Bridge, U-15 cricketers stand out in 2013

Whereas there was not much to highlight in 2012, Dominica can count two regional championships in 2013. The Under-15 cricket team at the Windward Islands level and the bridge team at the OECS level came back home triumphant from overseas engagements. The Windward Islands also snared the regional Super 50 competition for a rare regional championship.

Cricket

-Only rain denied West Indies women cricketers a clean three-match sweep against South Africa women at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium (WSS) after the teams came to Dominica from St Kitts/Nevis with South Africa leading the five-match series 2-nil. Stafanie Taylor copped player of the match in the completed games in Dominica and player of the series.

-Dominica and Windward Islands CA president Emmanuel Nanthan was elected vice president of the West Indies Cricket Board alongside new president Whycliffe Dave Cameron of Jamaica.

• 2013 marked the 100th anniversary of Dominica's participation in regional cricket in the Leeward and Windward Islands.

-Dominica's Under-15 cricketers captured the Windward Islands championship in St Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG).

-Dublanc brushed aside defending champions, Marinor Blasters, by eight wickets at the WSS to be crowned new Fort Young Hotel (FYH) DCA Intermediate cricket champions.

-Dublanc United captured the Digicel Shield played among the top four teams in the premier league after years being thwarted by Tremors..

-Dublanc consigned Tremors to their first defeat in the Waddy Astaphan Twenty20 competition with victory by seven wickets at the WSS. Tremors managed 97-9. Dublanc replied with 98-3 in 16.4 overs.

Football

-KFC consolidated their sponsorship of Harlem United with a presentation package of nearly $13,000 for the next two years.

-Exodus football club of St Joseph won the Dominica Football Association (DFA) Division 1 League for promotion to the Premier League. Cube Cheese Barber Shop Bath Estate won the Intermediate title to move up to Division I; and Aldrin Pizza & More Bombers won the All Island League to climb to the Intermediate Division.

-Scotiabank Bath Estate captured their fourth premiership championship when they edged out Dublanc 1-0 at Geneva with one match still in hand.

-Dominica's football coach Kirt Hector and national player Norran Jno Hope died in a freak traffic accident after much rain in April, which cut a deep and large swathe of road between Castle Bruce junction and Pond Casse. Josely Prince survived, climbed out of the whole and prevented a worst disaster. The three were on their way to Melville Hall airport headed for Grenada to participate in the revived Windward Islands football tournament in May. Grenada won the tournament.

-Josely Jean Pierre Prince was recognised with the Services Medal of Honour for Search & Rescue at the Independence Military Parade at the National Stadium in Roseau. Prince's miraculous escape in the dawn hours of Friday April 19 prevented other vehicles falling in that big cut in the road.

-New India Goodwill Runners retained the DOMLEC DFA Women's Football League.

-Dominica's Under-20 women's footballers came away with one win from three matches in their Group 3 2014 CONCACAF championship qualification in Suriname for a long awaited result.

-Delnagis Veterans won the Lime Harlem Football League. Veterans won 2-1 against the defending champions ACS Purple City in the final with Kurlson Benjamin getting both goals.

-Scotiabank Bath Estate thumped Bouillante Football Club of Guadeloupe 5-1 in the decider to win the second Creole Cup hosted by the Sports Division. Bath Estate earned 2,000 Euros (approximately EC$7,000) for their two-match effort which included a 2-all draw with Harlem, who won the first Creole Cup one year before.

-NJFA Harlem United won the Youth Nation Cup U-13 competition with a 3-1 victory against Goodwill Drafters. Pointe Michel FYA edged out DOC Dominica Grammar School (DGS) 1-0 in the 16 & under competition. The most disciplined team award went to St Paul's YFA.

-Scotiabank's Bath Estate Hugo Riley was voted DFA footballer of the year. Kassika Samuel of Isaiah Thomas SS & New India Goodwill Runners was the top female footballer. The DFA disbursed cash prizes amounting to $22,500 besides other prizes and awards.

-Dominica in a bid to raise its status in FIFA's world rankings played two matches with St Lucia at the WSS in November. The matches ended 1-0 win apiece.

Other

-Controversy marred the Dominica Olympic Committee (DOC) annual general meeting in January at which elections for a new executive were held. Supposedly affiliated members of the DOC and media personnel were kept out of the meeting.

-Fifteen affiliated associations of a possible 18 communicated their discontent with the DOC and asked for a special meeting to right their grievances. The disaffected affiliates got their special meeting at FYH on May 16 at which they asked for fresh elections.

-Brendan Williams won a high jump event in St Kitts. Williams also cleared 2.2 metres in Guadeloupe for a personal best and meet best. He was named MVP.

-Ten athletes including 2012 200m sprint medalist Luan Gabriel attended 41st Carifta Junior Games in the Bahamas, but could not return home. Lime Dominica general manager Jeffrey Baptiste learning of the plight of the athletes in Panama contacted Lime telecoms partner, Mas Mobile, Cable & Wireless Panama. The team was met and transported to the Continental Hotel in Panama City.

-Dominica copped another CARIFTA gold medal through Shanee Angol of Pierre Charles SS (PCSS) in javelin with a throw of 43.89 metres in the Bahamas.

-Dominica captured the OECS Bridge championship in St Kitts with victory in the finals by 61 international match points against St Kitts, 42 IMP. Dominica's team was Foued Issa, Dr Richard Green-captain, Dr Dorian Shillingford and Dr Philip Griffin.

-Goodwill Starz and Gatorade Blazers won the classic basketball matches organised by the Dominica Amateur Basketball Association (DABA) at the expense of Fashionline Falcons and Signman X-Men.

-RC Doctors won the ballorama which formed part of the opening of the new season at Lindo Park. Doctors scored 14 points to United Insurance Sharks seven.

-Gatorade Blazers of Massacre captured the Domlec Premier League championship comprising the top four teams by taking out Signman 3-2 in the finals.

-Game Boys of Pottersville won $10,000 and shield for winning the first Red Cap Rum 4-Hand competition. The competition began with 30 teams in October 2012 and ended at Krazy Kokonuts. Game Boys prevailed over Burton's Eagles by 314 points (4,001-3,687). Eagles got $2,500 and third placed Dolphins $1,500.

-Lagoon of Portsmouth won their third successive Mackeson Stout & Carib Beer Domino League of H H V Whitchurch and organised by Delvin Esprit. Lagoon scored 4,007 points to Rockers of Paix Bouche 3,872.

-Scorpions emerged champions of the Red Stripe Rum three-hand competition which played off at the Fond Cole Centre. Scorpions reached 71 doughs to Remix 68 and 007' 65.

-Dubique Stars won the third national rounders league. Annie Sablon of Diamonds all Stars was MVP. Tremors of Soufriere won in 2011 with Julia Bruno of Dubique Stars being MVP. KT United of Salybia in 2010 were first champions in 2010 with Nadia Damier of ACS South Defenders as MVP.

Schools

Dominica and Windward Islands cricketer, Jerlani Robinson led Dominica State College (DSC) to their third successive United Insurance Secondary Schools (SS) Under-20 championship.DSC took first innings points in their drawn match with Castle Bruce SS (CBSS) at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium. DSC got 293 and 51-2 with Gian Benjamin getting 120 runs. CBSS replied with 153.

-Wesley won both the Primary Schools (PS) netball league and festival competition for Division II.

-Portsmouth SS (PSS) won U-14 Division I netball as well as U-16 and U-20. NECS won U-14 Division II.

-Goodwill Primary won the National Bank of Dominica (NBD) Primary Schools football championship. Goodwill won against St Joseph Jr 3-2 after trailing 0-2 at Benjamin Park, Portsmouth. Kiivel Dorival was MVP.

-Grand Fond and Wesley won girls Division I and II PS volleyball respectively with Sineku and St John's taking the male equivalent titles.

-PSS won female U-20 basketball with DSC winning the male component. Stella Alcendor of DSC and Kevin Toussaint of PCSS were respective MVPs.

-PSS won SS girls U-15 basketball with SMA winning for boys.

-In table tennis, PSS won female U-14 and U-16, and male U-20 with NECS winning U-14 (f) and U-16 (m). DSC won female U-20. Kerris Albert, DSC won female open singles, with Jaleel Lewis, PSS winning the male open.

-DGS won the SS U-15 football competition. Kassim Peltier got the Clem John MVP trophy. ITSS won the U17 competition with Anfernee Frederick of GSS being MVP. GSS won the U-20 league with Denzel Lawrence being MVP.

-Gian Benjamin led Eastern District to their second successive championship in the Nagico Under-19 Cricket League organised by the DCA.

-Dominica's U-15 cricketers won their fourth Windward Islands championship in St Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG) with five of a possible six wins.

-Grand Fond Primary won the girls' U-13 football by defeating Woodford Hill 2-0 in the final after knocking out Goodwill in the semi-finals to deny Goodwill an early double. Gitel Guiste was MVP.

-North East Comprehensive School (NECS) took first innings against St Mary's Academy to capture their second successive U-15 cricket title. Leic Charles of PSS was the lone centurion with 104 runs.

-Isaiah Thomas SS (ITSS) girls were crowned DFA/SD football champions with a 5-0 win over CBSS

-DGS's Skinner House won the soccerama at the WSS which marked the opening of the Secondary Schools Football Competition of the Sports Division.

-NECS spearheaded by their female contingent won their seventh straight SS Independence Athletics Meet at B/Park.

-DGS won the SS U-17 and U-15 football leagues with GSS capturing the U-20 competition for the second year running.