SPORTS SECTION E
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2017
Bahamas earns 4-1 win over Ecuador Island nation finishes 3rd in Group A
By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
T
eam Bahamas put together its most complete game of the tournament thus far en route to their first win of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2017. The Bahamas scored a 4-1 win over Ecuador last night in the new national beach soccer stadium at Malcolm Park. Jean Francois scored a pair of goals while Lesly St Fleur and Kyle Williams each added goals to close out the tournament with an historic win for the programme. Williams scored the final goal of the game at 33’14” to send the Bahamian faithful into frenzy and cap the first Beach Soccer World Cup win in the island nation’s history. He said the team made a point to bounce back from Saturday’s lopsided 10-1 defeat at the hands of Senegal. “The effort was absolutely amazing. Ecuador is a very good team, this is the World Cup so every team is really good and after the Senegal game we knew we had to have a great performance,” he said. “It was great for us, we came out, played hard, we had great support from our fans, they stuck with us the whole time and it made the difference in the end.” It was a new starting lineup for the Bahamas with St Fleur, Daron Beneby, Dwayne Forbes and Gary Joseph the first five on the pitch. “It was great, it allowed us to stay engaged, sometimes quicker subs means everyone is a bit more involved throughout the game and it made a difference,” Williams said. “The effort was great, everyone gets to touch the sand, everyone gets to contribute and that’s what we want in the end.” Julio Jemison was a force in goal once again for Team Bahamas and finished with 12 saves. Both teams missed several scoring opportunities in the first but the Bahamas’ defensive effort was highlighted late when Ecuador had numbers, but Jemison came up with a deflection to keep a 0-0 tie. After Ecuador’s Daniel Cedeno missed a shot that sailed above the crossbar, the Bahamas would score on the very next possession when Francois scored the first goal of the game and his first of the tournament at the 5:47 mark. St Fleur would tack on another
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CLEVELAND ENEAS WINS THEIR 5TH PRIMARY SCHOOLS TRACK TITLE By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net CLEVELAND Eneas successfully defended their title, winning their 5th New Providence Primary Schools Sports Association Track and Field Championships by a landslide. Leading from day one of the three-day meet at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium last week, Cleveland Eneas compiled a total of 338.50 points to out-distance their nearest rivals Yellow Elder, who got 202. Sadie Curtis held on for third place with 197, Sybil Strachan got fourth with 161.50 and Columbus Primary rounded out the top five in the 23-school field with 156. “This one was bitter sweet,” said Cleveland Eneas’ head coach Mariska Stubbs-Thompson. “I really went through a lot this year, so it was crucial that we won.
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BBF ‘HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING’ FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN’S BASKETBALL By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
LESLY ST FLEUR in action during last night’s historic 4-1 victory over Ecuador in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in the new beach soccer stadium at Malcolm Park, East Bay Street. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 2 Photo: 10th Year Seniors goal less than three minutes later after an incredible individual effort to outrace a pair of defenders and the Ecuadorian keeper to land a strike for a 2-0 lead. Early in the third, Ecuador was able to keep pace on a goal from Segundo Moreira, but failed to score the equaliser. Francois scored the brace at 32’49” and Williams added another goal to secure the win. The Bahamas finished third in Group A with a 1-2 record. With a World Cup win, team captain Gavin Christie said the Bahamas proved it belonged on the big stage with the world’s best teams and he expects a rise in the
rankings to follow. “Hopefully, but the rankings are on paper, what matters is what happens on the sand,” he said. “I’m proud of the effort this team put out there all tournament, we proved we belong on this stage and the programme will only continue to get better from here.” Four teams, the top two finishers from Group A and Group B, advanced to Thursday’s quarterfinals. Iran defeated Nigeria 2-1 on penalties after a thrilling 4-4 draw after extra time to claim the runners-up spot in Group B and reach the quarter-finals. They will
advance to face Switzerland who beat Senegal 3-2 on penalties after their 6-6 draw after extra time to top Group A. Italy was undefeated at the group stage and eased past Mexico 8-1 to finish top of Group B. They will face Senegal in the quarterfinals. The other half of the quarterfinals will be decided today as the winners and runners up from Group C and D emerge. Tahiti will face Poland at 3:30pm followed by Paraguay v Panama at 5:30pm, Brazil v Japan at 6:30pm and the United Arab Emarites v Portugal in the 8pm nightcap.
WHILE the Bahamas Basketball Federation crowned its men’s division 1 and II champions over the weekend in Abaco, the New Providence Women’s Basketball Association champions were disappointed once again as they were not included. The BBF’s Bunny Levarity National Basketball Tournament saw the New Providence Basketball Association champions Mr Ship It Freight Regulators and Breezes High Flyers bring the two titles to New Providence. The Regulators, behind the game-winning basket by most valuable player Brian Bain in the winding seconds, held off the Grand Bahama Shipyard Cruisers 84-82 for the division one title, while the Bimini Marlins won 55-50 over Abaco’s Murphy Town Bombers for third place. And the High Flyers flew
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TALKS TO MOVE HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL NATIONALS TO ELEUTHERA By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net BAHAMAS Softball Federation president Ted Miller was quite pleased with what he saw at their Austin ‘King Snake’ Knowles National High School Softball Tournament. Austin Knowles, the patron of the three-day event held in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, was just as elated with what he saw. “It was a very good tournament and I enjoyed myself,” said Knowles, known as the ‘godfather of softball’ in the Bahamas. “I was glad to see that everybody was happy and
they played well.” This was the 16th year that the tournament has been held and Knowles thanked everybody in the BSF and the teams who participated in keeping his legacy alive. “There is a lot of enthusiasm among the young players,” he stressed. “They see what it’s all about and they try very hard to win the title.” Miller said the tournament was successful in that they got to play all of the games scheduled. “We got through all of the games and crowned the boys’ and girls’ champions without incident,” Miller said. “So I think that speaks for itself. It was a successful tournament.” Plans are now in motion for
the staging of next year’s tournament, which is scheduled to move to Eleuthera, the home of Austin Knowles. “We are in talks with the Ministry of Education’s Sports Division to take the tournament to Eleuthera,” he said. “That is in motion. We just have to do our footwork now and make sure that it happens.” Knowles said he heard the talk but, obviously for that to happen, a lot of work will be required. “We will see what happens. But I know I enjoy my weekend here when I come down for the tournament to be among the youth of the country,” he said. Knowles, however, said by
taking the tournament to the island known for its pineapples, maybe they will get the teams on the island to join Spanish Wells again. For the 4th consecutive year, Spanish Wells Bulldogs took home the boys’ title as they routed Charles W Saunders High Crusaders 18-3. Spanish Wells girls had to settle for bronze. Charles Saunders won the girls’ title with a 17-7 win over Queen’s College. CR Walker Knights won bronze. Charles Saunders also got another dose of victory as versatile third base/pitchers Khawan Dames and Mia Turner were named the respective MVPs of the tournament.