St Andrew Strikers blank Excelsior 4-0 to capture the JHF/National Hockey
S T ANDREW Strikers completed their season in fine style by blanking Excelsior 4-0 to capture the 2017 Jamaica Hockey Federation (JHF) National League women’s title at the Mona Hockey field on Sunday. The St Andrew team coached by Devaughn Henlon was led by two goals from Sophia Cooper, and one each from Chantal Russell and Dr Michelle Holt. Winning coach Henlon said it was a very good feeling to become champions once again. “It was also a remarkable and very good achievement by the players and likewise for myself. “Since I began coaching St Andrew Strikers in 2014, I have won the league for the past four years, while the team has won the title for the past 10 years,” Henlon said. He added that it was also an all-round teamwork by the players, despite a few standing out more than the others, such as captain Demi Nicholson, Kadene Brown, Chantal Russell and Camille Griffiths.
“They were really outstanding and also played very well in midfield.“I think that the team has really accomplished a historic feat that no other club in the competition has done, winning for the past decade and more than 15 years of winning the competition,” added Henlon.He said despite completing the season without defeat, all the players did their part brilliantly in scoring the goals, attacking and defending during matches.St Andrew topped the points standing with 24 points from eight matches. They scored a total of 37 goals, while conceding three.Tropics finished second with 18 points from eight games, followed by Sharpes Rebels with 12 points from eight matches, Excelsior and University of the West Indies (UWI) Pelicans scored one point each from seven matches.Excelsior and UWI Pelicans will play their final match of the season next week Sunday. Only five teams participated in the women’s league.Meanwhile, Dr Michelle Holt, a former Jamaica national representative and coach, is the technical director of St Andrew Hockey Club.The leading scorers in the women’s league are Chakira Airey of Sharpes Rebels with 11 goals, Sophia Cooper of St Andrew Strikers with 10 goals, Demi Nicholson of St Andrew Strikers with seven, Daneil Douglas of Sharpes Rebels with five goals.
