STETHS stay on course for double

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

Champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) marched into the quarter-final round of the 2010 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup rural area schoolboy football competition in fine style yesterday afternoon when they blanked Grange Hill 2-0 to top Group Four of the inter-zone round.

The Andrew Edwards-coached STETHS, which completed their fixture with seven points, got their goals through midfielder Akeem Jones and the prolific Denmark Gillings.

By virtue of advancing, the STETHS team remain on course to win the rural double (Ben Francis KO and daCosta Cup), having already won the Ben Francis Cup.

"We knew what we needed to do today and we basically came here and got the job done," said Omar Legister, STETHS' assistant coach. "We are now looking forward to quarter-final round with much confidence as we seek to retain our title."

Rusea's, who are fast becoming the team to beat, ended their inter-zone campaign with a perfect win record, after spanking Brown's Town 3-0 in their Group Two game at Jarrett Park to finish with maximum nine points.

The prolific Brian Brown, Jermaine Woozencraft and Nicodia Haughton were the players on target for Rusea's.

"This is just another step in a journey we are confident will take us to the title," said Rusea's coach, Anthony 'Follies' Williams. "Our plan is just to stay focused and take it game by game."

St James High, the 2008 champions, made it a fantastic afternoon for western Jamaica teams, scoring a big 4-0 win against St Mary High in the Group-One game, the second of a Jarrett Park double-header.

Allan Ottey (2), Ricardo Morris and Jason Malcolm got the goals.

By virtue of that win, the St James High team finished on seven points, the same as Marcus Garvey Technical, which registered a 1-0 win against Frome Technical. As a consequence, St James topped the group on goal difference, while Marcus Garvey advanced as one of the top two second-place finishers.

Moving steadily

Glenmuir, which have been moving steadily through the competition with very little fanfare, also sealed their place in the inter-zone round in fine style, after spanking Charlemont 3-0 in Group Five, which lifted them to maximum nine points from their three games.

Like Rusea's and Glenmuir, the enterprising Lennon also sealed their quarter-final place in emphatic style, brushing aside Manning's 3-0 to win Group Three with maximum nine points. The Lennon team has now elevated themselves to being a bona fide contender for the title.

Despite tasting defeat in their 2-1 loss to Old Harbour, former champions Garvey Maceo, which completed their fixtures with six points - the same as Old Harbour - emerged Group-Six winners on goal difference. The Old Harbour team was rewarded for their heroics, as they advanced as one of the top third-place finishers.