Big four in Ben Francis semi-final showdown

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

The first two finalists in the 2010 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel schoolboy football season will be decided this afternoon when St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) oppose St James High School, and Manchester High battle Paul Bogle High in the semi-finals of the Ben Francis Knock-Out football competition.

In the games slated to begin at 3 p.m., STETHS, the reigning daCosta Cup champions, will step into the Jarrett Park facility in Montego Bay to meet the 2008 champions, St James High, while Manchester High and Paul Bogle, who are yet to win a major schoolboy title, will square off at the Spanish Town Prison Oval in St Catherine.

The game at Jarrett Park promises to be a humdinger as STETHS and St James High, the respective winners of zones A and F of the daCosta Cup preliminary round, were both impressive in their Ben Francis KO quarter-final games. St James blanked The Manning's School 3-0, while STETHS upstaged Marcus Garvey 2-0.

Despite playing in St James High's backyard, the STETHS team, whose victory bid will revolve around top strikers Davian Ash and Denmark Gillings (who have combined for 16 goals between them this season), are not the least bit intimidated.

Ready

"We are as confident and as ready as we can be," said Andrew Edwards, the coach of STETHS.

"We are not the least bit concerned about playing in Montego Bay as a good team should be prepared to play anywhere," he added.

Buoyed by their preseason success against STETHS when they beat them 3-1 in the STETHS Cup Tournament, the St James High team is bubbling with confidence, especially since top players Allan Ottey and Ricardo Morris are finally rolling into top form.

"We have seen STETHS and have a fair idea of what they have to offer," said Pastor Hugh Solomon, the coach of St James High.

"It is our belief that if we want to be the best, we must be able to beat all the teams that come before us," he added.

In all competitions this season, STETHS have played 11 games, winning nine and drawing two, while scoring 38 goals and conceding two. St James High have played 11 games, winning eight, drawing two and losing one. They have scored 24 goals and given up eight.

In the game at Spanish Town, Manchester High, which have quality players in Oral Johnson and Samuda Johnson, who have scored 16 and 10 goals, respectively, this season, should start as favourites against Paul Bogle, especially against the background that they have eliminated the highly rated Clarendon College and outgoing champions Glenmuir High.

Confidence high

"Our preparation has been going great and confidence is very high," said Sheldon Davis, the assistant coach of Manchester. "We have a few minor injuries but we will definitely be ready for this game."

While arguably the least fancied of the four semi-finalists, Zone L winners, Paul Bogle High School, which defeated Old Harbour 2-1 in their lone Ben Francis KO game, earned the right to be considered a quality team. In fact, if top striker Rusheen Webber reports in top form, they could prove lethal.

"We are 100 per cent ready and focused. We have not seen the Manchester team but we have got information on them," said Davian McKenzie, manager of the Paul Bogle team. "We have a lot of faith in our players and we expect them to rise to the occasion." In 14 games this season, Manchester High have 11 wins and three draws, while scoring 52 goals and conceding four. Paul Bogle have won eight games and lost once in their nine outings, scoring 34 goals and conceding four.