Paul-Andre Walker, Staff Reporter
Papine's goalscorer, Kimani Airey (right), loses the handle on a ball after being tackled by a Munro College player during the Jamaica Hockey Federation Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association Under-19 hockey final at the Mona Hockey field yesterday. Munro won the game 2-1 on penalties after the game had ended 1-1. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
MUNRO COLLEGE are the 2006 Jamaica Hockey Federation/ Inter-Secondary School Sports Association Under-19 schoolboy champions after pulling off an enthralling 2-1 penalty shoot-out victory over Papine at the Mona hockey field yesterday.
'Heart-stopping final' was an understatement for Munro's coach, Fitzroy Rowe, who was worried after the 1-1 full-time score.
"It was more than nerve-wracking; giving away the game at that time was more than a coach should endure. Going into penalty flicks and looking at Papine's confidence made it even more nerve-wracking," said Rowe.
In regular play, Munro took an early lead when Dermain Campbell struck the back of the net with a 19th-minute goal.
With Munro seeming to play the better hockey and enjoying more possession in dangerous areas of the field, the game looked to be petering out until Kimani Airey slapped one home three minutes from time.
With that goal, Papine were buoyed and could have gone ahead in the 15 minutes of extra time had it not been for some bad decisions in the 'D'. Munro too could have had a win, but some good defending from Papine led the match into penalties.
At that point it was anybody's game and after Munro's best players, Gerren Rowe and Oshane Hasley, missed their shots, your money would have been on Papine.
However, for them, Airey was the only man to keep his composure while Duranyln Henlon and Javier Dayes converted for Munro.
GOT CARRIED AWAY
After the game, Papine coach Andrea Hoo-Thomas, while disappointed at the loss, was proud of her team.
"Some of the players don't follow instructions correctly. When they get on to the field and get carried away, they sometimes do what they think is best for the team and they realised that late. They underestimated Munro but this was an excellent final and we are satisfied with second place today," she said.
During a short presentation ceremony after the game, Hasley was awarded Most Valuable Player of the tournament, Hasley's teammate Rowe locked up the leading goalscorer award and the best goalkeeper went to Jamaica College's Christopher Rowe.
Earlier in the day, St. Andrew's defeated St. Hugh's 2-1 to hold second place going into the final set of preliminary games in the girls' section.
