Sport
Fenton and Tavernspite march on to finals
THE popularity of girls’ cricket in Pembrokeshire is continuing to grow – with a record 24 schools fielding teams in this year’s Girls Kwik Cricket Finals.
The finals were held at Haverfordwest and Carew cricket clubs, with eleven schools from north Pembrokeshire competing at Haverfordwest and thirteen schools from the south of the county competing at Carew.
At the end of the competitive and enjoyable events, Fenton CP School and Tavernspite CP School were declared winners and will go forward to the regional Welsh finals at Sophia Gardens on July 8.
The festivals were organised by Sport Pembrokeshire – the sports development team at Pembrokeshire County Council – and sponsored by Valero.
Martin Jones, cricket development officer at Sport Pembrokeshire, praised the quality and spirit of play at both events.
The festival at Haverfordwest saw Fenton CP School, Roch Community School, Neyland Community School and Cleddau Reach VC School reaching the semi-finals.
Fenton defeated Roch and Cleddau Reach beat Neyland, before Fenton defeated Cleddau Reach due to some sensible batting and solid bowling backed up with some good catches.
The south county festival at Carew saw Tavernspite CP School, St Oswalds VA School, Stepaside CP School and Golden Grove Community School reaching the semi-finals.
Tavernspite beat St Oswalds while Stepaside beat Golden Grove. Both schools were undefeated at this stage with Tavernspite running out as winners in the end.
“It was a great team effort,” said Martin Jones. “A special mention goes to the captain, Caitlin Lewis, who had an excellent festival and also celebrated her birthday.”
He said it was also good to see key figures from women’s cricket attending the Carew festival – Laura Charles Price, the South West Wales Women’s and Girls Co-ordinator, and Rachel Priest, a Kiwi who plays for Thunder in the Ladies Big Bash League.
Martin added “It’s excellent to see the growth of girls’ cricket not only at primary school level but also in the Lady Taverners competition (U13’s and U15’s). All of this has helped the growth of the Ladies cricket league in Pembrokeshire, which now has nine teams.”
Valero’s Public Affairs Manager Stephen Thornton presented the medals to the finalists.
The Fenton squad was made up of: Chloe Dewstowe (captain), Ami Louise Richards, Kiera Ribbon, Bethan Stobbs, Beatrix Nicklin, Jenny Frayling, and Shanice Clarke.
The Tavernspite Squad was made up of: Caitlin Lewis (captain), Phyllis Davies, Cara Merriman, Sophie Jones, Amelie Brown, Mia King-Allum, Sofia Dunlop, Ophelia Jenkins and Megan Morris.T
Sport
Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award
A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.
Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.
This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.
Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.
The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.
PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).
Sport
Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl
Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.
The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
NFL teams
12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.
The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Detroit Lions
- Houston Texans
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams
- Washington Commanders
Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.
The national anthem and halftime show
Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.
It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.
How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?
The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.
Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.
Will you be tuning in?
With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?
Sport
Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday
Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.
Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.
Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.
St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.
Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.
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