Petrotrin, Paragon take Ventures US$1,000 titles

Petrotrin (men) and Paragon (women) captured the vacant US$1,000 Open Division titles when the curtain came down on the ninth annual Ventures Invitational Indoor Hockey Tournament at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, O’Connor Street, Woodbrook, on Sunday. In the men’s final, Petrotrin, the national Outdoor league champions got a goal each from five players to whip surprise finalist, Notre Dame 5-1. After a slow start by both teams, the Oilmen took a 15th minute lead through national midfielder Dwain Quan Chan but within two minutes Isaac Marecheau replied for the Dames for a 1-1 score at the half. On the resumption it was all Petrotrin as Arielle Bowen (24th) and the national trio of Solomon Eccles (28th), Holland-based Wayne Legerton (36th) and Atiba Whittington (40th) added one each to secure the winner’s cheque of US$1,000 while the Dames got Dame US$500. Queen’s Park took home the US$200 third prize after beating last year’s winner, Defence Force 2-0 on sudden-death penalty after a 4-4 draw in regulation. Earlier on Sunday in the semifinals, Petrotrin led by two goals from Eccles whipped Defence Force 6-3 while the Dames upstaged round-robin table-toppers Queen’s Park 2–1 on sudden-death penalty-flicks after a 3–3 draw in regulation-time.

 

...Paragon cruise against Dames

 

Paragon also got its goals off the stick off three different players in a 3-0 shut-out of Notre Dame in the women’s title encounter. After a 0-0 first-half, Alana Lewis, the “Tournament’s Most Valuable Player” opened the scoring in 28th minute while T&T Hockey Board “Player of the Year, Kristin Thompson (35th) and Nikita Cudjoe (38th), the other scorer. In the women’s third place match, the mother and daughter combination of Cristina Abreu and Kristin Abreu both got hat-tricks as Ventures II outscored Ventures II, 6-4. Paragon led by a hat-trick from Zene Henry and one from Thompson whipped Ventures II, 4–1 in its semifinal while Kayla Brathwaite also banged in all three goals for the Dames in their 3–2 defeat of Ventures I.  In the Veterans Division final, title-holder Defence Force made it two straight titles with a  2-1 triumph over Malvern. National rifle shooter, two-time reigning T&T Olympic Committee and 2011 First Citizens Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year, Roger Daniel netted the winner for the “Teteron Boys” with a minute left on the clock.

 

Sunday's Result