The first phase of the Prudent Energy Handball League wound up on Saturday with Kano Pillars and Safety Babes respectively topping the men and women’s categories after twelve rounds of matches at the National Stadium, Abuja.
Kano Pillars, leaders going into Matchday 12 after displacing Safety Shooters ensured they kept their place at the top of the men’s category with a 26-22 victory over Plateau Vipers. Pillars finished with 20 points, while closest rivals, Safety Shooters ended on a winning note to finish in second spot on 18 points after a 35-29 defeat of De Defenders.
In other final round fixtures in the men’s category, Lagos Seasiders scored an easy 40-30 win over Owena Kings 40-3 to finish in fourth place with 16 points while defending champions Niger United brushed aside Bornu Spiders 40-23.
COAS Shooters, also their campaign ended on a winning note, dispatching Prison Key Boys 30-24, while Sokoto Rima consigned Kada Stars to a 20-17 defeat.
In the women’s category, Safety Queens ended on top of the pile after seeing off Imo Grasshoppers 39-33 on the final day. Grasshoppers plummeted to fourth from second courtesy of that defeat.
Defending champions Plateau Peacocks finished in second place with 15 points after they dug deep to score a slim 26-25 win over Kada Queens.
Edo Dynamos defeated Abia Valliants 34-19 to finish third with 14 points while Defender Babes beat Lagos Seasiders 32-27 while Owena Queens ended a disappointing campaign on a victorious note by defeating Desert Queens 28-26.
The second phase of the Prudent Energy Handball Premier League will throw off in Lagos later in the year.
DAY 12 RESULTS
ABIA VALLIANTS 19 – 34 EDO DYNAMOS
LAGOS SEASIDERS 40 – 30 OWENA KINGS
PLATEAU PEACOCKS 26 – 25 KADA QUEENS
NIGER UNITED 40 – 23 BORNO SPIDERS
DEFENDERS BABES 32 – 27 SEASIDERS BABES
DESERT QUEENS 26 – 28 OWENA QUEENS
IMO GRASSHOPPERS 33 – 39 SAFETY BABES
COAS SHOOTERS 30 – 24 PRISON KEY BOYS
KANO PILLARS 26 – 22 PLATEAU VIPERS
SOKOTO RIMA 20 – 17 KADA STARS
SAFETY SHOOTERS 35 – 29 DE DEFENDERS
