St Catherine High Head Coach Phyllis Thompson says she is confident her squad will be victorious against Glenmuir High when the teams battle in the 2022 Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Under-19 all-island schoolgirl netball play-off contest.

Start time is set for 12:30 pm on Friday at Manchester High in Mandeville.

Also at Manchester High on Friday, St Hugh’s High and Holmwood will clash for the Under-16 all-island title.

St Catherine defeated defending champions Gaynstead High 26-23 in the urban area’s grand finale at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) on Friday, December 8. On the same day at the venue, Glenmuir High beat Manchester High 39-35 for the rural title.

“The girls are okay at the moment; there is nothing to complain about. They have been training very well for the match as they have done everything that was asked of them. We are just going to go out there and play to our best. As I said before, this is our last game, and so we are going to give it our all. They [girls] are in high spirits and ready to go,” Thompson told the Jamaica Observer.

Boosted by the victory over Manchester, Glenmuir’s captain and wing attack Brianna Nevers and her teammates are also eyeing the all-island crown.

“I am pleased with my teammate’s performances at the rural finals against Manchester High. I mean, they went out there and played very hard. Our coach’s instruction was to just go out there and play smart and do our best. We couldn’t have asked for anything more, and I am just happy. The feeling is amazing; it is our first senior title, and so we are overjoyed at the moment,” she told the Observer.

“It is the same plan for this championship; we are going out there and playing hard, leaving everything on the court, and we are hopeful we can come out on top,” she said.

In the urban final goal shooter Kellian Hunter netted a game-high 22 goals from 28 attempts, while Kayla Wright scored four goals from five attempts as St Catherine claimed a famous victory. Goalkeeper Kaydeen Gordon was named Most Valuable Player for the match.

In the rural showdown, goal shooter Shanni Martin led from the front with 29 goals from 34 attempts, while goal attack Nickesha Powell got 10 goals from 14 attempts against Manchester, earning Glenmuir their first senior championship.

In Under-16 action, St Hugh’s defeated Immaculate 31-22 to win the urban title, while Holmwood defeated Glenmuir 31-39 to win the rural title.