QUARTER-FINALS BOUND: Members of the victorious Calabar High School which - Dennis CokeBy David Dunkley, Staff Reporter
CALABAR High School on Tuesday bounced McGrath Comprehensive High School out of the Schools' Challenge Quiz 2001 competition after an exciting match.
The Red Hills Road school dispatched their St. Catherine opponents 35-23, in a creditable performance. The losing school, however, must be complimented for their efforts as, in all fairness, the final score was not a true reflection of their performance.
By winning the match, Calabar, one of the top seeded schools in the competition, ensured themselves a spot in the quarterfinals. The match was the first one in the Second Round. The competition continues today with Manchester High school playing Rusea's High.
Winning coach Paul Watson, though happy with the win, felt there were some more questions his team could have answered. He commended their opponents for putting up a good fight.
"I'm proud of the team, the hard work paid off," he said. "Now we're going to do some more work so we can come better for the next match."
McGrath's coach, Lascelles Burnett, blamed the loss on the inexperience of the team which he said was fairly young, but promised that next year it will be a different kettle of fish. "Next year we will definitely be doing better," he said.
Calabar from the first segment showed that they were the better team and even though they only got one right answer in the first minute of the second period, their resilience paid off.
McGrath put up a fight worthy of a great adversary and may have taken the match on any other night, but Calabar proved too much for them on this occasion.
The first segment ended 12-4 in favour of the winners, the second 25-15 also in favour of the winners.
