DEFENDING champions Denbigh High will look to defend their Junior and Senior League titles when they go up against Glenmuir and Holmwood Technical, respectively, in the 2019 Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Rural High Schoolgirls netball finals at Manchester High School Courts today.

The Junior League final begins at 1:00 pm, while the Senior League final is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm.

Janice Hancel-Walker, coach of Denbigh High, is very confident of retaining the junior title, but is expecting a tougher battle in the senior final, a repeat of last year’s final when Denbigh came out victorious by five goals.

“I am looking to turn the tables on Glenmuir in the junior [final] as they won by one goal (in the preliminary round) and it should be a competitive final between the teams,” Hancel-Walker said.

She is expected to rely on shooters Ramona Halstead and Shade McCalla and hopes that they get the support of their teammates.

“The winner of the Holmwood and Denbigh game would be decided on the team which produces the least mistakes, capitalises on their turnovers, stays focused, keeps its composure, along with accurate shooting and good defensive work,” she said of the senior final.

Denbigh are expected to rest their hopes on four shooters during the game — Tafiya Hunter, Rianna Wisdom, Shaudia Stewart, and Marion Smith — while looking for good combinations from their mid-court players, backed up by good defensive work.

Meanwhile, Karline Graham-Powell, coach of Holmwood, who has won the Senior League title on many occasions, will be aiming to avenge last year’s defeat at the hands of reigning champions.

Glenmuir are coached by Ryan Reid and assisted by Annette Daley. Reid is confident after his semi-final win, and believes Glenmuir can go all the way.

Majority of the players in Glenmuir’s team are from the Under-14 championship unit that won the competition earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the third-place play-off in the juniors will be between Manchester High and Green Pond High at 11:00 am, while the Senior League third-place play-off will be between Manchester High and Porus High, starting at 12:00 pm.

—Gerald Reid