The 7th edition of the MVP Sports Girls U-11 Primary School Football Championship got underway yesterday at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue, and was full of unbridled action as the sport’s next generation of female footballers showcased their wares.
A major winner on the day was West Ruimveldt, who stuck four goals past St. Aloysius without response. Ariel Farley led the rout with a hat-trick in the fourth, fifth, and 15th minutes. She was supported by Thea Valentine, who netted in the 40th minute.
However, Marian Academy sounded an early warning with a 5-0 win over Region 10’s One Mile Primary. Skylar De Nobrega crafted a helmet trick in the 14th, 33rd, 38th, and 40th minutes, while Chrissyanne Persaud scored in the 24th minute.
Also, the schools from Region 7 also showed their pedigree, as Potaro and St. John the Baptist recorded wins. Potaro Primary easily defeated F.E. Pollard 2-0. Alesha Gonsalves and Reniese Joseph scored in the 15th and 38th minutes, respectively.
In a similar manner, St. John the Baptist ran over Genesis Academy 5-0. Shemia Hing registered a hat-trick in the fourth, 15th, and 37th minutes, while Neisa Lewis and Jaziah Rodrigues netted in the sixth and 17th minutes, respectively. Meanwhile, the defending champions of the tourney, North Georgetown Primary, relied on penalty kicks to progress in the tournament. At fulltime, neither side could find a winner at 0-0, but North Georgetown prevailed 2-1 on penalties to book their spot in the next round. Earlier at the opening ceremony, Petra’s co-director, Troy Mendonca, stated the organisation’s desire to be more actively involved in promoting the female side of the game while highlighting the need for a nursery for the women’s game.
Wolette Griffith
Also present at the opening ceremony was the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Director of Competitions, Troy Peters, who echoed Mendonca’s sentiments. He pointed out that the game is ever-evolving, stating, “Twenty years ago, a tournament like this would have been unheard of”.
Peters commended Petra for their drive in providing the base for talent to be discovered and subsequently representing Guyana at the various international levels.
The event, which will utilise an elimination format, is slated to conclude on December 9th. The winner of the event will receive $150,000 towards a school project and a trophy, while the second, third, and fourth-place finishers will receive $100,000, $75,000, and $50,000, respectively, towards a school initiative and the corresponding accolade.
On the individual side, prizes will also be awarded for the eventual Most Valuable Player, Highest Goal Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper.
Complete Results
Game-1
Smith’s Memorial-0 vs Tucville-1
Wolette Griffith-32nd
Game-2
F.E. Pollard-0 vs Potaro-2
Alesha Gonsalves-15th
Reniese Joseph-38th
Game-3
Genesis-0 vs St John the Baptist-5
Shemia Hing-4th, 15th and 37th
Neisa Lewis-6th
Jaziah Rodrigues-17th
Game-4
St Aloysius-0 vs West Ruimveldt-4
Ariel Farley-4th, 5th and 15th
Thea Valentine-40th
Game-5
One Mile-0 vs Marian Academy-5
Skylar De Nobrega-14th, 33rd, 38th and 40th
Chrissyanne Persaud-24th
Game-6
Friendship-0 vs North Georgetown-0
North Georgetown won 2-1 on penalty kicks
