Both men’s and women’s Division 1 competitions of the Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Volleyball Association’s (ABAVA) Local Club League came to an end at the indoor stadium at the YMCA Sports Complex on Saturday evening.
Newly crowned champions ABI Insurance and Cool and Smooth Pytonz completed a perfect unbeaten season in the Men’s Division 1 competition with a 3-0 victory against dethroned defending champs Stoneville.
The Pytonz took an hour and 26 minutes to record their 12th win in as many games in the seven-team round-robin league with a 27-25, 25-17, and 25-23 victory against Stoneville, who finished in the runners-up spot with a record of eight wins and four losses from their quota of 12 games.
The Pytonz also claimed a 3-0 victory against the Invaders in their penultimate game in the league.
The Pytonz recorded their 25-7, 25-7, and 25-12 victory against the Invaders in an hour and nine minutes.
The result also ensured that the Invaders finished their campaign in fifth place after slumping to their eighth defeat from their quota of 12 games.
Vernon G. Edwards High Flyerz won their last two matches to finish their campaign in fourth place in the Men’s Division 1 competition.
The High Flyerz were awarded a 3-0 (25-0, 25-0, 25-0) victory via default against the Renegades, who finished their campaign second from the bottom of the standings after slumping to their 10th loss in 12 matches.
The High Flyerz also recorded a 3-1 victory against their colleagues, Phoenix High Flyerz, in an hour and 15 minutes in their penultimate match of the league.
After forfeiting the opening set 25-0, the High Flyerz stormed back to prevail 25-15, 25-21, and 25-19 to finish their season with a record of seven wins and five losses from their quota of 12 matches.
The result ensured that the Phoenix High Flyerz finished in the cellar after suffering their 11th loss in 12 encounters.
However, Cool and Smooth and JOMA Caribbean Da Squad, who clinched their fourth consecutive Women’s Division 1 title, suffered their only blemish in another dominating season in a 3-0 loss by default to Starz 1 Seniors in their final league encounter on Friday.
Starz 1 Seniors were awarded a 3-0 (25-0, 25-0, 25-0) victory against Da Squad, who finished their title-winning campaign in the six-team round-robin league with a record of nine wins and a loss from their quota of 10 matches.
Starz 1 Seniors clinched the runners-up spot in the Women’s Division 1 League with a record of seven wins and three losses.
However, the ABAVA has suspended its President’s Cup competition, which is usually held immediately after the completion of the round-robin league.
According to the ABAVA, the President’s Cup, which will involve the top four teams in both men’s and women’s competitions, will be held sometime later this year.
The suspension of the President’s Cup is to facilitate the preparation of the senior men’s national team to participate in the 2025 NORCECA 28th Men’s Pan American Cup in Mexico in August.
The competition, which is a qualification competition for three major competitions in 2026 and 2027, will take place in Guanajuato, Mexico, from August 24 to September 1.
It is a qualifier to the 2026 Men’s PanAmerican Cup, the 2026 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, and the 2027 Panamerican Games, as well as providing national teams with FIVB world ranking points.
