CATHERINE HALL, St James – HISTORY favours nine-time champions Rusea’s High this Saturday when they take on St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in the 56th ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup schoolboys’ football final at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, starting at 4:00 pm.

Three times since winning their first title in 1984, Rusea’s has won back-toback titles — the 1984-’85; 1989-’90 and 1992-’93 seasons.

On Saturday, they will seek to equal the record of four back to back wins held by Cornwall College — 1955-’56, 1958-’59, 1982-’83 and 2000-’01.

Other schools to retain titles are Munro College, who won the first three titles between 1950 and 1952, 1961-’62; Vere Technical who won six titles in seven years between 1965 and 1971 and again 1975 and 1976, while Clarendon College won 1977 and 1978.

However, STETHS will have psychological advantage having handed Rusea’s their only blemish of the season, eliminating them in the semi-finals of the Ben Francis Knock Out at Jarrett Park.

Rusea’s failed to make use of a oneman advantage for most of the second half then went to penalty kicks where they came up short; STETHS went on to beat Manchester High in the finals.

STETHS has been the most successful rural area high school football team, winning three titles — the 2009 daCosta Cup, as well as the Knockout titles the last two years.

The teams are coming off contrasting semi-final wins, after giving up an early goal, Rusea’s thrashed Glenmuir High 3-1 at Jarrett Park, while STETHS was taken all the way to penalty kicks by Cinderella team Grange Hill High at STETHS.

Rusea’s has scored eight goals in their last two games, Brian Brown scoring five of those to wrap up his second straight Golden Boots award with 13 since the start of the Inter-zone round, after scoring 24 in the first round.

STETHS has not been as prolific but has shown the ability to win with their backs to the wall and will depend on Kevon Farquharson, Jamel Sinclair and Akeem Jones to lead their scoring charge.