The Virgin Islands Under 13 footballers finished 3rd in a tournament in St Maarten on Easter weekend. Photo: Provided

Alejandro Santos (right) was one of the standout players for the Virgin Islands. Photo: Provided

Luka Chalwell was one of the top goal scorers for the Virgin Islands at the Under 13 football tournament in St Maarten. Photo: Provided

The tournament, which featured several of the Region’s top teams, was hosted by St Maarten and took place over the Easter weekend, with the VI boys arriving in St Maarten Good Friday morning and then facing arch rivals from previous visits, Risk Takers, in the afternoon.

The Boys settled into the game from the start and ran out comfortable 2-0 winners with goals from Luca Reich and Luka Chalwell.

On Saturday March 26, 2016 Luka Chalwell scored twice as the VI beat United Stars 2-0 and Chalwell was on hand again to net the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with St Maarten.

The Virgin Islands team then won the penalty shoot out, 4-2, to decide the final group placings and went on to face Dutch St Maarten in the semi final.

Denvin Jones put the VI team ahead, but then Dutch St Maarten equalised, forcing the VI to defend as it seemed an age for the Referee to decide the game was over. The penalty shoot out was another tense affair with Alejandro Santos particularly aggrieved to have to re take his successful penalty for no apparent reason and to add injury to insult the Dutch Boys scored the decisive spot kick for a 6-5 victory.

Despite the disappointment, the VI picked themselves up and beat Martinique 1-0 to secure 3^rd place, with Chalwell again scoring.

“The happiest I have ever been at a tournament,” commented Coach Cassandra Gregg. “The Boys played without fear, full of confidence and deserved a place in the Final. We were unbeaten apart from a penalty shoot out and could have easily gone on to win the whole thing. They practiced so hard for this, executed everything that was asked of them tactically and with a little more luck, especially with Referee decisions, we would have gone all the way. However, I am really proud of all of them.”

The majority of the squad will stick together to prepare for the U15 CONCACAF Tournament in 2017, whilst all of the players will be back at practice at the Digicel Centre of Excellence from April 16, 2016 at Baughers Bay.