Group A

A contender for Group of Death, this group features two perennial contenders in Jamaica College and Calabar, plus an improving Tivoli team. Last year Tivoli weren’t able to make much of a splash in a not-too-tough group won by Denham Town. They’ll likely find it hard to displace JC, who scored just over three goals per game in last year’s group stage, and Calabar who were just edged out from topping their group by Hydel last year.

The group is rounded out by Clan Carthy and St Catherine High.

Group B

In a Group of Life contender, Hydel should reign supreme, even with the change in coaching staff – back to Jeffrey Maxwell from the successful Donovan ‘DV’ Hayles – this year. Aside from Haile Selassie High and to a lesser extent Greater Portmore High, the sky blues are surrounded by heavy conceders in the group stage last year: Papine, Dunoon, and Cumberland High.We expect Haile Selassie to take second in the group.

Group C

Another close contender for the Group of Death, but not quite. The dominant Georgians of North Street are joined by Innswood and Denham Town. The latter two, who topped Group C last year, are joined again by Ardenne. The group is completed by Eltham, but it should be extremely close between Denham Town and Innswood for who goes through with Neville Bell’s outfit.

Group D

The Group of Life. Charlie Smith should have the advantage here. But it seems a toss-up between Holy Trinity, Penwood and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) to see who can go through with Jerome Waite’s side. The 27-year stalwart at the Trench Town school will be hoping to go one better than last year’s finals loss.

Group E

Wolmer’s, St Jago and Bridgeport battle it out in the group that (for us) won Group of Death status. Ludlow Bernard is no long at Wolmers, so Vassel Reynolds takes the reigns this year, hoping to better their 23 goals in the group stage last year. The group is completed by Mona and Kingston High.

Group F

Leebert Halliman returns with Excelsior for yet another season. This season, his team faces Norman Manley and Vauxhall as early competitors. However, they open up on Monday against Ascot in a match that will be live tweeted by us. Jonathan Grant and Vauxhall round out the group.

Group G

Waterford and Jose Marti find themselves in a group with Kingston College again. Goalkeeper and captain Akeem Larman will be hoping to ensure that the purple-blooded men from North Street don’t have as much trouble making out of the group stage this year. That will start with a huge opening match at Clovelly Park against Camperdown, who won their group, scoring 29 goals last year. Campion College will hope to not concede 33 goals as they did in the group stage last year.