Photo: Holy Ghost RC girls (Stann Creek) – National Female Primary School Football Champions 2024
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 19, 2024
In a two-day tournament held at the People’s Stadium in Orange Walk on Thursday and Friday, June 13 and 14, the female and male primary school football champions of the six districts of the country competed in the national primary school football championships of Belize, hosted by the National Sports Council. After a sequence of 6 games in each category (female and male), where each team played 2 matches, the top four point finishers advanced to the semifinals; and then it was the 3rd place match, followed by the championship games for the females and males.
When it was over, Holy Ghost RC girls of Stann Creek and St. Jude RC boys of Cayo (Camalote) were crowned the 2024 National Primary School Football Champions.
(Legend: Corozal – czl; Orange Walk – owk; Belize District – bze; Cayo – cyo; Stann Creek – scr; Toledo – tol)
FEMALES
In games of the female category, Santa Elena RC (cyo) dropped Church of Christ (czl), 1-0, on a goal by Kenisha Guerra; Our Lady of Lourdes RC (bze) drew, 0-0, with Santa Cruz RC (owk); Holy Ghost RC (scr) won, 3-0, over Church of Christ (czl) with goals from Shanalee Smith, Eleanor Thomas and Jasha Lamb; Santa Cruz RC (owk) and Forest Home Methodist (tol) played to a 0-0 draw; Santa Elena RC (cyo) and Holy Ghost RC (scr) also drew, 0-0; and Our Lady of Lourdes (bze – Maskall) won, 1-0, over Forest Home Methodist (tol) with a goal from Demika Jones.
The point tally from those games saw Santa Elena RC with 4 pts, Our Lady of Lourdes 4 pts, Holy Ghost RC 4 pts, Santa Cruz RC 2 pts, Forest Home Methodist 1 pt, and Church of Christ 0 pt.
Both semifinals ended scoreless in regulation and had to be decided by penalties. In penalties, Holy Ghost prevailed, 3-2, over Santa Cruz FC; and Our Lady of Lourdes also won, 3-2, over Santa Elena RC.
The match for 3rd place also ended 0-0 in regulation, and in the penalty shootout, Santa Elena RC won, 3-1, over Santa Cruz RC.
In the championship game, it was Holy Ghost RC coming away with a big 3-0 victory over Our Lady of Lourdes, with all 3 goals coming from Shanalee Smith.
MALES
In games for the boys, St. Jude RC (cyo) drew, 1-1, with Concepcion RC (czl); Our Lady of The Way RC (bze) won, 1-0, over Guinea Grass Pentecostal (owk); Holy Ghost RC (scr) drew, 0-0, with Concepcion RC (czl); San Pedro Colombia RC (tol) won, 1-0, over Guinea Grass Pentecostal (owk); St. Jude RC (cyo) won, 1-0, over Holy Ghost RC (scr); and Our Lady of The Way RC (bze) drew, 0-0, with San Pedro Colombia (tol).
In the points tally it was St. Jude RC 4 pts, Our Lady of The Way 4 pts, San Pedro Colombia (tol) 3 pts, Concepcion RC (czl) 2 pts, Holy Ghost RC (scr) 1 pt, and Guinea Grass Pentecostal (owk) 0 pt.
The first semifinal saw St. Jude RC clipping San Pedro Colombia RC, 1-0, on a goal by J’Vaughn Reid. In the other semifinal, Our Lady of The Way prevailed, 2-1, over Concepcion RC. Kent Noralez netted both goals for Our Lady of The Way RC, while Ishmaur Guy got the goal for Concepcion RC.
The 3rd place match was scoreless in regulation, and in the penalty shootout, Concepcion RC won, 5-4, over San Pedro Colombia RC.
And in the championship game, St. Jude RC emerged victorious, 1-0, over Our Lady of The Way, on a goal by J’Vaughn Reid.
Tournament Winners & Awards
Trophies, medals and awards were issued after the games by Orange Walk Town Mayor Ladrick Sheppard and National Sports Director, Marvin Ottley, as follows:
Females – 1st Place – Holy Ghost RC (Stann Creek); 2nd Place – Our Lady of Lourdes RC (Maskall, Bze Dist.); and 3rd Place – Santa Elena RC (Cayo). MVP – Shanalee Smith (Holy Ghost RC, Stann Creek)
Males – 1st Place – St. Jude RC (Camalote, Cayo); 2nd Place – Our Lady of The Way RC (Ladyville, Bze Dist.); and 3rd Place – Concepcion RC (Corozal). MVP – Ethan Vargas (St. Jude RC, Cayo).