Celebration time in Montego Bay

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Former president of the St James Football Association, Garfield Anderson, was among those celebrating as Jamaica's Under-17 Reggae Boyz qualified for the World Cup in Mexico later this year.

The young Boyz, cheered on by a noisy crowd of partisan fans at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, defeated Honduras 2-1 on Wednesday, courtesy of a double strike from Jason Wright.

"It brings back wonderful memories of 1999, to see that the youngsters have applied themselves and executed and accomplished the mission of qualifying for another Under-17 World Cup," Anderson said. "This is a good boost for football and, hopefully, it will be a platform on which we can build."

With three minutes left in the game, the young Boyz turned to the spectators and beckoned for them to stand, and they willingly obliged, stomping their feet, tooting horns loudly, signalling that victory was near.

Stands erupted

When the referee blew the final whistle the stands erupted with shouts, screams, horns blaring, whistles tooting, and thundersticks banging. The young Reggae Boyz celebrated on the field and took a victory lap around the athletics track, where they were subsequently joined by Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange.

Coach Wendel Downswell celebrated with his young charges and received the 'royal treatment' when he was doused with the contents of the igloo, to loud cheers from the Boyz.

Rohan Chapman, who played with the 2010 daCosta Cup champions Rusea's High, was overjoyed.

"I feel very good for the boys. They have worked hard and they have played well, so I hope that they can go to the World Cup and continue playing good football."

The vuvuzela may have dominated the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but it was the sounds of blaring horns, whistles and banging of thundersticks which was the fuel behind the party-like atmosphere in the stands as Jamaicans - young and old - celebrated.

"Watch di likkle bwoy dem a cry!" one female fan remarked as the dejected Hondurans left the field. "Well, me sorry fi dem but no dem big bredda did bounce we out at the senior World Cup. It hot but hush."