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• Jamaica’s sports minister and JFF president express condolences on the passing of former football boss Heron Dale

  Messages of condolence continue to pour in following the passing of Heron Dale, former president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), who died on October 9. Dale, who served as JFF president from 1992 to 1994, is being remembered for his significant contributions to Jamaican football and the wider community.

  Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, expressed her sadness at Dale’s passing, highlighting his leadership both in football and in the business community. “Heron Dale, whose firm, H.S. Dale and Company, gained a reputation for high-quality service in Port Antonio, gave equally distinguished service to football in Jamaica as president of the JFF,” Minister Grange said. She also acknowledged Dale's involvement in the Portland Chamber of Commerce, a further testament to his dedication to the development of his community.

  Minister Grange extended her condolences to Dale’s family, friends, and associates, saying, “May his soul rest in peace.”

  The Jamaica Football Federation also released a statement expressing deep sorrow over Dale's passing. Current JFF President Michael Ricketts noted the former president’s impact on the development of the organization. "Dale was an instrumental figure in shaping the JFF into the thriving organization it is today," Ricketts said. "His unwavering commitment to our sport and its community will be deeply missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace."

• Sugar Boyz defeat BVI to stay on top in CONCACAF Nations League

  The St. Kitts and Nevis Senior Men’s National team, known as the Sugar Boyz, solidified their position at the top of League C in the CONCACAF Nations League with a 3-1 victory over the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on Wednesday, October 9, at Warner Park.

  Playing in front of a large home crowd, the Sugar Boyz took control early in the match. In the 25th minute, Malique Roberts opened the scoring with a powerful header, putting the hosts in the lead. Twelve minutes later, the advantage was doubled when Gvaune Amory unleashed a thunderous strike that rippled the back of the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the Sugar Boyz went into halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead.

  BVI started the second half with renewed determination, pulling a goal back early on. However, despite their efforts, the Sugar Boyz put the game out of reach towards the end of the match, thanks to an own goal from BVI’s Ikyah Williams, sealing a 3-1 victory for the home side.

  After the match, assistant coach Austin "Dico" Huggins praised the team for securing all three points but emphasized that there is still room for improvement. “We worked hard on possession, keeping the ball, and not making unnecessary turnovers. We have to be more patient. Today we saw them trying to pass the ball around, but we still need more movement going forward, breaking the lines, and attacking the goal,” Huggins said.

  Team captain Julani Archibald echoed the sentiment, happy with the win but acknowledging that the team did not perform to their full potential. “I think we didn't play to the best of our ability. We could have played much better since we were at home. But nonetheless, we got the three points, and that's the most important,” Archibald said.

  On the opposing side, BVI’s head coach Christopher Kiwomya and captain Troy Caesar expressed disappointment, feeling that their team could have taken more from the game.

  With the victory, the Sugar Boyz remain in prime position to advance from their group. Their final group stage match will be against the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, October 15, at Warner Park. The match kicks off at 3:30 PM, with free admission as part of the SKNFA’s efforts to give back to football fans.

   

• Newtown United Women reclaim Elvis ‘Star’ Brown Women’s league title with victory over Old Road

  Newtown United Women have reclaimed the title of queens of St. Kitts and Nevis women’s football after they won the Elvis ‘Star’ Brown Women’s league finals recently, defeating defending champions MFCR Old Road United Lady Jets 3-1.

  After the match Coach St. Clair Morris of Newtown, explained what it felt like to lead the women back to the title. “The president of Newtown gave me a task to do and he told me I have to win this cup to bring back some recognition to Newtown and the community itself and the club. So we decided to have a plan and so we made sure we got the girls training and training on a regular basis,” Coach Morris said.

  “Next season…we're going to try to bring in some younger players. As you can see a number of senior players are going to retire…at least two are going to retire. So what we're going to do for next season, we're going to try to recruit some youngsters and bring them in the team to make the team stronger,” he added.

  At the start of the season, Sherima Blake, one of Newtown’s top scorers, made a vow that her team would win the title and reclaim former glory. She was obviously elated with fulfilling that prediction. “I feel very excited. I'm happy. I'm very happy,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “I scored about 13 goals and I'm very proud but I still didn't get the golden boot. But yeah, I'm proud of myself still.”

  This is the first time in five years that Newtown won the Women’s League title, after years of dominance in previous seasons. This title adds to the first ever Women’s League President’s Cup title, which they won earlier this year.