Guernsey's speed brings giant opponents to knees

GUERNSEY'S young guns overcame the 'Amazonian' women of Home James in their opening South Region League match. Against towering opposition at the Southampton Sports Centre, a Guernsey team that contained four teenagers came from behind to win 34-28.

Assistant coach Gill Queripel was amazed at how tall the opposition were.

'They were Amazonian,' said Queripel. 'They were big. They were very big.

'Their shortest player was the same size as Naomi Taylor, who is five foot nine. Their goal defence must have been six foot two or three.

'We don't often come up against a team of that height. They were a lovely team, but gosh they were big.'

The Sarnians, who were without regulars Claire Queripel and Lois Batiste, who are both pregnant, found themselves 9-4 down at the end of the first quarter.

Struggling with Home James' height advantage, Queripel and player-coach Sonia Grant-Yendell made some changes to combat it.

Nena Bourgaize was moved from centre to goal attack, with Taylor switching from wing defence to centre and Amy Wright coming on at goal defence. The tall 15-year-old went on to have an impressive debut for the full island side.

The player to come off was goal attack Anna Trump, who at 5ft 4in. was having problems against an opponent who was particularly long-legged.

Guernsey started to settle into their game with Lorna Brown, whose 16-year-old daughter, Kerri, was on the bench, Bourgaize and Taylor running the show in the middle of the court.

Kerrie Hussey, at goalkeeper, also had a fine game while at the other end, goal shooter Grant-Yendell, after a relatively slow start, was finding her range.

The player-coach enjoyed a 100% shooting record in the third quarter.

Quicker round the court, the greens took the honours by five points. Queripel was delighted with the result and especially with the younger players.

'It was our speed that foxed them more than anything,' she said.

'It was not a huge score but it was end-to-end stuff.

'Lorna, Nena and Naomi dictated the centre of the court and Amy played well on her debut. She wasn't fazed by it.

'Kerrie also had a good game, coming up against a shooter who was as tall as or taller than her.

'We dug in and played our normal game. It's good to get a win under our belt.

'For our young kids, the league is a good experience of playing away.'