Clement Howell, Majorie Basden Are High School Football Champs

Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. E. Jay Saunders presents the championship trophy to Shanta Seymour, Principal of the Clement Howell High School.

The victorious Majorie Basden High School celebrate after winning the Female segment of the High School Football Competition

Clement Howell High Boys and Marjorie Basden Girls are champions of the Turks and Caicos and Caicos Islands Schools Sports (TCISS) Secondary Schools Sports Inter-High School Football Competitions.

Clement Howell got the better of the fancied Elite High School 2-0 in a highly physical match-up, while Marjorie Basden clipped the high-scoring British West Indies Collegiate 2-1. The finals were played at the National Stadium in Providenciales on Saturday, October 29.

Tamara Bassett of the Sports Commission, presents Curtis Pennant of Clement Howell High with the Golden Glove Award

The boys’ final was a dingdong battle, as Clement Howell High, who won the title last seasons, sought to retain the title, while Elite pressed to dethrone them. Both teams managed to breach each other’s defense, but on some occasions the goalkeepers were too alert and other occasions the chances were muffed by the forwards.

However, as both teams pressed for the ascendancy, it was Clement Howell that broke the deadlock when Djovany Toussaint shot past the Elite goalkeeper, to give his team the lead going into the halftime interval.

As Elite pressed for the equalizer in the second half, controversy struck when eventual Golden Glove winner, goalkeeper Curtis Pennant, found the back of the Elite net in the minutes 23rd minute. The goal resulted in the game being halted for several minutes as the Elite players and coaching staff protested.

Member of Parliament for Wheeland, Hon. Kyle Knowles, presents league’s leading goal-scorer Anika Harry with the Golden Boot Award.

The referees and match officials managed to quell the uproar and the game resumed. However, following a water break, the Elite players and coaching staff, who were still protesting, walked off the field, causing the officials to blow off the contest, which sparked celebrations in the Clement Howell Camp.

On the female side, it was the fleet-footed forward, Irener Moline, who opened the scoring for Marjorie Basden High School in the 11th minute, but that goal was cancelled out one minute later, when the league’s top goal-getter, Anika Harry, blasted the ball in the back of the net immediately after kick-off.

However, three minutes before time – in the 37th minute – Callie Hall of Marjorie Basden managed to beat the league’s golden glove winner, Brianna Burton in the BWC goal, to give her team the championship.

Dovauri Daniel of HJ Robinson High School, who was named MVP of the league for the males, collects his trophy from Member of Parliament for Wheeland, Hon. Kyle Knowles.

Junior Louis of Elite, who finished the league on the male side with nine goals, won the award for being the leading goal-scorer, while it was Anika Harry, who won the award on the female side, ending the month-long league with 32 goals.

Krysann Williams of the Louise Garland Thomas High School, who was the named MVP, is seen here collecting her award from Member of Parliament for Wheeland, Hon. Kyle Knowles.

Dovauri Daniel of HJ Robinson High School was named MVP of the league for the males, while Krysann Williams of the Louise Garland Thomas High School was the MVP for the female side.