Wed | Jul 8, 2026

Champions STETHS eye winning start

Published:Saturday | September 11, 2010 | 12:00 AM
St Elizabeth Technical High School's Akeemo Palmer (right) takes control of the ball and turns away from St George's College's Kemar Cummings, during the second-leg final of the Olivier Shield - symbol of schoolboy supremacy - at Harbour View Mini Stadium last year. Both schools, the champions of the corporate and rural area senior schoolboy Manning and daCosta Cup competitions, will launch their title defence when the season kicks off today. - Ian Allen/Photographer

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau: DaCosta Cup champions, St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), will be aiming for a winning start this afternoon when they open their title defence against Lacovia High, at 3:15 p.m., as action commences in the 2010 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel schoolboy football season with a triple-header at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay.

In the other two games, reigning Manning Cup champions, St George's College, will oppose St Jago High in the 1 p.m. curtain-raiser, while in the final game at 5:15 p.m., 2008 daCosta Cup champions, St James High, will battle parish rivals Spot Valley High.

After what he described as a "decent preseason preparation", STETHS's coach, Andrew Edwards, is confident that his team has the requisite quality to make a successful defence of the title. He plans to give a taste of what can be expected from his players in their much-anticipated season opener against Lacovia High.

"Our preparation was quite good, and while we did not win all our practice matches, we gained useful knowledge and experience that should serve us well," said Edwards. "We most definitely will be aiming to start the season with a win."

However, it is unlikely to be a stroll in the park for STETHS as Lacovia's experienced coach, Errol White, while in a rebuilding phase with his team, has his sights set on copping one of the two qualifying places from what looks a competitive Zone A.

"We are rebuilding as we only have six players from last year's unit, but our preparation was quite good, with a lot of positive results from our practice games," said White. "The physical preparation is now over so we are now focusing on mental readiness."

In the two first-round meetings between the teams last year, STETHS dominated the first game on their home turf and came away 3-0 winners. In the return game, they were again victorious, turning back Lacovia's challenge 2-0 before their home fans.

While Edwards will be banking on the experienced Levaughn Baker, Denmark Gillings, Kevin Farquharson, Romario Thompson and Jason McLean to give STETHS victory, his opposite number, White, will be aiming to blunt their challenge with a total team effort.

In the second of the two daCosta Cup games - the Montego Bay derby between St James High and Spot Valley - all eyes will be on the Hugh Solomon-coached St James High, which created quite a buzz by winning the recent STETHS Cup.

quality players

In that competition, they spanked both the hosts and Manning Cup contenders Bridgeport High by 4-2 margins.

"We have good-quality players with the requisite experience to take us all the way," said Solomon. "Once the players apply themselves well, we stand a good chance of becoming champions again."

While they no longer have the expertise of former coach Delroy DeLisser (who is now with Muschett High School) to guide them, the Spot Valley team will no doubt be aiming to avenge the 4-0 defeat they suffered in the corresponding fixture last year.

With seasoned campaigners Allan Ottey, Ricardo Morris, Alwayne Barrett, Scion Peterkin, Jason Malcolm, Keniel Kirlew and goalkeeper Everett Nunes, St James High should start overwhelming favourites to make it a miserable afternoon for Spot Valley.