STRIKERS J’Eleisha Alexander and Tarik Lee copped the 2022 Player of the Year awards when the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) held an award ceremony at Naparima College in San Fernando on Tuesday.
Both Alexander and Lee were prolific goal scorers in helping Scarborough Secondary and St Benedict’s College respectively to titles last year.
Alexander showed she could deliver when it mattered most as she scored for Scarborough in a 3-1 win over Signal Hill Secondary in the final of the Tobago zone girls SSFL championship division at Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
The Scarborough Secondary striker was one of the players named as the top five girls footballers of the season. Alexander was given the nod for the player of the year ahead of Jillianda Salandy (Miracle Ministries), Leia-Marie Balfour (Signal Hill), Orielle Martin (Bishop High School East) and Lu Ann Craig (Five Rivers).
Lee also did not let the bright lights intimidate him scoring a hat-trick to guide St Benedict’s to a 3-1 win in the final of the SSFL premiership league competition at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Jaheim Faustin (Trinity College East), Larry Noel (San Juan North Secondary), Tristan Edwards (Fatima) and Lee’s team-mate Josiah Ochoa were the other best players in the boys division.
The most outstanding performers were chosen in the All Star teams. Among those who attended the ceremony were SSFL president Merere Gonzales and representatives of SSFL title sponsor Tiger Tanks and the Ministry of Education.
The respective SSFL 2022 All Stars are:
(Boys)
Goalkeepers:
Brandon Dalrymple (Trinity College East), Ja-ir Buckmire (St Benedict’s College), Tristan Edwards (Fatima College);
Defenders:
Jesse Hospedales, Alijah Nunes (both Fatima College), Desailly Lewis (San Juan North Secondary), Joshua Demas, Lyshawn Morris (both St Benedict’s College);
Midfielders:
Aaron Raymond (Chaguanas North Secondary), Christian Bailey (Fatima College), Ephraim Brown, Josiah Ochoa (St Benedict’s College), Lindell Sween (San Juan North Secondary);
Forwards:
Jaheim Faustin (Trinity College East), Kanye Francis (Naparima College), Larry Noel (San Juan North Secondary), Michael Chaves (Fatima College), Tarik Lee (St Benedict’s College).
(Girls)
Goalkeepers:
Kimberlynn Rampersad (Miracle Ministries PHS), Mercedes Balthazar (Five Rivers Secondary), Shivelle Williams (Scarborough Secondary),
Defenders:
Calypso Ayoung (Holy Name Convent, POS), Dominique Scott (Signal Hill Secondary), Kanika Rodriguez (St Augustine Secondary), Jordanne Antoine (Miracle Ministries PHS), Shadea Andrews (Scarborough Secondary),
Midfielders:
Lu Ann Craig (Five Rivers Secondary), Twinkle Thomas, Madison Campbell (both Signal Hill Secondary), Nikita Gosine (Pleasantville Secondary), Trishell Charles (Five Rivers Secondary);
Forwards:
Jillianda Salandy (Miracle Ministries PHS), Janella Walcott (Five Rivers Secondary), J’Eleisha Alexander (Scarborough Secondary), Leia-Marie Balfour (Signal Hill Secondary), Orielle Martin (Bishop High School East).