Primary School Netball Rally Opens Season

By Flynn Bush

Last Friday, September 27, the primary school netballers were in action at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. A total of ten Under-11 teams competed to determine who would win the Rally Championship this year. The action was intense, although good spirited, and the players showed real progression as the day went on.

The rally is a traditional way to begin the netball season, and this year it featured a vast majority of the teams who will be competing in the league. This is the first chance for them to play this year, and so it would have been expected that the skill execution would be a little rusty. However, for some of the teams, that was not the case. A prime example was Cayman Prep who exhibited a high level of play as they blazed through their group stage. They ended up winning Group 1, with Savannah and St. Ignatius tied for second. On the other side, Bodden Town Primary ruled the roost, winning Group 2. George Town Primary placed second to them.

So now, the stage was set for the semifinals. On adjacent courts, playing simultaneously, it was to be Cayman Prep versus George Town Primary and Bodden Town Primary facing Savannah Primary (Savannah got the spot due to a tiebreaker over St. Ignatius). The tension was mounting.

On court one, George Town and Prep played fast; each side attacking with gusto. In the end, a hard fought victory belonged to George Town and they had secured a place in the final. Meanwhile, on court two, Bodden Town Primary was displaying its dominance and its physical presence. Ultimately, it was too much for Savannah and the team from the country’s first capital moved on to the title game.

Since both teams in the final had faced each other in the group stage, there was familiarity. In that round, Bodden Town had prevailed convincingly. This outcome was to be no different as George Town, not for a lack of effort, were unable to match the pace and physicality of the Bodden Town squad. The rally champion was crowned, Bodden Town Primary School. This left George Town as Runner-up, and both Cayman Prep and Savannah as Third Place finishers.

With the completion of the rally, the action now moves to the league season. Games are set to commence on October 4, with a total of 14 schools competing for the title. This total also will include a team from Cayman Brac, which is competing for the first time in quite some time. Good luck to all.