SPORTS SECTION E
MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025
Charlton sisters, Page 8
Atlanta Smoke win title By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
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fter getting over the jetlag in their opening loss by one run, the Atlanta Smoke bounced back and pulled off two consecutive abbreviated blowout victories over the Orlando Monarchs. Shaking off their 4-3- loss in Thursday’s opener on the same day they arrived in The Bahamas, the Smoke blanked the Monarchs 10-0 in game two on Friday and their 9-1 win on Saturday sealed the deal. The Smoke were crowned the initial champions of the Don’t Blink Sports Entertainment’s Queens of Paradise Women’s Professional Softball Tournament at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. The three-day event was held in conjunction with the B4Real Sports and was sanctioned by the Bahamas Softball Federation and supported by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture. It was a memorable weekend for the Smoke, who also hosted a free softball clinic on Friday
JONQUEL OUT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS WITH SPRAINED ANKLE – PAGE 5
MAKO AQUATICS EMERGES AS CHAMPIONS OF SWIM NATIONALS By Jonathan Burrows
for a number of local high school softball players and those who are interested in learning the game. But Smoke’s head coach Cat Tarvin, who also serves as the head coach of the Hampton University Pirates women’s softball team, was just thrilled to capture it all. “After the first game, we turned this around. Our bats were on fire and our pitchers held it down,” Tarvin said. “We came back rested and ready to go.” As for the trip here, Tarvin said she has a friend from The Bahamas and she always tells her about how nice it is here. “It was “everything and more that she told me,” Tarvin said. “I definitely love it and I hope to be back.” Catcher Jada Cody stole the show when she was named the most valuable player of the tournament. But she credited her achievement to her Smoke team-mates. “Big shout-out to my team-mates and I’m glad to have this opportunity to be out here,” Cody said.
Despite their loss, infielder Katherine Rodriquez, making her debut for Orlando, said it was just awesome to be here playing in The Bahamas. “We came out here knowing that these were our first games for the season, opening up in The Bahamas was an amazing experience,” Rodriguez said. “Everybody really helped us, they went out their way to make us comfortable and the field was fantastic and the fans were great. This was an amazing
THE annual Bahamas Aquatics swimming championships, held from June 18-22 at the Betty Kelly Kenny Aquatic Centre, was an action-packed fourday competition, not only showcasing outstanding athleticism, team spirit and personal growth but also celebrating its 53rd anniversary. With over 150 swimmers ages eight to 20 from Nassau, Grand Bahama and the United States participating, the event was packed with excitement, surprises and memorable performances from Thursday to Sunday. Mako Aquatics Club emerged as the reigning champion of the 2025 Bahamas Aquatics Swimming Championships, finishing with a whopping 3,109 points followed by Alpha Aquatics in second with 1,381 points, and Barracuda Swim Club rounded out the top three with 1,330 points. The meet opened with high energy on day one as swimmers took to the pool for 50-metre races and relays. Kai Bastian, of Mako Aquatics Club, set the tone early, breaking the record for the boys’ 11-12 50-metre backstroke with a time of 30.53. Team morale was high for the Mako Aquatics club, leaving day one of the meet with a whopping total of 26 gold medals and an early lead in the meet. Day two featured intense competition in the backstroke and butterfly events. Kai Bastian stole the spotlight once again with an electrifying time of 2:13.65 in the 11-12 boys’ 200-metre
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BRAGGING RIGHTS: the Atlanta Smoke were crowned the initial champions of the Don’t Blink Sports Entertainment’s Queens of Paradise Women’s Professional Softball Tournament at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. Photos: Chappell Whyms Jr “It was great and the energy was great out here in the stadium and being out here in The Bahamas was amazing. I’m just blessed to be here.” Also excited to be in The Bahamas was third sacker Charla Echols. She said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and winning the title was the icing on the cake. “I’ve been working out in preparation for this season, so it was nice to get two home runs backto-back,” said Echols of her pair of homers in Saturday’s clincher. “We just showed how good this team could be. We put it all together and
we performed very well, especially after losing the first game of the series.” For the Monarchs, head coach Megan Wiggins said they performed as best as they could. “This is our first game for the season, but obviously it wasn’t easy travelling out of the country and playing here,” Wiggins said. “The Smoke are a good team, but we did our best. “We’re still figuring out all of the bases. But they’re a really good team and we competed against them. We have a younger team and we’re still trying to get our feet under us, but we will work through it.”
JAMAICA Chisholm Jr rallies Yankees RUGBY: ROUTS BAHAMAS to 4-2 win as New York 52-15 IN WINTON takes 2 of 3 from Orioles By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
NEW YORK (AP) — Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr hit a go-ahead, two-run double off the right-centre field wall in a three-run eighth inning, leading the New York Yankees over the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 yesterday. New York won its second straight after losing seven of its previous eight games. A day after the Orioles were held hitless for seven innings by Clarke Schmidt, Jackson Holliday singled on Will Warren’s first pitch, setting up a two-run first that included Ryan O’Hearn’s run-scoring single and Colton Cowser’s RBI double. Orioles backup catcher Maverick Handley left after being knocked over in the second during a collision at the plate with Chisholm Jr (See story on E7), who scored on DJ LeMahieu’s single against Dean Kremer. Ben Rice singled off Bryan Baker (3-2) leading off the eighth and Giancarlo Stanton’s single put runners at the corners. Chisholm Jr doubled and is hitting .350 (21 for 60) with 11 RBIs since returning from the injured list,
THE visiting Jamaican men’s rugby team welcomed the Bahamas men’s national team back to international play with a huge 52-15 decision on Saturday at the Winton Rugby Pitch. The Jamaicans dominated on both the defensive end and at scrum to pull off the feat, taking control
from the opening minutes of the first half and continued to apply the pressure through the game. “It was great. The boys really pulled together well and showed great connection and synergy,” said Jamaica’s coach George Saunderson, of players who came in from London, Manchester, Briston, the United States and Jamaica. To score 52 points is
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THE SPORTS June CALENDAR
NEW York Yankees’ Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. reacts in the dugout yesterday after scoring on a fielder’s choice during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) raising his average to .242. LeMahieu’s grounder, eighth and has 50 strikeNew York boosted the allowing Chisholm Jr to outs in 30 1/3 innings. lead when Gary Sánchez slide across the plate. Devin Williams pitched dropped shortstop Gunnar Fernando Cruz (2-3) Henderson’s throw on struck out the side in the SEE PAGE E6
MARVIN HENFIELD BASKETBALL CAMP THE Marvin Henfield Basketball Summer Basketball Camp is scheduled to run from June 23 to July 11 for players aged 6-17 years old. The camp will be held in the gym in the back of the old CocaCola headquarters, now Love 97, on Thompson
Boulevard. There is limited space. To register, persons can visit www/ marvinjhenfield.com or contact Henfield at 828-2353. BASKETBALL BOWLES ELITE SKILLS CAMP THE International Basketball Association is set to hold the 12th annual Denykco Bowles Elite Skills Basketball
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