Junior Hockey Championships off to a flying start

The 5th Annual National Junior Hockey Championships, which are being hosted by the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), got off to a scintillating start this week, with the usual suspects going above and beyond their competitors’ expectations.
The tournament, which served off this week, will feature teams in Under-10, Under-13, Under-16 and Under-21 categories from clubs and schools.
The Under-16 competition is being sponsored by Ansa McCal’s ‘Lyrix’ soft drink, while both Under-21 males and females will be sponsored by Noble House Seafoods.
The National Gymnasium has been abuzz with activity since Wednesday evening, with intense competition on all levels.
On the opening night, in the Under-16 Girls, the dominant GCC Bingo Spartans recorded their first win against GCC Her-ricanes: 3-0.
The male side of the division saw GCC Pitbulls defeating Hikers 20 and Multi Rockets playing to a nil all draw with Toco. The category also featured the Joseph Warriors in a 2-2 draw with Saints.
Moving on to the higher categories, The GCC Bingo Spartans registered a blistering 5-0 win over GCC Her-ricanes in the Under 21 female division.
The Under-21 males saw Old Fort Top Form edging past Saints 2-1, whilst GCC Pitbulls settled for a 1-1 draw with Hikers.
Thursday evening was also power-packed, with the fighting to the death to score much needed points.
The Under-16 Girls saw Saints and Joseph Stars being pitted against each other in an encounter which went Saints’ way for a 1-0 win.
The boys’ side of the coin featured Multi Rockets and the GCC Pitbulls locked in a highly defensive stalemate, which ended with both teams sharing the points. Saints got past Taco 3-1 whilst the highest scoring game saw Joseph Warriors barely edging pats Hikers in a 4-3 thriller.
The lone female Under-21 match of the night saw Saints facing off with Old Fort Goal Chasers in a 2-0 matchup which Old Fort won.
The male category featured Phoenix who suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Hikers.
As Friday evening approached, the competition intensified, with teams such as GCC Bingo Spartans stamping their authority.
In the Under-16, the GCC Bingo Spartans ladies cruised to a 1-0 win over the Joseph Stars. The following ladies matchup saw Saints pummeling the GCC Her-ricanes 2-0.
Playing to a draw, the first Under-16 boys’ match saw Toco and GCC Pitbulls trying to go one up each other, but eventually settled for their 2-2 draw. Later, on another draw in the category, was the result between Hikers and Saints.
The female Under-21 category once again showcased the GCC Bingo Spartans, who played brilliantly for a 2-1 win over. Also in the Under-21 females, Old Fort demolished GCC Her-ricanes with a 4-0 beating.
The men featured Hikers and Saints playing valiantly, but having to settle for shared points after their nil all draw. Additionally, Pitbulls vs Phoenix was the final encounter of the night. It resulted in Pitbulls going home as the happier team with 4-0 win.
The finals of the competition are expected to go down today at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.