy Trinity High; Vauxhall High vs Tivoli Gardens High; The Queen’s vs Eltham High; Kingston Technical High (KTHS) vs Donald Quarrie High.

Zone C — Clan Carthy High vs Pembroke Hall High; Jose Marti vs Immaculate Conception High; St Mary’s College vs Holy Childhood High.

ZONE D — Ascot High vs Jonathan Grant High; Bridgeport High vs Norman Manley High; Penwood High vs St Hugh’s High.

Home teams are named first. Junior league matches will be four quarters of 10 minutes each with a four-minute half-time, while the senior league game swill be four quarters of 12 minutes each with five minutes at the half-time break.