EVERGREEN: Maple's Venslough Leacock (left) controlling the ball under pressure from Eastern Stars' Ron Phillips.

by CRAIG COZIER

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS CGI Maple screamed their intentions to make it four Men's Premier League titles in a row when they opened the 2008 hockey season with a 5-0 blitz on Eastern Stars on Sunday afternoon at the Astroturf of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex.

A hat-trick from the long-serving Venslough Leacock ensured the West Coast club began in convincing fashion. Dale Walkes and Adrian Nicholls notched the other two strikes.

Maple's season could hardly have started more satisfyingly, as their perennial championship rivals Select Rentals Combermere School Old Scholars (CSOS) went down 1-2 to Vitamalt All Stars late Sunday.

Deacons, a team most definitely on the rise, signalled their ambitions on Friday night with an equally emphatic 5-0 rout of an ill-prepared Wanderers unit.

Berger YMCA also began strongly, with a treble from national star Rohan "Teno" Thomas firing them back from a two-goal deficit to sink Butterfield Bank Empire 5-3 in the season opener on Friday.

While CSOS' men were enduring a bumpy start, their women dazzled in defeating Deacons 3-0 on Saturday night as the Women's Premier League blasted off.

The Old Scholars women, title contenders up until the final match last season, took a 1-0 lead into half-time after a Katrina Greaves strike in the 17th minute.

Janelle Jordan doubled the lead five minutes after the restart and a penalty stroke from Argentinian Gemma Buquets in the 51st minute sealed Deacons' fate.

The Waterford men, however, were not so clinical and paid dearly for a muffed penalty stroke from Aaron Forde as All Stars sprang an early surprise.

After a goalless first half, Forde had the chance to give his side the lead in the 40th minute but was foiled by Stars goalkeeper Andre "Ba" Boyce.

Two minutes later, All Stars themselves earned a penalty stroke and Dario Jordan made no mistake.

Dave Cox, back with CSOS after two seasons at Wanderers, restored parity soon afterwards but fellow national representative Jordan
had the final say with the winner two minutes from time.

Deacons, packed with exciting young players, cruised home against Wanderers, with Neil Franklin's two penalty corner drag flicks leading the way.

Shonkeel Wharton opened the scoring in the fifth minute, while goals from Franklin and Paul Harding sent Deacons into the interval comfortably placed at 3-0. Franklin and national teammate Jamar Lashley completed the rout in the second half.

In the other Men's Premier League match, Empire saw a 3-1 lead evaporate as they felt the wrath of YMCA's three-goal champion Thomas.

Joel Bryant gave the Y the lead after 15 minutes but Empire struck back through Dwayne Webb, Laurando Davis and Jemar Small to seize
the advantage.

Thomas pulled one back before the half and his team found the net three times in the final ten minutes to earn a thrilling win.

Thomas scored in the 63rd and 69th minutes, while Ervan Trotman, who spent the first half as a fill-in goalkeeper, got on the scoresheet in the 64th.

The Premier League continues every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.