Schoolboys take centre stage today - STETHS Cup in Santa Cruz, Jackson Shield in MoBay

Western Bureau: With the 2011 ISSA schoolboy football season just weeks away, fans in western Jamaica will get a taste of what to expect when the region hosts the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Cup and annual Jackson Shield today and tomorrow.

In the STETHS Cup, reigning Ben Francis Cup champions STETHS, defending daCosta Cup champions Rusea's High, Manning Cup champions Jamaica College and 2008 daCosta Cup champions St James High School will battle today and tomorrow at the STETHS grounds.

The Jackson Shield double-header will see the daCosta Cup teams of Cornwall College and Munro College and the Under-35 teams from both schools meeting today at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively, at the Cornwall College grounds in Montego Bay.

In today's first-round game in the STETHS Cup, Jamaica College will meet hosts STETHS at 2 p.m. while in the second game, St James High, the reigning STETHS Cup champions, will meet Rusea's in a much-anticipated clash at 4 p.m.

Come tomorrow, St James High will meet Jamaica College at 2 p.m. while in second game at 4 p.m., STETHS will lock horns with Rusea's, who relieved them of the coveted daCosta Cup last season.

"The team which finished with the most points at the end of the two days will be crowned champions," said Keith Wellington, the principal of STETHS. "The teams will be awarded three points for a win, one for a draw and one point for each goal scored. The teams will lose a point for red cards issued against them."

While all four teams are said to be in fine fettle as they intensify preparations for the upcoming schoolboy season, there is a special buzz around the Rusea's team, which is reportedly stronger than last year when they won the daCosta Cup.

Rusea's strike force is expected to revolve around seasoned stalwarts such as last year's schoolboy 'Golden Boot' winner Brian Brown, Anthony Walker, Nicodia Haughton, Richard Trench and Jennel McDonald, who will be complemented by an exciting crop of youngsters coming up from the Under-16 ranks and players joining the squad through transfers.

The Jackson Shield game between the daCosta Cup teams of Cornwall College and Munro College, the 18th such clash between the two schools, promises to be an epic contest as both teams are said to be full of confidence going into the season.

readiness

"As the host school this year, we will be looking to give a very good account of ourselves," said Hopeton Gilchrist, the new coach of Cornwall College. "This is a good opportunity to test our state of readiness ahead of the start of the daCosta Cup and we intend to use it well."

In the over-35 game, which usually generates much excitement, Cornwall are expected to showcase the likes of Warren Barrett, Ali McNab, Patrick Reid, Raymond 'Cloggy' Clarke, Vinton Williams, and Conrad HoSang; while Munro will parade Dale Spencer, Brandon and Courtney Murray, Kenry Jackson, Howard Lawrence and Carlton Campbell.