FOLLOWING a flourishing football season at the secondary level, three of Jamaica’s promising young stars are now looking to exploit their talents at a higher level.

National Under-20 representative Junior Flemmings headlines the list as he is now contemplating offers from a number of overseas-based universities. The instrumental captain of Jamaica College, who led his team to three of four titles, was the toast of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) awards ceremony on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old attacking player walked away with the Most Goals Scored for his 32 strikes throughout the Manning Cup competition, along with the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards for his seven goals in the second round.

“This is a tremendous feeling. It didn’t start here; it goes back to the training ground and it’s just my time to be rewarded for my hard work,” he told reporters at the Terra Nova Hotel on Wednesday.

“It’s a legacy not just created by me, but by many other players before me, and I want to continue that legacy for the ones that are coming to follow,” added Flemmings in reference to his time spent at his Old Hope Road-based school.

Flemmings, who is completing his final year at Jamaica College, is already upbeat about representing a new college, preferably the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville or University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

“I am just going to finish up the school year now and then move on to college, but mostly I’m focusing on the university of Virginia or New Mexico. I just have to keep my fitness going and continue to play good football,” he said.

The former national Under-17 player, who represents Tivoli Gardens in the Red Stripe Premier League, said he will continue to do so until he departs the island to represent his new school in the college league.

Another national Under-20 player, Donjay Smith of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who aspires to one day represent Barclays Premier League club Chelsea, said he is already looking at options ahead of the SAT exams in March.

Smith, 19, was St Elizabeth Technical’s leading scorer in last season’s daCosta Cup competition, hitting the net 18 times. His prolific goal-scoring saw him winning the Most Goals scored throughout the competition and Golden Boot awards.

“It feels good for me as an individual and I just have to give God thanks for this wonderful day. From here I’m going to move on to a university, so I’m looking at the options,” he said.

But despite his individual achievements, Smith is slightly disappointed that the LIME Super Cup and the Olivier Shield eluded him.

“I could have achieved more; I didn’t win the Olivier Shield and that is what I really wanted and the Super Cup. STETHS is like a home away from home, so I still have to give thanks to the school and the support,” said the Holland Police Youth Club (PYC) player.

Meanwhile, Zane Reid, the outstanding midfielder of daCosta cup champions Clarendon College, is happy with his schoolboy season and is optimistic he will pick up an overseas scholarship.

“I am very elated, because over the past season I have been working extra hard and being a past champion of Glenmuir, the pressure was high and I knew I had to deliver. I am trying my best to get a scholarship to go overseas to further my education and take it from there,” he said after picking up the Most Valuable Player award for his seven goals and seven assists.