Five Rivers Secondary School captain Kayla Baboolal and her team were unfazed by the unfamiliar surroundings and dominated the Malta Girls' Under-15 Division final in the Secondary Schools Football League to emerge the national champion.
Baboolal was one of three players who scored in Five Rivers, 3-0 victory over host team Signal Hill Secondary at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago on Thursday afternoon.
Baboolal and teammate Maleka Morang scored first-half goals with the skipper opening the scoring for the Five Rivers team coached by Desiree Sarjeant in the 20th minute.
The Trinidad U-15 champion Five Rivers continued to push for another goal and was rewarded 18 minutes thanks to Morang (18th) to put her team up 2-0. The score remained unchanged at halftime.
On the resumption, Five Rivers showed no signs of slowing down and three minutes into the second half, got its third item from one of its prolific scorers this season, Shania Jordan (48th).
Tobago champion Signal Hill had no reply for the visiting side and remained scoreless in the finale.
The win closed-off the most successful season for Five Rivers U-15 unit, who had Mergil Rosales as its assistant coach and Sylvester Sandiford, serving as manager.
Today, the semifinals of the Malta National Boys U-14 Division will take place at St Mary's ground in St Clair, Port-of-Spain. In the opening match, East Mucurapo plays Trinity College East at 9.30 am and the St Benedict's College faces Bishop's High, from 11 am.
RESULTS
Signal Hill Sec 0 vs Five Rivers 3 (Kayla Baboolal 20th, Maleka Morang 38th, Shania Jordan 48th)
SATURDAY'S MATCHES (At St Mary's ground)
Malta National Boys U-14 Division Semifinals
East Mucurapo vs Trinity College East, 9.30 am
St Benedict's vs Bishop's High, 11 am.
SOURCE: T&T Guardian