Second round takes shape
As at the end of last week, most of the second round spots in the ISSA/Digicel/Pepsi Manning Cup have been taken. As with every other league, there were some shocks in place as the dust settled by Saturday evening.
In group C, Calabar High proved to be the first high profile dropout of the season as they failed to make it pass the first hurdle and into the semi-final round. There was no doubt that at the beginning of the season the green and black-clad Lions harboured hopes of going as far as possible this season but it seems they only flattered to deceive. Excelsior on 29 points has advanced as group leaders on the back of some brilliant mid-round performances. They will be joined by Charlie Smith who hammered St Andrew College 10-0 to move to 28 points, two ahead of Calabar.
In group E, defending champions St Georges’ College and Wolmers’ Boys have both advanced to the next round of the competition. The blue and whites from North Street have topped the zone and grabbed the Walker Cup spot with 30 points while Wolmers’ is second on 26.
In group A, Waterford defeated St Mary’s College 2-0 to join Jamaica College on 22 points on top of the group. Group honours should be decided by this week.
Group D offered another shocker for neutrals as surprise team of the round Penwood High failed to make it to the second round of the competition. Penwood, who just last year was being thoroughly drubbed by schools such as Waterford and Jamaica College saw some dramatic improvement in the first half of this round and looked prime to move on. It was not to be however as Penwood failed to capitalise on the momentum they had before the rains and began to show holes in their armour. The final nail in the coffin came via a 2-0 defeat to STATHS on the weekend who painfully enough have taken the Cinderella team’s place in the second round. STATHS and group leaders Norman Manley are both on 29 points but Manley leads the zone with a better goal difference.
In group F, the only team with a 100 % record for the season, Eltham High, takes the Walker Cup spot with 33 points so far. Second in that zone is Kingston College who successfully fended off a challenge from Jonathon Grant to book their place in the next round.
