SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — After a one-year absence, three St Elizabeth schools will make their way back to ISSA daCosta Cup schoolboy football competition when it get underway on September 10, 2011.

Balaclava and Newell, two of the new schools in the competition, have returned to Zone F, while Black River, who played in the Westmoreland Zone two seasons ago, were placed back into the St Elizabeth Zone to filled the void left by Maggotty High, who withdrew at the last moment.

St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) will host DC in the opening zone game, while returning minnows Balaclava and Newell host Munro and Lacovia, respectively.

Chairman of Zone F Keith Wellington said a number of teams in the zone are going to do well this year. “Well Black River is back in the zone replacing Maggotty, who have withdrawn and Balaclava and Newell, who did not play last year, have also returned and deCarteret College remain in the zone,” Wellington said.

Wellington, who is also the principal of STETHS, thinks his school will win the zone and Munro should be the team that will advance with STETHS.

“I think STETHS will win the zone because we have retained a number of players,” Wellington said. “Nine out of 10 times it’s usually STETHS and Munro that go through and I don’t think there is anything to suggest that it will be different this year.”

In terms of the fields, the chairman said except for Balaclava, who will either play their games at Appleton or Braes River, all the other schools will play at home. He said STETHS will be ready for first-round and second-round games. “STETHS will be ready, we are doing some minor work on the field presently, just to make sure that it is in tip-top shape and will be ready for the first round as well as the inter zone,” Wellington said.