Calls answered

REIGNING MANNING Cup champions Jamaica College will have eight players representing the Old Hope Road-based school in the highly anticipated return of the All-Manning versus All-daCosta Cup all-star fixture, while rural-area giants Clarendon College will see nine of their players from the title-winning team on show for the January 14 spectacle.

Keith Wellington, president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), said a return of the competition was because of the growing calls from the public. The ISSA president also noted that the game provides an opportunity for the governing body to recognise the outstanding performances of the players throughout the season.

“This is something that the public has always wanted to see, but also, from our perspective, we think that this is an opportunity to recognise the players and their efforts throughout the season. It’s an opportunity, also, to recognise the quality of individual players, and I think eventually what we want to see is an opportunity to highlight these players to international scouts, whether for academic or for professional persons, who may wish to scout individual players,” Wellington noted. The All-Manning team will be coached by Jamaica College’s Davion Ferguson while the All-daCosta team will be led by Clarendon College’s Lenworth Hyde.

Wellington was also quick to point out that he envisions this becoming a staple on the calendar following the conclusion of the schoolboy football season in Jamaica.

BROKEN GROUND

“This is something that we intend to be a part of the regular calendar and the fact that we are having it in January, I think is good, because the excuse that we’ve had in the past is that we’ve never had enough time to play. But we carried over the schoolboy football to January last year, because of COVID, and, this year, we have broken ground now in terms of completing the regular season in December and then looking to have these games in January. So, we are looking at setting up the season in a different way,” the ISSA president pointed out.

There was also to have been a mini tournament involving Trinidad and Tobago’s Fatima College, Intercol champions, and St Benedict’s College, Secondary Schools Football League winners, as well as daCosta Cup winners Clarendon College and Manning Cup title holders Jamaica College.

However, according to Wellington, scheduling issues will likely force the postponement of that competition.

“The Trinidadians were suggesting a date later on in the year, but you know how that holds a challenge in terms of getting the teams back into action if we end the season now and then expect them to come back and play a couple games a month from now. So there will be a challenge. So, for now, I would say it has been postponed,” said Wellington.

orane.buchanan@gleanerjm.com

All-Manning and All-daCosta Cup squads

All-Manning squad:

Rassico Rose (Jamaica College); Akeem Bernard (Mona); Michael Graham (Jamaica College); Romain Blake (Jamaica College); Xavier Davidson (Jamaica College); Blaine Byam (Kingston College); Donhue Mitchell (Mona); Rashard Frankson (STATHS); J’havier Lynch (Jamaica College); Maquan Aldridge ( Jamaica College); Dujuan Richards (Kingston College); Zhaine Pinnock (Mona); Andre Salmon (STATHS); Omar Reid (STATHS); Shakeone Satchwell (STATHS); Jahwan Payne (Haile Selassie); Jahmarly Bennett (Jamaica College); Kevaughn Wilson (Jamaica College); Damoi Whitfield (Mona); Nickyle Ellis (St Catherine); Nickoy Gayle (STATHS); and Daniel Watson (Tivoli).

All-daCosta squad:

Romeo Daniels (Clarendon College); Mowey Morgan (STETHS); Anrick Gordon (Central); Adrian McNeil (Clarendon College); Devonti Hodges (Clarendon College); Okeemo Jones (Clarendon College); Javaine Lindsay (Manchester); Christopher Hull (Clarendon College); Keheim Dixon (Clarendon College); Marques Reid (Clarendon College); Giovanni Afflick (Dinthill); Yarek Carnegie (Manchester); Devonte Rodney (Manning’s); Jhameleek Porter (Manning’s); Shamar Hamilton (Manning’s); Shane Gordon (Central); Malachi Douglas (Clarendon College); Theon Cupee (Clarendon College); Clayton Peck ( Edwin Allen); Chadwick Woolcock (Foga Road); David Reid (Glenmuir); and Rashuan Reynolds (Manchester).