An additional three teams punched their tickets to the semifinals of the 2025 Samuel P. Haven Jr. National High School Championships at Roscow A.L. Davies (RALD) Soccer Fields on Thursday. The Lyford Cay International School (LCIS) Dragons, the 2025 Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools (BAISS) senior girls champions, spoiled the C.I. Gibson Rattlers tournament debut. They handed the Lady Rattlers a 4-0 loss to move on to the semifinals. The Government High School (GHS) Magic Phoenix, the GSSSA senior boys runners-up, blanked the St. Andrew’s Hurricanes, 2-0, to advance to the next round. In the final matchup, the LCIS senior boys upset the Anatol Rodgers Timberwolves, the 2025 GSSSA champions, 3-0, to secure their spot in next week’s semifinals. Dragons vs. Rattlers The Dragons, the reigning national soccer champions in the senior girls division, did not get off to their usual hot start against the GSSSA senior girls’ third-place finishers. The Rattlers’ game plan placed multiple defenders on striker Issa Bournas, but she eventually broke the seal and scored at the 33rd minute. The defending champions narrowly held on for a 1-0 lead at half-time. Annisa Albury, co-head coach of the Dragons, admitted that they had to give the team extra motivation at half-time. They went on to win, 4-0. “Going into the second half, for us, they just really needed to up the intensity. We really play at quite a high intensity, and that is how we won the BAISS championship. For us, it was we need to bring our ‘A’ game back on the field, because we didn’t bring it out at the start. We had some key players step up, and some of our younger players as well, that helped us to make a difference,” she said. Rihanna Smith got a step on the Rattlers’ goalkeeper and scored the first of three second-half goals for the Dragons early in the second half. Her teammate Jessica Wright continued the scoring barrage with a close range right-footed kick to create a 3-0 lead in the game. Isabel Suárez got an assist from her teammate and finished off the play with a header to put the nail in the coffin, 4-0, against the Lady Rattlers. LCIS co-head coach Sarah Ilgenfritz admitted that her team did not play their best against the Rattlers and will have to step it up the rest of the way to repeat as champions. “The scoreboard was not a reflection of what we hoped we were going to come out and do, which was really dominate. We are coming off a few weeks off from our regular season, and it took us a little while to get back into it. I don’t think today totally demonstrated what we are capable of, and I think the girls agree with that as well. We are excited to be able to come out next week and be able to show what we can do,” she said. The team will play in the girls’ semifinals on Thursday. Magic Phoenix vs. Hurricanes The GHS Magic Phoenix are in their fourth nationals appearance in the senior boys division, and the goal is to go all the way this year. They took care of the St. Andrew’s Hurricanes yesterday, winning 2-0. Ralph Gervis attacked the Hurricanes defenders and was awarded a penalty kick, which he converted. His teammate Djiwan Exalien made his move in the six-yard box and helped the team to a 2-0 advantage that they never relinquished. GHS Head Coach Melvin Miller expressed how it felt to remain alive at the soccer nationals. “It is an awesome feeling. Government High is on the rise, especially after coming second in the GSSSA [Soccer Tournament]. This is our fourth season here at the soccer nationals, and we hope to seal the deal this year and bring home the cup,” he said. With the win, the Magic Phoenix move on to the semifinals next week. Timberwolves vs. Dragons In the final matchup of the day, the Timberwolves suffered a tough loss against the BAISS third place finishers, Lyford Cay. The GSSSA senior boys champions fell behind 1-0 in the first two minutes of the contest. The LCIS Dragons eventually turned up the intensity and piled on two more goals to secure a spot in the semifinals, upsetting one of the tournament’s favorites. They won, 3-0. The semifinals of the Samuel P. Haven Jr. High School Soccer Nationals will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at the RALD Soccer Fields. The semi-finalists will learn who their opponents are via a draw in upcoming days. The inaugural New Providence Junior High School Soccer Championships will kick off the soccer action next week on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at the same venue.