Robert Bailey,Freelance Writer

Tarrant High and Queen's are this year's ISSA/ Digicel Urban Area schoolgirls senior and junior netball champions.

Both schools scored victories over Dunoon Technical and St. Andrew High respectively at the Leila Robinson Courts yesterday.

In the junior final, Queen's Rene McCarthy scored 11 goals from 16 attempts as her team defeated St. Andrew 18-13. Christina Harwood was the top shooter for St. Andrew with 12 goals from 14 tries.

Marvette Anderson, coach of Queen's, was delighted with her team's victory.

CONFIDENT

"We were always confident that we could win this game because as long as we stuck to our game plan we were always going to come out victorious," Anderson said.

In the senior finals, Tarrant edged defending champions Dunoon 36-35.

Tarrant, outplayed their opponents in the first half to romp to a 20-14 lead at half-time.

Led by goal shooter Christina Solmon who was a member of Jamaica's bronze medal winning squad at last month's World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand, Tarrant maintained their six-point advantage throughout the third period to end with a 29-23 lead.

However, Dunoon rallied strongly in the fourth quarter, through their national Under-21 invitee Crystal Gordon who scored five straight goals to cut the deficit to one with less than 15 seconds remaining in the period.

SOLID SUPPORT

The Delroy Johnson-coached Tarrant, however, played out the time on the next possession and held on for the victory. Solmon received solid support from Samantha White 16 goals from 18 tries. Gordon finished the game with 33 goals from 36 attempts.

Johnson was ecstatic with his team's performance.

"The game was close but a victory is a victory," said Johnson.

"We worked really hard for this because we have been putting this team together for the past four years and we have finally reached the top," he said.

C. Lloyd Walker, coach of Dunoon said: "I think we played well because to get to this stage is a plus for us.

"When I started with this team it was inexperienced and weak, but I think that they have matured in many ways, so coming here is a big plus for them," Walker said.