Igloo-GCC Hockey Festival stares exciting conclusion
Sigmas claim Boys’ U17 title, as goals rain on Day Two…
Kaieteur Sports – After eleven thrilling matches on the opening day, the Igloo Ice Cream Hockey Festival continued to sizzle on Saturday at the GCC Hockey Turf with a day full of electrifying action, marking the penultimate day of the 2024 Festival. With an impressive lineup of 20 matches, the tournament is set to crown its champions.
Solana Crum-Ewing on the move!
Saturday’s action featured a series of exciting encounters across the Under-14, U17, and U21 divisions, as well as three high-octane clashes in the senior Men’s and Women’s categories. In the Under-14 division, GCC Thunderbolt narrowly lost to SHC Schorchers 3-2, with Clay Bob scoring all three goals for the Schorchers. YMCA OFHC Gladiators then dominated GCC Thunderbolts 5-0 in their first U14 Mixed Group A match, thanks to a superb hat-trick by Malachi Agard. However, the Gladiators later fell 4-0 to SHC Schorchers, with Bob adding two more goals to his tally.
In the U14 Mixed Group B matches, SHC Slayers faced HHC School Tek We, with Tek We emerging victorious with a 2-1 scoreline. HHC School Tek We later suffered a 2-1 defeat against YMCA OFHC Bombers, who themselves were narrowly beaten 2-1 by the Slayers, with Kaiya Scoot and Carenza Copeland making the difference.
The U14 Mixed semifinals were a highlight, with YMCA OFHC Gladiators securing a dramatic 3-2 victory over SHC Slayer after a penalty shootout, advancing to the finals.
Meanwhile in the Girls U17 division, GCC Her-Ricanes defeated YMCA Old Fort Stars 3-0. In an epic final, SHC Sigmas were crowned U17 Boys champions after edging out SHC Legends 3-2 on penalties.
Later on, the Boys U21 division saw intense competition as SHC Conquerors defeated GCC Pitbulls 3-2, with Sakeem Fausette shining with a hat-trick, while in another U21 match, YMCA OFHC Young Boys overcame SHC S’Team 3-1.
The senior segment captivated spectators, with Team Rebels claiming a 7-4 victory over Saints after trailing 2-3 at halftime. Carloyn Deane’s four goals led Rebels to their second win in the Women’s division before Saints rebounded to beat Team Rebels 2-1 in a hard-fought encounter later in the day.
Over in the Men’s division, Saints and YMCA OFHC Top Guns both secured impressive victories; Top Guns edged out HHC Rennants 6-5 in a thrilling finish, while Saints defeated GCC Vintage 3-0.
The Igloo Hockey Festival concluded yesterday at the same venue, where champions across all divisions were crowned. Detailed coverage of the final day’s action will be featured in an upcoming edition.
The tournament is sponsored by the Igloo Ice Cream and organized by the GCC Hockey Club.
