The Philip Fernandes-led Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) has released its 2019 Indoor Season fixtures, which captures a rigid latter half of the year for local hockey players.
The board is planning to host the GTT National Indoor tournament during October 14 – 20, the Junior National Indoors from November 6-10 and their premier event, the Diamond Mineral Hockey Festival from November 27 to December 1.
Pepsi Hikers are defending champions in both the male and female categories of the GTT National tournament.
The men’s team snuck their way past a spirited Old Fort unit 3-2 on the penalty shoot-out to collect the male championship prize in 2018 while the women’s final between GBTI GCC Tigers and Woodpecker Hikers presented fans with an electrifying showdown, with the latter coming from a goal down to win the women’s title 2-1.
Both teams failed to score at the end of the first half after sterling defence efforts from both units.
GCC’s Marzana Fiedtkou broke the deadlock with a superb flick with three minutes left on the clock to lift her side to what seemed to be a hard fought win.
However, it was not to be as the tenacious Nicole Eastman harboured other ideas as she equalized two minutes later after which she broke the hearts of the GCC ladies with another strike past the upright, with just 15 seconds left on the clock to send Hikers’ fans into uproar. This year’s tournament is expected to be even more competitive.
The 2018 junior national titles were captured by Old Fort and GCC Pitbulls who copped the under – 21 titles while St Joseph and GCC Bingo Spartans are the under – 16 titleholders.
Meanwhile, the much anticipated Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival will see Pepsi Hikers, GBTI GCC and Old ‘Old’ Fort – who all defeated their Trinidadian counterparts at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) in 2018, defending their crowns.
