SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — A hat-trick by Kevon Farquharson gave three-time daCosta Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) a 5-0 win over DeCarteret College in their opening Zone F game of the DaCosta Cup schoolboy competition on Saturday.

In other Zone F games, former champions Munro College beat Balaclava 2-1, while Newell and Lacovia drew 0-0.

In Santa Cruz, Farquharson scored in the 23rd, 46th and 81st minutes, while Akeem Jones netted in the 35th and substitute Rushane Scarlett in the 90th.

Coach Andrew Edwards, though happy for the win, said the team could have played much better.

“I thought we could have played a lot better… but it’s the first game of the season, so we’re very happy. It’s been a long time that STETHS haven’t won the first game of the season,” Edwards noted.

“It’s still a very good result for us, it’s just that I was not pleased with the manner in which we played… and although we won, I don’t think it was the best game that we could’ve played…,” he added.

According to DéCarteret’s coach Richard Adamson “it was a matter of not being competitive enough and not challenging for the first and second balls”.

STETHS started out dominating the game and Farquharson, Jones and Davian Ash could have scored more goals. It was Ash’s day as he got numerous easy chances to score, but failed to do so.