STETHS hunt first win

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Lacovia High School last Saturday, will be seeking their first win of the 2010 ISSA/Pepsi/ Digicel daCosta Cup season this afternoon, when they play away to DeCarteret College in a Zone F fixture.

The game, one of several high- profile encounters slated to start at 3:30 p.m., forms part of the full slate of matches that will be played across all 12 zones in the 70-team competition, which is symbol of rural schoolboy football supremacy.

Among the other much-anticipated games are the Zone G matchup between last year's beaten finalists, Manchester High, and Cross Keys; the big Zone H clash between Clarendon College and Lennon; the Zone I showdown between Glenmuir and Denbigh High; and Frome Technical's Zone B season-opener against fellow former champions, Herbert Morrison.

Maximum points

With arch-rival Munro College and DeCateret taking maximum points from their opening games in a zone which is expected to be fiercely contested, the Andrew Edwards-coached STETHS will not want to drop any more points at this stage of the competition, as playing catch-up in such a difficult zone will not be easy.

"We will be seeking to regroup quickly with a view of winning our next game," Edwards said after last Saturday's 1-1 draw. "We know we have what it takes to get it right, and we will get it right."

With 15 unanswered goals in their two games, the Barry Watson-coached Manchester High have been snapping up a lot of early attention as they seek to go better than last year's second-place finish. With Cross Keys showing nothing special in their 3-1 loss to Knox College, they too could suffer at the hands of the rampaging Manchester team.

The Zone H clash between former champions Clarendon College and Lennon should answer a few questions surrounding the pre-season hype generated by both teams.

Spanked

The Donovan Duckie-coached Clarendon College spanked Thompson Town 7-0 in their opening game, while Lennon had 2-1 and 1-0 wins against Claude McKay and Edwin Allen, respectively.

Based on their first-round wins, an interesting contest looms between Glenmuir, who ticked off Central High 4-0 and the Denbigh High team, who upstaged Kemps Hill 2-0. If both teams report in their best form, it could be an intriguing, if not exciting, matchup.

Frome Technical, the 2003 champions, having seen the Herbert Morrison team which they will entertain today spank the much-talked-about Hopewell High 5-2, will no doubt be aiming to make an important statement themselves.

With their long-time nemesis Rusea's impressing with a 3-0 win against Maldon, any foul-up by the Frome team could immediately put them behind.

Today's games

Zone A: Spot Valley vs Green Pond at Spot Valley, Cornwall College vs William Knibb at Jarrett Park, Muschett vs St James at Wakefield

Zone B: Frome Technical vs Herbert Morrison at Frome, Hopewell vs Ruseas at Kenilwoth

Zone C: Brown's Town vs York Castle at Addison Park, Cedric Titus vs Albert Town at Clarke's Town, Ocho Rios vs Marcus Garvey at Drax Hall

Zone D: St Mary High vs Brimmer Vale at Highgate, Annotto Bay vs St Mary Technical at Westmoreland Oval, Islington vs Iona at Islington

Zone E: Mannings vs Petersfield at Mannings, Maud McLeod vs Godfrey Stewart at Maud McLeod, Grange Hill vs Little London at Grange Hill

Zone F: Lacovia vs Maggotty at Lacovia, Munro College vs Mile Gully at Munro, DeCarteret College vs STETHS at Decarteret

Zone G: Manchester High vs Cross Keys at Manchester, Knox College vs Porus at Knox, Spalding vs Alston at Spalding

Zone H: Claude McKay vs Vere Technical at Claude McKay, Clarendon College vs Lennon at Chapleton

Zone I: Central vs Tacius Golding at Central High, Garvey Maceo vs Kemps Hill at Garvey Maceo, Denbigh vs Glenmuir at Denbigh High

Zone J: Dinthill vs Charlemont at Dinthill, Bog Walk vs Old Harbour at Bog Walk, McGrath vs Ewarton at McGrath

Zone K: Buff Bay vs Titchfield at Buff Bay, Port Antonio vs Happy Grove at Carder Park

Zone L: Morant Bay vs Robert Lightbourne at Morant Bay, St Thomas Tech vs Paul Bogle at Eastern Banana Estates