By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SANDILANDS Primary and Centreville Primary emerged as the girls and boys champions of the New Providence Public Primary Schools Sports Association’s 2024 volleyball championships.

At the and of the week-long competition on Friday at the Kendal Issacs Gymnasium, the champions were decided in what turned out to be some keenly contested matches.

Sandilands took the girls’ crown with a 2-1 victory over EP Roberts. The set scores were 7-15, 15-11 and 10-0. Tashena Tima of Sandilands was named the best server.

Centreville got third place with a 2-0 sweep over Yellow Elder with scores of 15-10 and 15-14.

In semifinal play, Sandilands def. Centreville identical scores of 15-3 and 15-3, while EP Roberts won 15-10 and 15-8 over Yellow Elder.

The quarter-finals saw Yellow Elder win 8-15, 15-12 and 10-3 over Garvin Tynes and Centreville got by Claridge 15-10 and 15-12.

On the boys’ side, Centreville won the title over Stephen Dillet, coached by Margaret Albury, with a two-game sweep of 15-9 and 15-9. Israel Mott of Centreville was the best server.

Sybil Strachan, coached by Greer Thompson, finished third after they knocked off Cleveland Eneas 10-15, 15-7 and 10-1.

In the semifinals, Stephen Dillet won 15-2 and 15-5 over Cleveland Eneas and Centreville took care of Sybil Strachan 15-7 and 15-13.

All matches in the quarterfinal play were sweeps with Stephen Dillet winning 15-4 and 15-13 over Sandilands; Sybil Strachan defeated EP Roberts 15-11 and 15-11; Centreville knocked off Garvin Tynes 15-2 and 15-7 and Cleveland Eneas got by Yellow Elder 15-7 and 15-13.

NPPPSSA president Latoya Bain noted that this was one of their most competitive tournaments and she thanked the Ministry of Education for allowing them to host the event and the New Providence Volleyball Officials Assocation, headed by Kirk Farquharson, for officiating all of the games.

“It was a success. You could see the improvement in the kids,” Bain said. “They were setting the ball a lot more and not just trying to get the ball over the net. Their serves were also good.

“Even though some schools didn’t make it to the finals, you could see the improvement in all of them. It was a big improvement compared to last year.”

The boys, according to Bain, were extremely competitive between Sybil Strachan, Cleveland Eneas, Centreville and Stephen Dillet.

“The event was a success and it was ran professionally,” Bain summed up.

Naaman Lightbourne of Cleveland Primary, the vice president of the association, presented the awards to the winners.

The association will now prepare for its final event for this calendar with track and field scheduled for April 24-26 at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

• Here’s a look at how they finished in the preliminary rounds:

Girls Pool A - Sandilands Primary 5-0. Garvin Tynes 4-1. Claridge Primary 3-2. Woodcock Primary 2-2. CW Sawyer 1-4 and TG Glover 0-5.

Girls Pool B - EP Roberts 5-0. Centreville Primary 4-1. Yellow Elder 3-2. Ridgeland Primary 2-3. Cleveland Eneas 1-4. Eva Hilton 0-5.

Boys Pool A - Stephen Dillet 3-0. EP Roberts 20-1. Eva Hilton 1-2. Woodcock Primary 0-3.

Boys Pool B - Sybil Strachan 3-0. Sandilands 2-1. Claridge Primary 1-2. CW Sawyer 0-3.

Boys Pool C - Centreville Primary 3-0. Cleveland Eneas 2-1. Ridgeland Primary 1-2. Albury Sayles 0-3.

Boys Pool D - Yellow Elder 3-0. Garvin Tynes 2-1. TG Glover 1-2. Sadie Curtis 0-3.