PHOTO: Victorious Ayounda KC receiving the trophy
By Jerome C. Willie, boyzwill26@gmail.com
The Liberia Kickball Federation (LKF) League-2 Promotional Playoff and National Championship came to a climax on 2 October in Kakata, Margibi County, with Ayounda KC of Margibi County clinching the Championship.
The tournament, which is the 2nd edition brought together 13 out of the 16 teams from four counties and five Sub-Association rubbing shoulders for the trophy and a ticket for promotion to the top-tier league of the Liberia Kickball Federation.
This year’s marks the 2nd edition of the LKF League-2 Promotional Playoff and National Championship and was held in Kakata, Margibi County under the theme: “Sustaining The Peace Through Liberia Traditional Sport Kickball”. The first edition was held at the Doris Williams Sports Stadium in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The tournament officially kicked off on 24 September with a parade from the Total Gas Station in Kakata, Margibi County to the refurnished Booker Washington Institute Sports Stadium with opening games.
On Day One of the opening fixture, it was a good start for former defending Champions Kamara KC of Montserrado County, as their hopes for retaining the championship were kept alive but was later dashed; as the team failed to retain such Championship as Kamara KC suffers two defeats in the competition.
Kamara KC of Montserrado County dragged Champions Gedeh KC of Grand Gedeh 8 homes run to 2.
In the competition final showpiece on Sunday, 2 October at the opened-air Nancy B.Doe Sports Stadium in Kakata, Margibi County.
Ayounda KC of Margibi County won a comfortable 2 homes run to 0 over Supreme Girls KC of Montserrado County in game one of the semifinals, while in game two defending champions Kamara KC of Montserrado County got defeated to the Girls of Zion KC of Montserrado County 2 homes run to.
The meeting between Ayounda KC versus Supreme Girls KC was the second meeting in the competition. Supreme Girls KC won a narrow 2-1 over Ayounda KC at the Du-Village Field on 24 September in both teams opening fixture.
The win for both clubs in the semifinals game booked a qualification spot for their team to the top-tier league of the Liberia Kickball Federation (LKF).
In a tough encounter in the grand finals, it was Jessica Togbah and Sonnie Freeman homes run that secured the championship for Ayounda KC over the Girls Of Zion KC after a goalless home run at halftime.
Ayounda KC of Margibi County won the Girls of Zion KC of Bushord Island-Montserrado County 2 homes run to 1 to grab such major trophy. The trophy marks the biggest trophy ever in the club’s history.
Ayounda KC had a tough road to the Championahip of the competition.
The Margibi County outfit club Ayounda KC started the camping on a poor start with a defeat on Day One to Supreme KC but later came back with a win over Barnersville Super Stars KC on Day II with 4 homes run to 1 and on Day II dragged Milton KC 10 homes run to 2. Ayounda Kickball has become the first team to end defending champions Kamara KC unbeaten run in the competition.
The Margibi County outfit club Ayounda KC won by 3 homes run to 1 over Kamara KC of Montserrado County at the open-air Nancy B.Doe Sports Stadium in Kakata, Margibi County Champions Ayounda KC, despite the Championship suffered another defeat to Champions Destiny Girls KC of Margibi County on 30 September at the same venue. Destiny Girls KC pinned Ayounda KC 1 home to 0.
It can be recalled that Ayounda KC won the Liberia Kickball Federation-Margibi County Sub-Association 2021-2022 Knockout Championship and two-off seasons trophies.
Since Coach Julius Benson, alias “Vincent ” took charge over the Margibi County outfit club Ayounda KC the club has won four (4) trophies in a season under his watchful eyes.
The club won the Jamboree trophy under the auspices of the SubAssociation, won a tournament organized in honor of Margibi County Senator James Emmanuel Nuquay, the Knockout and the LKF League-2 Promotional Playoff and National Championship.
Ayounda KC becomes the first club from Margibi County to win such trophy and to gain promotion to the top-tier league of the Liberia Kickball Federation.
Ayounda KC now walks away with medals, a giant-size trophy and a prize of LD 50,000.00, while Girls of Zion KC earns medals, trophy and a prize of LD 25,000.00 as runner-up.
The Margibi County outfit club Ayounda KC will be making it debut in the top-tier league of the LKF while the Bushord Island Sub-Association- Montserrado County Girls of Zion KC returns to the top-tier.
In another development several players walk away with individual awards, which includes Princess Korteyan (Supreme Girls KC- Bushord Island Sub) MVP
Venessa Sannah (Champions Ayounda KC- Margibi) BEST PITCHER
Jessica Togbah (Champions Ayounda KC- Margibi ) HIGHEST HOME RUNNER (12)
Coach Julius Benson (Champions Ayounda KC- Margibi) BEST COACH award.
The Liberia Kickball Federation League-2 Promotional Playoff and National Championship is a competition where champions, runner-up and knock out champions from various Sub-Association across the Country played for national champions and the winner and runner-up gain promotion to the top-tier league of the Liberia Kickball Federation.