Hosts lift STETHS Cup

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

Host school St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) gained their second hold on the STETHS Cup last weekend, when they emerged winner of the two-day football tournament, which also featured daCosta Cup champions Rusea's, Manning Cup champions Jamaica College and last year's winner, St James High.

"Our victory in this tournament is helping to build self belief among the players, coaching staff and supporters as we believe we have a good team that should do well this year," said Andrew Edwards, coach of the STETHS team. "In my opinion, playing against teams like JC, Rusea's and St James High is possibly the best way to judge where we are in our preparation."

On the first day of the tournament, which featured two games, STETHS got off to possibly the best start they could have hoped for, when a Kevon Farquharson strike gave them a 1-0 win against JC, last year's triple champions (Manning Cup, Walker Cup and Olivier Shield).

In the second game, the Anthony 'Follies' Williams-coached Rusea's were awesome, scoring an impressive 4-1 win over St James High in a game they completely dominated. Star striker, Brian 'Rambo' Brown Jr, last year's schoolboy Golden Boot winner, did the damage for the 'Russians', scoring a hat-trick.

On Sunday's final day, JC placed themselves in a good position to walk away with the cup when they hammered St James High 4-1 to place themselves on eight points (three points for their two wins and one each for the five goals they scored). Junior Flemming was the star for JC, scoring a well taken hat-trick.

Gritty display

In the tournament's final game, a game both STETHS and Rusea's knew they had to win to overtake JC in the standings, the STETHS team gave a gritty display, which not only saw them winning the game 2-0 but completing the championship with nine points, which was enough to crown themselves champions.

"It was a very good game and as coach of the STETHS team, I was able to identify some areas in which we need to do some extra work," said Edwards. "Overall, it was a most pleasing experience as even the representatives of our two sponsors, Jamaica National (JN) and Digicel, expressed pleasure with the quality of the tournament."

In the presentation ceremony that followed the tournament, the following awards were handed out: top goalkeeper - Leo-Pete Cole (STETHS), top defender - Kino Williams (Rusea's), top midfielder - Jason McLean (STETHS), top forward - Jason Farquharson (STETHS), Golden Boot - Jason Flemming (JC) and Brian Brown (Rusea's); and Most Valuable Player - Jason Farquharson.

When the 2011 daCosta Cup season starts, STETHS will be campaigning in Zone F alongside arch-rivals Munro, while Rusea's and St James High will be showcasing their talent in zones B and A, respectively.