Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Kerri-Ann McKenzie (second left, front row), brand manager of sponsors Malta, presents the ISSA/Malta All-island schoolgirls football trophy to champions Lennon High. Lennon defeated St. Hugh's High 7-6 on penalties to lift their first title on Friday.

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

FROM TEAR of anguish midway through a tense penalty shoot-out to tears of joy, Lennon High School underwent the full roller-coaster of emotions as they clipped favourites St Hugh's, 7-6, to clinch the ISSA/Malta schoolgirl football title in a nail-biting final at the Harbour View Mini-stadium on Friday.

The win saw the Clarendon team create history as the first rural team to lift the title. If the pundits doubted Lennon could do it, the hundreds of vociferous fans who clanged pot covers as they cheered their team to victory certainly didn't and neither did their coach, Merron Gordon.

"This is a final and everyone knows anything can happen. We worked hard for it all season so there was no reason to think we wouldn't be able to win," Gordon said. "They (St Hugh's) came in as favourites, so all the pressure was on them. I think my girls were able to play it cool.

"They got a little nervous during the penalty shoot-out but our keeper came up big for us and we were able to hold on."

Big saves

Lennon custodian Sheena Wint made two big saves, including one which saw her keep out Venesia King to keep the rural team in the hunt and ensure the shoot-out went to sudden death.

Simone Honeygan, Sasha Lee Cooper, Chevel Lopez, Camielle Hill, Kemeisha Cato, Shawna Gay Gordon and Tanya Desport scored for Lennon, while Nugene Nugent, Akeema Williamson, Juneille Watkins, Lutiesha Shelton, Shana Kay Durrant and Christina Burgess hit the back of the net for St. Hugh's.

In normal time, Lennon had taken the lead courtesy of an 11th-minute Samantha Hanson freekick which was struck from 20 yards out and snuck into the low right-hand corner of the net.

However, another set piece saw St Hugh's pull level when a powerfully-struck freekick from Watkins came off the upright before being headed into the back of the net by Burgess.

Both teams could have stolen the game on separate occasions as Lennon's Honeygan, who was a constant danger to the St Hugh's backline, could only get a soft touch in front of goal in the 67th minute, while in extra time another freekick from Hanson skimmed the underside of the crossbar before being cleared away and Nugent saw her powerful attempt sail just over the crossbar.

Poor officiating

A disappointed Warren Atkinson, coach of St Hugh's, said: "Congratulations to Lennon, they worked hard for it, but I think the officiating was poor today. There is no way a player can be kicked in the face in the area and there is no penalty called, it just doesn't make sense.

"I think we got some tough calls and right now the girls are just inconsolable." he said.

In the 54th minute, Durrant seemed to get struck across the face after a Lennon defender came to make a clearance and missed the ball.

In the third-place play-off, McGrath beat St. Elizabeth Technical 3-1.