STETHS net first victory

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) notched their first win of the 2010 rural area ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup senior schoolboy football competition yesterday afternoon, when they scored a comfortable 3-1 win over DeCarteret College in their Zone F fixture at Decarteret.

The STETHS team, which started their title defence on the competition's opening day with a 1-1 draw against Lacovia the previous Saturday, got their goals through Derval Vacianna, Romero Thompson and Akeemo Palmer. All three STETHS goals came in the first half.

"I am pretty pleased with our performance today, especially in the first half, as we played the ball around and got three goals," said Andrew Edwards, the STETHS coach. "The rain in the second half affected our play, but we are overall satisfied with the result."

Last year's beaten finalists, Manchester High, who have been creating quite an impact in Zone G with 15 goals in their first two games courtesy of 5-0 and 10-0 wins against Christina and Alston High, respectively, sounded yet another ominous warning by scoring a comprehensive 9-0 win over Cross Keys yesterday.

Players on target

Oral Johnson (4), Samuda Johnson (2), Junior Neil, Jason Morgan and and Kymani Rankine were the players on target for the Barry Watson-coached Manchester High, who have now tallied 24 goals without giving up any.

Over in western Jamaica, it was a good afternoon for former champions as Rusea's, Cornwall College and Frome Technical all came up with pleasing wins in their respective games.

Rusea's, who opened their Zone B campaign last week with a 3-0 win against Maldon, again displayed impressive form, spanking parish neighbours Hopewell High 4-0 in their game at Kenilworth. Brian Brown (2), Terico Gregory and Anthony Walker got the goals for Rusea's.

In the other high-profile Zone B game between Frome Technical and Herbert Morrison, the Frome team opened their campaign with a 2-1 win, courtesy of two first-half penalties by Jermaine Steele. Incidentally, Herbert Morrison, who spanked Hopewell 5-2 in their opening game, missed a penalty in the third minute.

In their Zone A game against William Knibb, Cornwall College made it two wins from two starts when Oniel Robinson scored twice to give them a 2-0 victory. The win put Cornwall College atop the zone with maximum six points, as St James High could only manage a 0-0 draw against Muschett.

In the big Zone H clash between the Donovan Duckie-coached Clarendon College and arch-rivals Lennon High School, Clarendon made it two wins from two starts, scoring a hard-fought come-from-behind 2-1 win to move to maximum six points.

Yesterday's Results

• Zone A: Spot Valley 2 Green Pond 0, Cornwall College 2 William Knibb 0, Muschett 0 St James 0;
  
•  Zone B: Frome Technical 2 Herbert Morrison 1, Ruseas 4 Hopewell 0;
  
• Zone C: Cedric Titus 1 Albert Town 1, Marcus Garvey 3 Ocho Rios 0;
  
• Zone D: St Mary High 5 Brimmer Vale 1, St Mary Technical 1 Annotto Bay 0, Islington 2 Iona 0;
  
• Zone E: Mannings 3 Petersfield 0, Godfrey Stewart 2 Maud McLeod 1;
  
• Zone F: Munro College 2 Mile Gully 0, STETHS 3 DeCarteret 1;
  
• Zone G: Manchester High 9 Cross Keys 0;
  
• Zone H: Clarendon College 2 Lennon 1;
  
•  Zone I: Garvey Maceo 2 Kemps Hill 2, Glenmuir 3 Denbigh 0;
  
•  Zone K: Buff Bay 2 Titchfield 0; Zone L:- Paul Bogle 2 St Thomas Technical 1.