FORTY-ONE schools started the hunt for the prestigious LIME/ISSA Manning Cup trophy a few months ago, now it’s down to just two. Today, Jamaica College and Wolmer’s Boys will battle to be crowned urban schoolboy champion at the National Stadium, with kick-off set for 4:00 pm.

Jamaica College (JC), winners on 21 occasions, are tied atop with dethroned champion St George’s College, and a win in today’s final will make them the most successful urban school. Kingston College, with 14 titles, are next and ahead of Wolmer’s Boys with 10 titles.

JC, winners back in 2007 and 2010, and Wolmer’s, champions back in 1994, are expected to have fans on the edge of their seats in what should be an intriguing match.

Both schools showed enough during the season to be worthy champions, and following their epic win over defending champions St George’s College in the semi-finals, Wolmer’s are the sentimental favourites.

Wolmer’s, founded in 1729, which makes them 284 years old, has been waiting 19 years to put their hands on the Manning Cup trophy, and could very well do so having showed consistent form to reach the final of the Walker Cup Knockout competition.

The Heroes Circle boys have rallied around the death of teammate Demar Rose’s mother as an added motivation, and will be hard to beat. With the likes of the pacy Jaheel Hyde, Jordan James, the skilful Rose, the calming Kemo Wallace in central midfield, and the sturdy Rennico Clarke and Andre Wisdom, the maroon and gold Wolmer’s will have to be stopped if JC want the glory.

A confident head coach Ludlow Bernard believes his team is up to the task, and despite a niggling injury to Rose, they are ready. “The players are ready and raring to go although Rose is a bit of a bother. He will have a fitness test tomorrow (today),” Bernard told the Jamaica Observer.

“I expect the usual hard running game from JC. The style from JC is kind of different from St George’s and our approach will have to be a little bit different.

But we still expect the same level of competition and the way we have trained all season, we are prepared to deal with it, especially on a day like tomorrow,” Bernard noted. Bernard’s opposition can’t get any harder than the Miguel Coley-trained JC from Old Hope Road, who disdainfully brushed aside Excelsior 4-0 in the semi-final last week.

Led by 20-goal striker and captain Junior Flemmings, JC will be hard to contain as they have been scoring goals at will throughout the season, and special attention must be given to them or Wolmer’s will perish.

But JC, 60 years younger than Wolmer’s, which makes them 224 years old, must be respected and is far from being a one-man team. In Raffique Bryan, Kevin Blackwood, Sheldon McKoy, Ramone Howell, Akino Bailey, Allando Brown, Aaron Albert, David Simmonds, Orane Tomlinson, and Courtney Dowdie, the ‘Dark Blues’ from Old Hope Road are a well-balanced aggregation, and following their demolition of Excelsior last week, they must be feared.

Head coach Coley is oozing confidence that he can lead JC to yet another title following their most recent victories in 2007 and 2010. “I am extremely confident, but I am expecting a tough game as Wolmer’s have been doing well,” Coley pointed out. However, he was quick to dismiss the idea that his team’s fortune depends on one man in Junior Flemmings.

“It cannot be a one-man team, Flemmings has been doing well, but if you look in the second round, different players have been stepping up and scoring the goals and that has been very good for us,” said Coley. At the end of the day, one school will be celebrating.