Freeport Rugby Football Club ended the season on a high Saturday with a hard fought 27-7 win over Nassau rivals Bailou. With the Bahamas Cup already won Freeport needed to win Saturday to ensure a rare double and win the Championship Cup and complete the most successful season in recent years.Captained by Ricardence Michels Freeport began strongly and soon had Bailou on the back foot and with the forwards making some strong runs Jackelo Pierrie and Perkins Joseph fond the gaps to put Freeport close the Bailou goal line with the first five minutes. Freeport took the lead with a penalty by Kasey Charlton and soon scored again with a magnificent run by Leon Mcphee who rumbled over the corner to secure a eight point lead.
Bailou battled hard and with Kevin Salabee and Stevie Thompon controlling their attacks they made some strong runs to remind Freeport the game wasn’t over. Some crunching tackles from Freeport by George Walker, Aaron Turnquest, Robbie Bulter and Marco Surin stopped Bailou advancing too far and soon a superb blocked kick by Jackelo Pierre enables Gio Rolle to score in the corner to leave Freeport 15-0 with five on the half to play.
Just as Freeport were threatening to run away with the game a superb try from Bailou put them 15-7 down at half time and the game was wide open. Coach Herb Merritt brought Johnnie Charles on for the superb Richard Dorsett and Freeport began strongly again with some fine performances by Edwin Joseph Brad Culmer and the old man KC Charlton enabling the flying Gio Rolle to score a solo try by sprinting 60 yards and touching down in the corner.Freeport lead by 22-7 and were now playing some great rugby and with the local crowd cheering them on nearly scored another great try but for some obstruction from KC Charlton Brad Culmer would have scored in the corner! However, within five minutes Denny Osias scored a magical try and Freeport secured the Championship with a fine display.
The victory finished a great season for the team and with nine players from Freeport recently returning from National Team duty in Cayman the future looks very bright.
Many thanks to everyone who helped this year and special thanks to those companies and individuals that made time off / travel tickets, lunches and sponsorship possible, especially – Freeport Container Port, Freecon, Andrea Thompson, Cafferata & Co, Pendragon Investments and all the members and supporters of the club.