The Flames Strikers are looking to make a splash in Cayman Islands netball.
The rookie squad is part of the Cayman Islands Netball Association 2012 open league. Sponsored by Tortuga, Flames got off to a good start last Saturday with a 22-7 victory over Unity B at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex netball courts.
Leading the way for the yellow and green side was Goal Shooter Latoya Nixon, 25. The born and raised George Town native states the victory is the start of good things to come.
“The game went pretty good as we have all new players that have never played together before,” Nixon said. “For the first game, we played pretty good. This will be a very competitive season, everyone has a very tough team.
“Most of the old Maples and Calder team are with All Stars and there are the defending champions Roma. The season still has a ways to go for us.”
Flames essentially put the game away by half-time. Thanks to a domineering offence steadied by Nixon, Goal Attack Rochelle Webb and Wing Attack Squiddy McGarvey, the Strikers had a 16-5 edge by the end of the second quarter. Things tightened up in the second half as Flames only managed advantages of 7-2 and 5-1 in the third and fourth quarters respectively.
The Strikers’ defensive intensity came mostly from Goal Keeper Topaz Groves, Goal Defence Pheona Plummer and Wing Defence Vanessa Holness. The rest of the line-up saw Glenita Logan holding it down at Centre with Nicole Biggs, Natalee Harrison, Fentine Powell and Luisa Hernandez as subs.
Unity’s roster saw Tamara Caloo (GS), Diana Codner (GA), Ileen Wilson (WA), Simone Williams (C), Anna-Lee Godfrey (WD), Shawna Cove (GD), Natalee Simpson (GK) with Tamara Patten and Marcia Smith as subs.
Flames head coach Wayne Brown, who also umpires league games, states there is much to improve on in spite of the victory.
“For the first game, it was a really good game as the team played well,” Brown said. “There is still more they can do, still greater heights for this team. In the end we know we can do it and we’re here to make a difference.”
For the record, a contest between All Stars A and Roma B was slated to take place last Saturday but was cancelled. League matches continue this Thursday, 2 February, as Roma B takes on Rising Stars A at 6.30pm.
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