SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — The knock-out phase of the BIGGA STETHS Cup, an annual pre-season football tournament, begins today with a semi-final double header at St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in Santa Cruz.

In the curtain-raiser, set for a 2:00 pm kick-off, Clarendon College will tackle Excelsior High, while in the feature contest two hours later, hosts St Elizabeth Technical and Jamaica College (JC) will clash in a repeat of last season’s Olivier Shield decider.

The winners will meet in tomorrow’s final, also at STETHS, for a $100,000 cash prize and the BIGGA STETHS Cup.

The competition, now in its fifth year, began on July 26, with eight teams contesting the preliminary stage, which was played at four venues across the rural and Corporate areas.

Clarendon College, six-time daCosta Cup champions, emerged as Group A winners on seven points, while the Manning Cup and Olivier Shield holders, JC, placed second on four points.

Manchester High and Wolmer’s Boys exited the competition with two points each.

In Group B, STETHS and Excelsior, seven points apiece, qualified for the semi-finals ahead of last year’s STETHS Cup champions Glenmuir High (three points) and Bridgeport High — the only school in the eight-team competition who failed to earn a point.