Stooping at front (from left): Deborah Bennett, Michelle Currey (captain), Terry-ann Coke, Eileen Lawes. Standing at centre) (from left) Alison Davis, Felicia Roberts, Sasha Reid, Sophia Davis-Johnson (vice-captain), Kadeen Graham, Nicolette McLeary, Kimona Mullings. Standing at back: Denise Jones and Lakae McGowan. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

It was joy and happiness for members of The Gleaner netball team as they captured their second hold on the Jamaica Netball Association (JNA)/Business House Junior League competition at the National Indoor Sports Centre last month.

The North Street-based team, who were neatly clad in their red and blue jerseys, thrashed Wray and Nephew 23-12 in the final.

"I am very proud of them," said Wayne Stewart, coach of the Gleaner team.

"It was a good performance from the girls because after we lost our first three matches, they decided that they we were not going to lose any more games because they needed to win the championship and they did it," Stewart said.

Michelle Currey, captain of the Gleaner team, was very elated.

"It feels good because I was planning not to play this season, but Sophia Davis encouraged me and so I decided to play," said Currey of the influence of her shooting partner.

Both long-time players were also members of the team when they first won the Business House Junior League title in 1995.

The Gleaner Company and Wray and Nephew will both compete in the Intermediate B League next season and according to Currey, she is confident that they can step up to the plate.

"I think that we can survive in the Intermediate B League next season because we have a lot of young netballers who are raring to come on board," said Currey, who plays goal attack.

Meanwhile Davis, the vice-captain of the team, said she was very proud of her team's achievements this season.

"It feels really good to know that we have won this competition because this is my last year playing netball and it is nice to go out on a winning note," said Davis.

"However, it would have been better if we had been in a higher division, but nevertheless we are all very happy that we have won it," said Davis, who plays goal shooter.

She added that after losing the first three matches in the competition, the players were heart-broken and some were unsure about continuing.

"I wanted to win this competition and so helped to rally the players not to give up, and I said to myself, if we win the remaining matches we can win. We decided to pull together and it paid off for us," said Davis.