Camperdown top Excelsior to claim schoolgirls’ football title

Camperdown High broke Excelsior High’s monopoly on the ISSA schoolgirls’ football competition after beating the nine-time defending champions 3-0 on penalties in the final at Wolmer’s Girls yesterday.

Camperdown’s impressive goalkeeper and captain Italya Robinson was the outstanding player for the winners. She scored the first spot kick and saved two penalties in the shootout to deny Excelsior a 10th straight hold on the title.

“I am the number one penalty taker. I can kick and I can save as well. It’s my favourite part of the game,” Robinson said afterwards.

“I wasn’t reading the kicks. I just reacted and there wasn’t enough power on the balls they kicked.”

Camperdown coach Lancelot Livingston said his team are deserved champions, but that it will be tough to repeat.

“I am happy for the girls. They deserve it. They really put in the work and overcame the difficulties, so I am proud of them,” he said.

Under rainy, soggy conditions both teams gave as good as they got, with Camperdown having the better opening despite limited opportunities.

The best chance for a goal came late in the match when Camperdown’s Daneika Berry found room outside the area but her effort barely missed the upright.

Moments later Calysa Stewart broke away for Excelsior but the impressive Robinson was equal to her effort at the far post.

Both coaches agreed that on a drier field it would have made a more entertaining affair.

“Had it been a dry surface, more chances would have been created because both teams are able to play a passing game, but the weather kind of dampened it a bit, but the effort was good on both sides,” Livingston said.

He also commended Robinson for her composure in the shootout.

“My goalkeeper is quite confident when it comes to penalty kicks. She didn’t try to outguess the kickers, she allowed them to make their penalty kicks and waited on the ball,” he pointed out.

He added that there are no plans to build a dynasty as the focus of their programme is to prepare the girls for life and opportunities they can get from the sport.

“We have not been trying to win titles. We are trying to produce players who will be able to transition into life and that’s our goal since the start of the programme.

“The title is just a plus. The whole idea is to develop girls and allow them to be able to transition to be professionals or getting a college scholarship. Over the years we have had players who have gotten scholarships and that’s a plus to the programme,” he said.

Excelsior’s coach Davion Megoo said it a gamble once it got to penalties.

“Over the both halves it was good to see the level of fight and it went down to penalties and anything can happen in penalties.

“Congrats to Camperdown, it was indeed a good final and we will come back again stronger next year,” he commented.

In the shootout, Robinson, Jamelia Thomas and Oneilla Perkins scored for Camperdown.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com