In your neighbourhood

Four teams, three spots

Four teams are caught in a dogfight for three remaining semi-final spots in the WIHCON-sponsored Division Two football league which continues tomorrow.

Watson Grove became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals after a 2-0 win over Daytona last Sunday. They lead the league on 23 points.

Second-place Portsmouth (19) and joint third-place teams Greater Portmore (18), Racing United (18) and Braeton United (18) are fighting for three spots. Of the four teams, Racing have the easiest route to the next round, playing against bottom club Caymanas Gardens at Racing in a 1:30 p.m. encounter.

Portsmouth have a tough game against Braeton United at the Portsmouth field at 1:30 p.m., with the winner making it to the next round. Greater Portmore tackle out-of-contention Hellshire United (14) at Hellshire 1:30 p.m. in games of only academic interest. Already qualified Watson Grove take on Christian Pen also at Racing at 3:30 p.m., while it's Newtown Braeton vs Portmore Pines (Hellshire 3:30 p.m.) and Daytona vs Caymanas Gardens Site D (1:30 p.m., Racing).

Shaw returns as president

The Kingston & St Andrew Business House Football Association held its annual general meeting on February 28.

The main item on the agenda was the election of officers to serve for the 2008-2010 period.

Wayne Shaw was returned unopposed as president of the The Kingston & St Andrew Business House Football Association for his second two-year term.

Three new officers - Carlene Edwards, Heather Jackson and Kevan Wisdom, were also elected to serve two-year terms. Below are the posts, elected officers and affiliated companies.

Executive: President - Wayne Shaw (Bank of Nova Scotia); first vice president - Karen Bogle (National Housing Trust); second vice president - Carlene Edwards (Supreme Ventures Limited); general secretary - Brian Rose (Seprod Limited); assistant general secretary - Heather Jackson (Supreme Ventures Limited); treasurer - Joseph Fagan (Serv-Wel Limited); assistant treasurer - Kirk White (Jamaica National Building Society); public relations officer - David Henry (Worldtron Esso); assistant PRO - Kevan Wisdom (Sherwin Williams).

The 2008 season is tentatively scheduled to commence on April 26 with the one-day five-a-side rally at the National Water Commission (NWC) field.

Haldane sparkles

Fifteen-year-old Manchester High student Mikaylia Haldane captured two titles - the Open doubles and B Division ladies doubles - at the Doubles Mania badminton tournament which was played at the GC Foster College Gymnasium, Spanish Town last weekend.

Haldane was also a runner-up in the B mixed doubles to emerge as the top performer at the event.

For the men, national player Garron Palmer took the two Open events, relegating Pan Am junior gold medallist Gareth Henry to second place in both.

This event was partially sponsored by Cable & Wireless and Young's Supermarket, Spanish Town. There were 180 entries in the 13 events.

WBA get big sponsorship

The Western Basketball Association (WBA) is pleased to announce the launch of the 2008 Men's Basketball Championship (MBC) season.

GlaxoSmithKline through their world leading brand Lucozade Sport has signed on to remain title sponsor for the Western Basketball Association (WBA) men's basketball championship.

It will sponsor Western Jamaica's top competition to the tune of $250,000 plus provide Lucozade Sport isotonic beverages for players and coaches on game days. The total sponsorship will value will over $300,000.

Through the increased sponsorship, clubs can look forward to more cash-incentive games such as the pre-season rally, mid-season final and the best-of- five championship finals.

Teams participating this season are Bay City Lions (St James), Granville Jaguars and Wolfpack (St James), Hopewell Cobras (Hanover), Hoopers (St James), Inner-city Avalanche (St James) Rainbow Storm (St James) and Sav-la-Mar Hawks (Westmoreland).

Glenmuir at the double

Glenmuir High secured a double victory over Clarendon in action from the ISSA Table Tennis competition on Tuesday.

The Glenmuir girls, who are defending champions, blanked Clarendon College 3-0 and Glenmuir's boys crushed Clarendon College 4-1, both in the Under-19 section.

In three urban matches played this week, Campion blanked Ardenne 3-0 and Meadowbrook stopped Immaculate 3-1 in two girls Under-19 matches while Ardenne edged newcomers Cumberland 3-2 in a boys' Under-19 match.

Campion extended their lead atop the Under-19 girls standings with their victory. They are now on 15 points, followed by Ardenne (seven points) and Meadowbrook and Immaculate (five points each). The top two finishers will contest the final on March 19 at the Pembroke Hall Community Centre.

After the Ardenne/Cumberland Under-19 boys match, Calabar remain atop Group Two with 19 points, ahead of KC (16 points), Ardenne (nine), Meadowbrook (eight), Hillel (seven) and Cumberland (five).

Portland 20/20 cricket

Action in the West Portland Sports Club Under-19 Twenty/20 competition continues tomorrow with three matches.

Balcares face Black Hill at Skibo Oval at 11:00 a.m. while Swift River tackle West Portland at the same venue at 2:00 p.m.

Orange Bay take on Spring Hill at Charles Town at 11:00 a.m.

Fourth Generation, West Portland and Balcares (four points each) lead the standings ahead of Swift River and Orange Bay (two each). Spring Hill and Black Hill are without a point.

Hotel domino

Defending champions Housekeeping defeated Sanitation 30-29 in a nail-biting contest as action started in the 2008 Inter-Department Domino Competition at Grand Lido Braco Resort and Spa this week.

Meanwhile, one of last year's beaten semi-finalists, Bars Department, defeated the Kitchens Department 30-25 on Wednesday.

Mystix pool tournament

The next Mystix Sports Bar 8-Ball Pool tournament (handicap) is scheduled for March 29 and 30 at 78 3/4 Hagley Park Road starting at 6:00 p.m. on both days. The tournament is open to A, B and C class players and offers a first prize of $30,000 and championship trophy. Second wins $15,000 and a trophy, third $10,000 and fourth $5,000.

Entry fee is $1,500, re-entry $1,000 and $800 for the ladies.

Entries must be in by Friday, March 28 before 10:00 p.m., while the draw will be held immediately after at the bar. The final and presentation are scheduled for Sunday night. For early bookings call 'Toothpick' at 391-4666.

Meanwhile, Mystix will stage a number of mini-tournaments on March 19 and 26 starting at 7:30 p.m.

First prize for each is $10,000, while entry fee is $500 and re-entry $300. First, second, third and fourth places will enter the Mystix 8-Ball tournament free of cost.

Chocolate, Comma Pen in super clash

POWERHOUSE Comma Pen and Chocolate Hole will square off tomorrow in the final of the NCB Southeast St Elizabeth 35-over knockout cricket competition at the Harper Miller Oval in the parish.

The match, set to start at 10:30, is expected to attract a bumper crowd from both participating communities.

On paper, both teams are very strong as several national senior and junior players will face off against each other for a winner's prize of $100,000. The runners-up will collect $50,000.

Donovan Sinclair, a member of the national senior set-up, Shane Powell and Orville Pennant of Comma Pen and the hard-hitting Howard Harris and Damion Ebanks of Chocolate Hole are the players with senior team experience.

Youth cricketers

Meanwhile, Marlon Johnson and Ziggy Levy of Comma Pen, along with Howard Powell and Ishmael Parchment of Chocolate Hole are the players who have played youth cricket for the island.

Comma Pen's possible XI: Algrove Johnson, Donavon Sinclair, Christopher Gayle, Orville Pennant, Marlon Johnson, Shane Powell, Stephan Patterson, Troy Powell, Yohan Holness and Ziggy Levy.

Chocolate Hole possible XI: Clayton Malcolm, Damion Ebanks, Damion Sangster, Davian Davidson, Doran McCloud, Greg Thompson, Howard Harris, Howard Powell, Ishmael Parchment, Neil McNally and Trace Powell.

Centuries in semis

In the semis, Shane Powell and Owane Holness each scored centuries. Powell scored 140 and Holness contributed 109 as Comma Pen scored 499 for six off 35 overs against Morningside. Stephan Patterson chipped in with 75.

In reply, Morningside were skittled out for 245 in 20 overs. Damion Foster, 71, and Christopher Senior, 61, were the top scorers against Shane Powell 4-57 and Ziggy Levy 2-33.

In the second semi, Ballards Valley 167 all out in 28 overs (Bryce Blackwood 36, Brian Ricketts 32; Davian Davidson 3-38, Reece McClacken 3-32) lost to Chocolate Hole, who replied with 168 for seven in 22 overs (Damion Sangster 38, Damion Ebanks 28; Mark Gordon 4-70).