Big first for Spot Valley

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Spot Valley High School created history yesterday afternoon when they qualified for a daCosta Cup inter-zone round for the first time following their impressive come from behind 3-2 win over William Knibb in their crucial Zone fixture at Martha Brae, in Trelawny.

By virtue of their win which lifted them to 17 points, Spot Valley joined group winners St James High as the Zone A qualifiers, leaving eleven-time champions Cornwall College and Muschett High out of contention as their 1-1 draw saw them both finishing on 14 points.

"This is the first time in our five years in this competition that we have made the inter-zone round and we are extremely delighted for the school," said Spot Valley's coach Preston Bernard. "Last year we had some bad publicity but our success today has now put us back into a positive light."

Godfrey Stewart fails

Spot Valley, who went into the game knowing that a win would see them through regardless of the result in the game between Cornwall College and Muschett, got their goals through Oniel Gibbs, Tyshon Hill and Jamaal Haye.

Despite getting their desired result in a 2-1 win over group winners Mannings, former champions Godfrey Stewart failed in their bid to become the second Zone E qualifiers as Grange Hill blanked Maud McLeod 2-0 to pip them on goal difference. Both teams ended their fixtures with 21 points.

Champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) took zone honours in Zone F after Kevin Farquharson, who got a hat-trick, led them to a big 9-0 win over Maggotty, which saw them ending their preliminary campaign with 26 points. Munro College who were seeking to grab zone honours ahead of STETHS, beat Decarteret 3-1 to finish on 25 points.

In Zone I, two times champions Glenmuir booked their place in the inter-zone round with a comfortable 2-0 win over Tacius Golding. They have 25 points. Garvey Maceo kept their inter-zone aspirations on target with a 2-1 win over Denbigh High. They are second on 18 points

In Zone G, Knox strengthened their bid to join early qualifiers Manchester High in the inter-zone round when they scored an emphatic 4-0 win over Christiana High School to move to 23 points.

Yesterday's results

• Zone A: Spot Valley 3 William Knibb 2; St.James 2 Green Pond 0; Muschett 1 Cornwall 1.
  
• Zone B: Frome 1 Hopewell 0; Herbert Morrison 3 Maldon 0.
  
• Zone D: Annotto Bay 0 St Mary High 0.
  
• Zone E: Godfrey Stewart 2 Mannings 1; Grange Hill 2 Maud McLeod 0.
  
• Zone F: STETHS 9 Maggotty 0; Munro 3 Decarteret 1.
  
• Zone G: Knox 4 Christiana 0; Manchester 0 Spalding 0.
  
• Zone I: Glenmuir 2 Tacius Golding 0; Garvey Maceo 2 Denbigh 1.