STETHS, St James in big clash

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

The quest for top honours in the 2010 ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup, which is the symbol of rural schoolboy football supremacy, will cross into another crucial phase this afternoon when the competition's eight surviving teams square off in four first round quarter-final games.

Champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who are chasing their second title of the season, having already won the Ben Francis Knockout Cup, will face a major challenge when they come up against 2008 champions St James High in one of two Group One games.

While STETHS defeated St James High on penalties in the Ben Francis KO, both teams are coming into the quarter-finals with identical inter-zone records - two wins and a draw in three games. In fact, while STETHS will have home advantage, it should be interesting to note that St James High have never lost to the STETHS in Santa Cruz.

"We are not worried about playing at STETHS because our record there is better than at Jarrett Park," said Hugh Solomon, coach of St James High. "The players are in high spirits, the mood in the camp is good and we going to STETHS expecting to win."In the second Group One game, at Jamalco, the Jackie Walters-coached Glenmuir, who have been been like a silent assassin - striking decisively from round to round without much fanfare - will face a most interesting challenge in Marcus Garvey Technical, who qualified for the quarter-finals as one of the two best second-place finishers.

With just two defeats in all competitions this season, the classy Glenmuir High should start favourites. They hold a 100 per cent win record in the just-concluded inter-zone round, having fired in nine unanswered goals.

However, having survived the tough inter-zone round, Marcus Garvey are harbouring lofty ambitions of at least making the competition's semi-final.

"We are now playing very good football, and having made it this far, we will be giving every game our best effort," said Marcus Garvey's coach Rohan Alexander, in the aftermath of his team's qualifying 1-0 win against Frome Technical. "We are a confident team going forward."

In Group Two, the contest between eight-time champions Rusea's and the rampaging Lennon High, at Brooks Park in Mandeville, should be worth going miles to see. With both teams sporting unbeaten records in the daCosta Cup and having some of the most exciting players on show this season, it should be unabated excitement from start to finish.

In the inter-zone round, the Lennon team was almost flawless, rolling over Manning's (3-0) and Munro College (5-1), before turning in a subdued performance in a 0-0 draw against Manchester High. For Rusea's, it was a merciless siege all the way as they spanked Spot Valley 4-0, crushed St Mary Technical, 5-0 and upstaged Brown's Town 3-0.

Earth-shattering form

"We have been getting the desired results since we entered the inter-zone round and we intend to keep it that way," said Rusea's coach, Anthony 'Follies' Williams.

"Our plan at this stage is to guard against complaceny by keeping the players focused."

The second of the Group Two games, between Garvey Maceo and Old Harbour High, the feature game of the Jamalco double-header, is a difficult one to call as while both teams have not been enjoying earth-shattering form, but the fact that they have made it this far would suggest they have the capacity to do well.

Fresh from a 2-1 win against Garvey Maceo in their last inter-zone game, the Old Harbour team should fancy their chances of coming out on top. However, with an astute tactician in coach Jeffrey Hewitt, the Garvey Maceo team will no doubt be coming to turn the tables this time around.

In the inter-zone round, Garvey Maceo started smoothly with a 3-0 win against Titchfield, followed by a 1-0 win against Paul Bogle, before crashing 2-1 to Old Harbour. For their part, Old Harbour, the lowest-ranking qualifier in the quarter-finals, started badly with a 1-0 loss to Titchfield, but rebounded strongly with a 3-1 win against Paul Bogle, before upstaging Garvey Maceo.

Today's games

Glenmuir vs Marcus Garvey Technical - 1 p.m. at Jamalco

Garvey Maceo High vs Old Harbour High - 3 p.m. at Jamalco

STETHS vs St James High - 3 p.m. at STETHS

Lennon High vs Rusea's High - 3 p.m. at Brooks Park