Champions Jamaica College will take the spotlight in one of 13 games across five groups, as the highly anticipated Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Flow Manning Cup season gets under way today.

Jamaica College (JC) will feature in a Group B opener against St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in the first of the usual triple-header at Catherine Hall Sports Complex in St James starting at 2:45 pm.

All the other games will be played in and around the Corporate Area and are scheduled to begin at 3:30 pm.

The slightly revamped competition will also be highlighted by the innovation of the new five-substitution rule as well as water breaks being permitted midway both halves.

The Manning Cup format remains the same and will be contested by 40 teams spanning seven groups. Two groups will have five teams each, while the other five groups will have six teams each.

The top-two teams from each group, plus the two-best third-placed teams will advance to the second round. The 16 teams will then be divided into four groups of four with the winners advancing to the semi-finals.

JC, the most successful school in the Manning Cup with 27 titles, are howling favourites to not only to kick off their defence with a bang, but also claim their 28th lien on the prestigious title.

The Miguel Coley-coached team will be carrying the proverbial target on their backs throughout the competition, with STATHS being the first of the lot to take a swipe at them. Eltham High, Spanish Town and Vauxhall are the other teams in the group and will be idle today.

While the set-up of the STATHS team remain unknown, the Old Hope Road-based JC are said to be boasting another well-rounded unit that is ready and raring to go.

Meanwhile, a competitive-looking Group C will see last year’s semi-finalist Denham Town High opening their account against three-time champions Norman Manley High at Edward Seaga Complex. Ascot High will also host Papine High in another group fixture.

However, all eyes in this group will be on a highly touted Kingston College team that is expected to comfortably take group honours and pose a serious challenge for their 15th hold on title this year.

They will travel to St Mary’s College, where they should pocket all three points, despite the lack of knowledge of their opponents.

The North Street-based Kingston College have struggled to produce a title-challenging team since 1986, but Ludlow Bernard-coached unit is now lined with a vast amount of talent and is to go out guns blazing to break a 30-year Manning Cup drought.

Jonathan Grant, another semi-finalist from last year, will be at home to Ardenne High in an intriguing Group D clash, while elsewhere in the parish, St Catherine High will welcome Meadowbrook High. Haile Selassie, now under the guidance of veteran coach Geoffrey Maxwell, will host Pembroke Hall in the other Group D fixture.

Meanwhile, in Group F, Walker Cup champions Wolmer’s Boys’ should open with a win away to Edith Dalton James. The 10-time winners from Heroes’ Circle will be fielding a squad filled with a variety of youth and experience that is tasked with shattering a 22-year Manning Cup drought.

But Edith Dalton James will have other ideas, as they too will be optimistic of getting off to a positive start against the Vassell Reynolds-conditioned Wolmer’s.

The other group games will see 2014 semi-finalist and three-time winners Camperdown High visiting Jose Marti Technical for what should be yet another tough task, as the two will renew their rivalry from last year, while Dunoon Technical will be at home to Kingston Technical.

Finally, Coach Donovan Duckie should register his first win at the helm at Hydel High when they host Cumberland High in the highly competitive Group G. Calabar High will welcome Bridgeport High in a mouth-watering encounter, whereas St Jago should have little worry in taking three points when they visit Campion College.