It is still early days yet in the ISSA/Flow Manning Cup, but already the competition has seen some interesting results that have kicked the door wide open.

To date, Kingston College (KC), Wolmer’s Boys and Charlie Smith, are a few of the main contenders that are yet to drop points, ahead of this weekend’s final first-leg of games in the opening round.

KC remain perfect in the five-team Group G standings with nine points from three games, while scoring nine goals with one against their defensive unit. Camperdown (nine points); Jose Marti (six), Waterford (zero) and Campion College (zero) are the other teams in the group.

The North street-based team exhibited outstanding passing ability and ball handling skills in a 6-0 beating of Campion College recently and has been touted in some quarters as the team to break the title drought this year.

Over the years, the purple-and-white of North Street has struggled to produce a title-challenging team since 1986 when they had their 14th lien on the cup, with their last silverware being the Walker Cup knockout title back in 2000.

And having signalled early intentions, it would take a betting man to write off The Ludlow Bernard-coached unit from advancing from the second round. However, Bernard is threading cautiously.

“We are pretty pleased with where we are at the moment; I think there needs to be a little bit more discipline in the play in some areas. But then again its youngsters that we are dealing with so we have to be pressuring them to maintain the team play right throughout the course of any game,” he told the Jamaica Observer recently.

Wolmer’s Boys have a similar record in Group E, but have so far amassed five goals, and are currently in second position behind St Jago High with an inferior goal difference and a game in hand.

The Heroes Circle-based team is not as strong as last year’s unit which could have turned the tables, but have shown that they can hold their own in a tough encounter. And with tactician Vassel Reynolds now at the helm, they are currently in line to surpass the performance of last year’s team, and by extension, the last title winning team of 1994. Mona (three points); Bridgeport (three) and Kingston High (zero) are the other teams in the group.

Last year’s beaten finalist Charlie Smith High has been bolstered by its merger with Trench Town High, but Coach Jerome Waite remains sceptical about the team’s chances of repeating last year’s feat.

However, with nine points and 10 goals in three games with one against in Group C, the young Charlie Smith unit seems set to quell all doubts. St Mary’s College (six points),St Andrew Technical (four),Holy Trinity (four) and Penwood (zero) complete the group.

Many-time champions and pre-season favourites St George’s College were the latest to drop points in a surprising 1-2 loss to Innswood High in Group C. The defeat has now left the Neville Bell-coached unit in second on nine points with three wins from four games, following a perfect start.

The North Street-based team did garner 15 goals in those three wins and kept a clean sheet prior to Tuesday’s defeat, and are naturally expected to bounce back and chart their course forward.

Innswood, on the other hand, are currently atop the six-team table on 12 points and are perhaps enjoying one of their most promising starts in the history of the tournament. Denham Town (seven), Ardenne (four), Eltham (three) and Kingston Technical (zero) complete the table.

Champions Jamaica College have not yet lost a game in Group A, but got off to a disappointing start by the standards of Coach Miguel Coley when they drew 2-2 with Calabar in their opening game.

The Old Hope Road-based team has since picked up steam with respective 3-0 and 4-0 wins over St Catherine (zero) and Clan Carthy (four) and remain on course to defend their titles.

Calabar currently head the five-team standings on eight points, and despite not being viewed as a formidable opponent to get past the second round of the competition, the Red Hills Road-based boys have shown that they are worthy of respect. Tivoli (three) complete the group.

Jonathan Grant are in bloom and head Group F with 12 points from four games. The St Catherine-based team was never expected to be a factor, but if they continue on their current course, they just might spring a surprise in the second round.