As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#WHILE the Bahamas women’s national team will miss out on the opportunity to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean Games, the men’s team has been invited to participate by virtue of being the champions of the English Speaking Amateur Softball Confederation (ECASC) Tournament in 2015.

#During the ECASC Tournament for Women currently being played in the US Virgin Islands, Burkett Dorsett said it was agreed that since there won’t be a similar tournament played for the men, it was agreed by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) that the Bahamas would be given the nod to represent ECAST at the CAC Games, scheduled for San Salvador, El Salvador June 23 to July 8.

#“The WBSC decided that the current men’s champions, the Bahamas, would be invited to represent ECASC in the men’s division of the CAC Games in El Salvador,” said Dorsett, who is in El Salvador where the decision was made two days go. “The Bahamas was sent the invitation by the WBSC and they accepted it.”

#Dorsett, the WBSC’s technical commissioner and the immediate past president of ECASC, said although the Bahamas has not played any international softball recently because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they should be able to field a very strong team for the CAC Games.

#“I know some of the men’s national team players were working out in anticipation of the Bahamas being invited to the CAC Games,” Dorsett said.

#“Now that it’s official, they will be able to continue to work out and increase their level of preparation for El Salvador.”

#The Bahamas men’s team will be one of seven countries that will participate in the CAC Games. Among the others are host country El Salvador, Cuba, Mexico, who would have qualified in other areas in Central America and the Caribbean region.

#The women’s national team, on the other hand, would have had to participate in the ECASC Tournament currently underway in the US Virgin Islands, wrapping up on Sunday.

#But unfortunately, The Bahamas Softball Federation opted not to send a team because of the lack of funding and the short notice to prepare the team.

#“I believe the Bahamas would have been able to fit right in, but a lot of the teams here have improved,” according to Dorsett, who travelled to the tournament with umpire Thomas Sears and immediate past BSF president, Ted Miller. “There are a lot of teams who have brought in some of their collegiate players to try and qualify their team for the CAC Games. The pitching here is awesome.

#“I think it will come down to a fight between the British Virgin Islands and Curacao because they both have excellent pitching. It’s a well played tournament so far.”

#Dorsett commended the US Virgin Islands on their organisation of the tournament.

#He also noted that Sears has been given high marks for his officiating during the tournament.

#He noted that as the top ranked umpire in the country, Sears has performed remarkably well. But he noted that there are expected to be some changes made at the end of the tournament.

#Instead of having BSF certified umpires, Dorsett said they will be listed as ECASC/WBSC certified umpires, which means that the umpires will have to go through a certification course in order to be able to officiate in any ECASC/ WBSC events.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/03/mens-national-softball-team-invited-cac-games/?news

As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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UB midfielder Nathan Wells (19) moves the ball up the field as a Bears FC player advances at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

UB midfielder Ronaldo Green (11) moves the ball against a Bears FC player. The Mingoes and Bears fought to a 1-1 draw. Photos: UB ATHLETICS

UB midfielder Ronaldo Green (11) and Bears FC players fight for the ball.

UB winger Jeremy Holland (15) controls the ball.

#THE University of The Bahamas men’s soccer team put its three-match winning streak on the line against Bears FC in Bahamas Football Association play at the Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

#It didn’t quite get snapped but it didn’t quite survive.

#The Mingoes played to a 1-1 draw against Bears FC after a heated match on Sunday.

#The Bears scored early in the match around the 29th minute and held that lead heading into halftime.

#In the second half, Ronaldo Green was awarded a penalty kick but missed what would have been the equaliser for The Mingoes.

#It was Joshua Johnson in the 80th minute who scored the equalising goal for The Mingoes to tie the game at 1-1. Green had the long pass into the box and Johnson was able to head the ball into the net for the goal. “We started a bit slow today,” assistant head coach Alex Thompson said. “We had a player who was put on a red card and the league rescinded 24 hours before the game so that forced an adjustment to the lineup before the game started. That’s no excuse because we had at least 10 chances inside the opponent’s box.”

#Thompson said the team showed a lot of heart to get back in the match and come out with the draw.

#He added that a goal of the team is to finish in the top two in the standings and the draw makes that even harder. “But it’s still on the table mathematically,” he said. “We just have to handle the rest of the season and we need a little bit of luck as well.

#The Mingoes next play Future Stars 3pm Sunday at The Roscow A.L. Davies Field.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/03/ub-mingoes-men-1-1-draw-bears-fc-fierce-match/?news

As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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#THE Bahamas Football Association continued its regular season action this week in the Roscoe Davies Developmental Center at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex. The following are results of games played:

#Wednesday

#Dynamos FC (3) VS Future Stars (2)

#In a fast paced match, Brandon Adderley scored a hat trick to give the Dynamos FC the victory. Mikendy Paul tried his best to battle back but fell short as he scored a brace for his squad. The referees had their hands full with this match as seen by the number of cards issued. Dynamos currently sits in the 4th spot in the standings with 7 wins while the Stars reside in the 8th spot in the table.

#Renegades FC (7) VS Cavalier FC (0)

#Jacob Charles has found his scoring boots just in time to lead Renegades climb up the table of the Bahamas men’s soccer league. Charles scored a hattrick (3 goals) to pummel the Cavalier Squad 7-0. Cavalier FC currently sits at the bottom of the table looking up at the other teams. Renegades moved up to the 6th position with the win.

#Saturday

#Women’s Division

#United Women’s Football Club (4) VS Cavalier WFC (0)

#Hadassah Knowles, Asia Williams, Jade Thelamour and Samina Moss all chipped in to secure a dominating victory over a competitive Cavalier WFC Squad. In the end, experience and youth took over.

#United WFC currently sit atop the table of the women’s soccer league.

#Baha Jr WFC (0) VS Dynamos WFC (0)

#In the feature match of the day, this match turned out to be a fire cracker of a match with both teams pushing for the win. In the end, despite the number of opportunities created in the game, neither team could score and the teams shared the points in the end.

#The Dynamos WFC currently sit in the second position followed by Baha Jr WFC in third.

#SUNDAY AFTERNOON

#M1: Cavalier FC (0) VS FC Seventeen (7)

#Cavalier FC is a shell of their glory years as this edition of the storied is currently giving up on average, a whopping 7 goals per game.

#The squad has needs across their roster and it showed in the first match as Marken Das scored 4 goals to lead the FC Seventeen squad to a 7-0 victory. Das continues to push towards the Golden Boot title with 5 games remaining on the season and he sits in third with 15 goals.

#M2: Insurance Management Bears (1) VS University of the Bahamas Mingoes (1)

#The high flying Mingoes were grounded by a determined veteran Bears squad. The Bears took the lead on a goal by Djodson Francois in the 25th minute of the match and this created immediate pressure for the Mingoes who could not afford another setback in their push to win the title. The Mingoes added a number of pieces in the winter transfer with hopes that their roster will be strengthened. The Bears on the other hand relied on a smothering defence led by Bahamian international veteran Leslie St. Fleur to hold league-leading goal scorer Ronaldo Green scoreless.

#The Bears could not close out the game as young Joshua Johnson scored the tying goal in the 84th minute to share the points in the end. The Bears are sitting firmly in the 7th position while the Mingoes are tied on points for second with the United Football Club. Both squads racked up the yellow cards as the referees had to work hard to keep the match in check.

#M3: Baha Jr FC (0) VS Renegades FC (9)

#Don’t look now but the Renegades FC is making a push to get into the top four position on the table and leading the way is Jacob Charles who has been on a tear lately. With a smothering defence behind him, Charles was able to drop five goals on a hapless Baha Jr squad.

#Baha Jr is currently giving up an average of 5.6 goals per game and sit in the 9th spot, one away from the bottom of the table. With eight goals in the past two games, look out for the name Jacob Charles!

#BFA UPCOMING MATCHES

#Friday 4.00pm Bah COE men VS Turks and Caicos ( Int’l Friendly) at RALD

#Saturday 4.00 pm Baha COE men (m2) VS Turks and Caicos at RALD

#7.00 pm Dynamos WFC VS Baha Jr WFC at RALD

#Sunday Afternoon:

#3.00 pm UB Mingoes VS Future Stars ( Ronaldo Green looks to explode in this matchup, tough defense vs hot scoring forward)

#5.00pm Seventeen FC VS Dynamos FC ( Seventeen looking to keep their winning streak alive face Dynamos who are trying to close the gap and get into third place)

#7.00 pm Renegades FC VS IM Bears (With pride on the line, look for Bears to put the clamps on Charles and his squad.)

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/03/bfa-regular-season-action-heats/?news

As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#NORTH American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) president Mike Sands said it was more beneficial for the student-athletes at CR Walker to hear from one of their alumni than they do from him.

#Sands was invited to address the athletes of Butler House at CR Walker as they were feted to a reception for their achievements in track and field. But instead, Sands said McKinney was one of the many outstanding athletes who sat were they did.

#He drew reference to at least three of them, Derrick Atkins, who went on to become the World Championships silver medalist in the men’s 100m in Osaka, Japan in 2007; Savatheda Fynes, who was the lead runner for the women’s 4 x 100m relay team, nicknamed the Golden Girls, after their triumph at both the World Championships in 1999 in Seville, Spain and the Olympic Games in 2000 in Sydney, Australia and Ramon Miller, who anchored the Golden Knights men’s 4 x 400m relay team to victory in the Olympics.

#But before he did, he advised the athletes to “use what they have to get what they want” in reference to securing an athletic scholarship to attend colleges and universities in the United States or Canada like the athletes mentioned above.

#“Athletic scholarships, academic scholarships are full of opportunities in the United States, which is our closest destination,” said Sands. “A little peasy hair boy like me from Two Shop Corner got involved in sports at Bahamas Academy, but I went to high school in New York and was fortunate enough to a get a scholarship to Penn State.”

#In presenting McKinney to the audience, Sands said CR Walker had great representation on the world staged and he hope that there will be others who will follow in their footsteps as they shine starting with the Carifta Games here during the Easter holiday weekend at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

#McKinney, who graduated from CR Walker in 2000 as one of the top track and field athletes, went on to become a member of the men’s 4 x 400m relay teams at both the World Championships and the Olympics.

#But the St Augustine’s College, Raleigh, North Carolina graduate who is now a Senior Sports Officer at the Ministry of Tourism said he was a little emotional, but he was glad to share in the success of Butler House, whom he also competed for.

#“I’m glad to see that legacy continue to go forth,” he said.

#But McKinney said of all the accomplishments he’s received and the accolades bestowed up him, he preferred not to mention them, but rather he always try to emphasis the point that if he as a barefoot boy from Woods Alley off Market Street, riding horse and carriage, could do it, they can do it as well.

#“I got no self gratification from the Olympics of the World Championships,” he said. “But to make it from where I came from, is amazing. I now run an organization called ‘Dream Chasers,’ which help kids at risk. “I don’t think many of the kids I deal with know that I ran at the Olympics or the World Championships.

#“I never share these stories. It’s not because I was hiding my talent, but when you tell people your present place, it kind of cripple their past. If I walk into this room and I said I was an Olympian, I would be exalted. But what I do I is I do the same with my kids. If they playing basketball in the rain, my Gucci shoes is going to get wet because I’m going to play with them.”

#McKinney said track and field turned out to be an outlet for him to get an education, his fame in track and field, but his gratification is being able to help the next Bahamian young athlete to reach their full potential.

#Before he left, McKinney showed an inspiring video presentation of his journey through track and field.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/03/mckinney-returns-alma-mater/?news

As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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BAHAMAS doubles team of Jerald Carroll and Jackson Mactaggart with their opponents.

SAPHIRRE Ferguson and Jalisa Clarke take a photo with their doubles opponents.

#THE Bahamas boys team lost to the Dominican Republic in their quarter-final match yesterday in the Junior Davis Cup tournament in Guatemala.

#Team Bahamas lost 2-1. Jackson Mactaggart lost his singles match 6-1, 6-2, but Jerald Carroll won his singles 6-1, 6-0. In doubles, the team of Carroll and Mactaggart lost 6-2, 6-4.

#“It was a super results for the team playing their fist under-16 team event,” said coach Bradley Bain. “They will be better the next time around with more training and match experience.”

#The team finished in fifth place with this being the first time experience for Carroll, while Mactaggart and McCartney participated for the second time.

#The junior Billie Jean King Fed Cup team, coached by Marion Bain, won 3-0 over Jamaica to advance to the consolation round. Saphirre Ferguson won her singles match 7-5, 6-7, 10-2, BreAnn Ferguson won her singles 6-2, 6-3 and Saphirre Ferguson and Jalisa Clarke teamed up to win their doubles match 6-1, 6-0.

#The Bahamas will now play for ninth spot today.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/03/boys-lose-jr-davis-cup-jr-billie-jean-king-fed-cup/?news

As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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#THE Bahamas recently played host to a two-day Celebrity Golf Invitational at the Baha Mar’s Royal Blue Golf Club.

#Included in the list of participants were NFL Buffalo Bills Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, former NFL New York Giant Victor Cruz, MLB All Star Tony Womack, former NFL Tennessee Titan Brian Orakpo, NFL Jacksonville Jaguar Jamaal Charles, former MLB Miami Marlin Charles Johnson, NFL Buffalo Bill Sam Martin, former NFL Cincinnati Bengal Takeo Spikes, former NFL Tennessee Titan and Philadelphia Eagle Jevon Kearse, and others.

#Located on the pristine white sands of Cable Beach, Baha Mar is The Bahamas’ newest luxury resort destination.

#The Baha Mar Casino, the Caribbean’s largest and most luxurious casino with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking sparkling turquoise Bahamian water, hosted an amateur Celebrity Golf Invitational that featured 18 celebrity athletes, over 70 casino guests, a competitive one-day of golf at Baha Mar’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Royal Blue Golf Course, a giant golf ball photo opp on Hole 1, and more.

#Celebrity athletes took to the fairway at Baha Mar’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Royal Blue Golf Course which features both dramatic views of undulating fairways and rolling white sand dunes, as well as limestone “moonscapes” and elevation changes, making the course a thrilling challenge to play.

#The tournament featured foursomes plus one celebrity competing in a One Best Ball Shamble format, with prize packages including $25,000 in promo chips, $5,000 per golfer, and for the golfer to hit closest to the pin a set of L.A.B. Golf Putters.

#The grand prize went to MLB All Star Tony Womack, who took home both $5,000 in promo chips and a set of L.A.B. Golf Putters.

#Victor Cruz; Tony Womack; Bruce & Alston Smith followed.

#Before leaving the Bahamas, the celebrity athletes also spent some time at ECCHO (Expressive Collaborations & Creative House of Opportunities), Baha Mar’s brand new 13,000 sq. ft. multifunctional creative platform for local and international artists, and explored the resort’s exclusive amenities

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/03/celebrity-sighting-celebrity-athletes-tee-baha-mar/?news

As of Friday, March 3, 2023

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#WINNING WAYS: The Panthers women’s volleyball team, coached by Jason Saunders, captured the New Providence Volleyball Association’s 2023 title at the Anatol Rodgers Gymnasium on Tuesday night. The Panthers defeated the Johnson Spikers 3-1 in their best-of-five championship series, wrapping up the title with a 3-1 decision with set scores of 25-27, 35-20, 25-9 and 25-12 in the clincher.

ON TRACK: High school student athletes compete yesterday on day one of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools Track & Field Championships. Photo: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

As of Thursday, March 2, 2023

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#By Tenajh Sweeting

#The Big Red Machine leads the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools Track & Field Championships after a record-breaking day one.

#St Augustine’s College’s Big Red Machine came out on top of day one team rankings with a score of 406.50, edging out the second place Queen’s College Comets with 344.

#Day one of the BAISS track and field championships featured CARIFTA qualifiers and broken BAISS records in both track and field events.

ON TRACK: High school student athletes compete yesterday on day one of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools Track & Field Championships. Photos: Moises Amisial/Tribune Staff

#The Big Red Machine had two CARIFTA qualifiers from the secondary school.

#Darvinique Dean, winner of the girls’ under 17 100m hurdles, qualified with a time of 14.64 seconds, beating the CARIFTA qualifying time of 14.89. She was followed by a fellow schoolmate Madison Moss who clocked a time of 15.68. Third runner up was St John’s College’s Valentina Knowles with 16.79.

#In the boys under 17 110m hurdles, Quinton Rolle bested the CARIFTA-qualifying time of 15.65 and notched the race’s fastest time with a scorching 14.86.

#SAC head coach Jason Edwards praised the efforts of his athletes. “They did exceptional jobs and this meet is one of the prized meets in this country when you talk about high school at the elite level and for them to break these records of past people that [are] probably at the Olympics now or represent the country now in World Championships is phenomenal,” Edwards said.

#QC Comets’ Kenny Moxey joined Rolle in qualifying for CARIFTA with a time of 15.19. The Big Red Machine’s Malik White finished third in 16.72.

#St John’s College, in third place in the team rankings with a score of 147, also had a CARIFTA qualifier. Tayshun Robinson placed first in the boys under 20 110m hurdles with a time of 14.17, beating not only the competition but the CARIFTA-qualifying time of 14.20.

#Robinson credited hard work and shared his coach’s advice for the finals.

#“To stay linear, keep leaning forward don’t sit back, attack the hurdle and don’t get scared,” Robinson said.

#SAC athletes were once again among day one’s record breakers along with the QC Comets as both Tumani Skinner with 48.37 and Zion Miller with 48.56 shattered the BAISS record of 48.64. The record was held by Kinard Rolle since 2014.

#Skinner finished first place and Miller placed second. Clinton Laguerre of the Big Red Machine came in third with a time of 48.85.

#The Comets dominated in the under 13 girls 400 metre dash and the 1, 500m run.

#Cierra Delancy placed first in the 400m and Olana Prince won the 1,500m with a time of 5:51.64.

#Temple Christian’s Jasmine Thompson scored a victory in the under 15 girls 400m dash with a time of 57.52. In the under 15 girls 1,500m run, TC once again bested the competition as Breyteisha Kemp won the long race with a time of 5:23.36.

#The Big Red Machine was victorious in the under 15 girls 75 metre hurdles, the under 17 girls 1,500m finals, and the under 20 girls 400m.

#For the under 13 boys 400m, SAC’s Jireh Woodside beat the competitors with a time of 57.67 followed by St. Andrew’s Trace Russell (1:03.09), and QC’s Terou Bannister (1:06.10).

#St. Andrew’s Trace Russell got the win for the under 13 boys 1,500m with 5:37.19. Second and third place belonged to the Big Red Machine with Brandon Hanna and Kristian Wilson coming right behind.

#Andrew Brown from SAC placed first in the under 17 boys 400m with 50.23. Meanwhile, Jayden Cooper and Zion Davis of SJC placed second and third.

#SAC’s Eagan Neely won the under 15 boys 400 metres and also broke the 2005 BAISS record for the race in the prelims with a swift 50.62.

#Neely said he was happy to achieve this goal. “It feels good because I was trying to break this from last year and now to finally break it, my goal has finally been achieved,” Neely said.

#The field events at the 2023 championships had the same amount of excitement as Terrell McCoy from Windsor School starred in the under 17 girls’ shot put.

#McCoy not only qualified for this year’s CARIFTA games with a throw of 13.53m, but she also broke the BAISS record of 13.37m previously held by Brashe Wood since 2013.

#Comets’ Jamiah Nabbie will join McCoy at the April CARIFTA games after placing first in the under 17 girls long jump with 5.49m, passing the qualifying mark of 5.46M.

#While SAC prevailed in the track events, the Comets came out victorious in the girls under 13 high jump and the javelin throw. Among the winners were Samiah Moxey and Malaya Gordon, who placed first and second in the high jump.

#Comets Jahzaria Kemp and Caitlin McWilliam came in first and second in the javelin throw, beating Aquinas’ Kaitlyn Philippe who placed third.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/02/sac-big-red-machine-lead-after-day-1/?news

As of Thursday, March 2, 2023

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#THE public is invited to come to the Thomas A Robinson’s multipurpose fields in New Providence and experience the exciting Bahamas Flag Football League’s exhilarating, heart-pounding and suspenseful preseason, regular season, playoffs and championship games.

#Everyone is invited to attend the BFFL’s pre-season games, starting at 1pm on Sunday, and immerse themselves in the BFFL experience. League regular season games will be stacked with the best flag football players and coaches in the region, all locked in fierce competition every week.

#Rivalries and pride are at stake on every play, in every game and on every week as both men and women players battle it out for Bahamian football supremacy.

#The BFFL allows for semi contact as both offensive and defensive linemen engage in hand-to-hand combat in the trenches.

#On every action-packed play, the offensive linemen build a human wall to stop the defence and the defensive linemen surging through the wall to blow up the play. Both offensive and defensive linemen work nonstop in their craft and it is exhibited in an incredible display of force, strength, technique, agility and coordination.

#The BFFL has a 9v9 Men’s Division and an 8v8 Women’s Division. The men’s division features a 9-player vs 9-player format and the women’s division features an 8-player vs 8-player format.

#All league games are officiated by experienced and competent referees to ensure there is fair play for all players.

#The BFFL has been the premier sports organisation for flag football in the Bahamas for over a decade.

#It continues to enjoy both strong and widespread support from its many fans and corporate sponsors across the Bahamian archipelago.

#The BFFL has risen from humble beginnings to becoming now a staple of Bahamian sports culture.

#It is now not uncommon for teams to train year-round in preparation for the BFFL season.

#In addition to the BFFL season, the league also hosts its annual international tournament in October.

#This tournament, called the Heroes Tournament, is being held this year from October 7-8.

#In the BFFL Heroes Tournament, there is a significant participation of Bahamian teams outside of New Providence and teams from other Caribbean countries.

#“I’m excited for the upcoming season because not only does it provide new challenges but also gives my team and I the goal of trying to remain champions of the league,” said McCallton Demeritte, wide receiver for the Caro Contractors Avengers. “I’m approaching every game differently but my focus is one game at a time.

#“This is a revenge tour. We feel we got cheated in the championship game last season. We are out for blood.”

#Travis Thompson, head coach of the EDLC Lions, said they are excited.

#“We have been training all year. This season is just another practice for us and it is all for our coach watching us from above, the late Philip Rahming,” Thompson said. “We got a three-peat for our former coach Philip Rahming and now we are going for a four-peat which has never been done in the league before.”

#Jayde Knowles, defensive captain linebacker of the Paradise Games Wildcats, said they have “one goal in mind, championship.”

#Edward Campbell, head coach of the Oasis Bahamas Hit Men, said they can’t wait to get started.

#“The entire football experience of touchdown celebrations, come-from-behind wins, heartbreaking defeats and passionate play from football players who bring it each and every down is on display every week in every BFFL game,” Campbell said.

#“If you’re passionate about football, then the BFFL is the league for you. Become a part of the BFFL experience and take your football to the next level.”

#For more information visit the Facebook: Bahamas Flag Football League and Instagram: @bffl242.

#Here’s a look at the pre-season schedule for Sunday:

#1:10pm – Avengers

#vs Hornets

#2:20pm – Phoenix Fire

#vs Lady Jaguars

#2:20pm – Team Red Dot

#vs Lions

#3:30pm – Avengers

#vs Assassins

#3:30pm – Hawks

#vs Wildcats

#4:40pm – Hornets

#vs Predators

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/02/bahamas-flag-football-league-preseason-opens-sunda/?news

As of Thursday, March 2, 2023

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XAVION JOHNSON, second from left, on the podium after winning the gold.

XAVION Johnson gestures after flooring his opponent.

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribiunemedia.net

#XAVION Johnson, one of the top, rising young judokas in the island nation, pulled off one of his greatest feats when he captured the under-18 60 kilograms title in the Matsumae Cup in Vejie, Denmark.

#Johnson, competing recently out of his training camp in Canada, won the title over Haugesund Tomsu of the Czech Republic. He advanced to the final after beating Adam Restik, also from the Czech Republic, in the semi-final match.

#He beat another Czech Republican in Adam Resutik in the quarter-finals after taking down Santtu Kottari.

#On his return to Canada over the weekend to continue his training, Johnson said he was thrilled with his performance at the European sanctioned event.

#“It was really amazing when I won it. I was truly excited and happy,” Johnson said.

#“I was really excited for the performance because I was trying so hard to get this title.”

#After winning his first four matches, Johnson said he knew he would have his hands full in the final, but he gave it his best shot.

#“I just wanted to get it out the way because I knew it was going to be a tough match,” said Johnson, who needed less than three minutes to secure the match. “He’s one of the best fighters coming out of the Czech Republic in the under-18s 60 kilo class.”

#Looking back at his performance, Johnson said it was exactly what his coach expected of him.

#“In my first match, I got my opponent off the ground and caught him with one of my favourite moves to put him on the mat,” Johnson recalled. “In my second match, I was trying to feel my opponent out, but I got thrown for a score and that kind of woke me up, I got him back and won it.

#“In the third match, my coach said after you win this one, the semi-final will follow really quick, so I had to beat this guy immediately. I took him down in about 20 seconds. In the semifinal, it was a tough match, but I caught my opponent with one of my favourite moves and got him on the mat for the win.”

#The final match, no doubt, turned out to be the hardest, but Johnson persevered and he got the job done. He said his training camp in Canada played a significant role in his development going into the tournament. He said the consistent hard work in his three sessions a day really paid off for the past two months he spent there.

#“I have to work on my techniques and my gripping, but I’m also going to continue to work on my ground work because I want to get better all around,” he summed up.

#Johnson is now preparing to compete again at the Edmonton International in Canada next weekend. “I’m praying that I can win in the U-18 60 kilos and then the seniors 60 kilos for the same tournament,” he projected.

#On this journey, Johnson is hoping that he will eventually qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris, France, in 2024. He will have to make the transition from the under-18 judo to the open division and that is where he’s hoping his experience gained will pay off for him in the long run.

#“It’s a huge jump,” said Johnson about competing against some of the world’s best in his bid to follow in the footsteps and join fellow Bahamian judokas Cynthia Rahming and Andrew Munnings on the elite stage. “It would be amazing to be one of the top competitors representing the Bahamas. I’m really motivated by watching Cynthia and Andrew compete on the highest level in judo. It shows where I want to be and how much more growth I have to get in my career. So I’m just excited to keep pushing through and to see how far I can go.”

#Before the year is out, Johnson wants to get more major titles and that is the Cadet world champion. The 16-year-old Johnson will have to go through the Cadet World Championships on August 24 in Croatia to earn the feat.

#“I have to get stronger, get my gripping better, improve on my technique and get my ground game better. I just have to get better all around,” he stated.

#“Once I do that, I feel I will be ready to become the Cadet world champion this year.”

#Right now, the six-foot Johnson, who is normally one of the tallest competitors in his class, feels he’s on the right track to achieving all of his goals.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/mar/02/judoka-xavion-johnson-pulls-one-his-greatest-feats/?news