DEFENDING champions Jamaica College and Alpha Academy won their respective matches as the 2017 ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Under-19 hockey leagues got underway at the Mona hockey field on Wednesday.

Jamaica College clipped Clan Carthy High 1-0 in the Boys’ Under-19 competition through a 31st-minute goal from Brandon Grant.

Alpha went on a goal-scoring spree with a 6-0 thrashing of Denbigh High in the Girls’ Under-19 competition. Iyanna White had a three-timer after scoring in the 22nd, 32nd and 39th minutes, while the other goals were scored by Crystal Hull in the 3rd, Kayana Ming 28th and Charity Allen in the 45th minute.

In another boys match, Denbigh High edged Wolmer’s 2-1 through goals from Jowayne James and Daniel Powell in the 48th and 54th minutes, respectively. Ricardo Tyndale scored Wolmer’s lone goal in the 60th minute.

Excelsior gained a walk over Wolmer’s Girls’ 3-0 in a Under-19 match.

Munro College began their campaign by crushing St Andrew Technical High School 6-0 in a Boys’ Under-19 match played on Thursday at the same venue.

Stephen Panton with two goals in the 27th and 56th minutes, and Nicholas Collins in the 38th and 59th, along with Deandre Smalling (25th) and Taejuan Clarke (54th) scored for Munro.

Goals from Ackeem McPherson in the 16th, Ralnaldo Brown (37th) and Jason Brown (54th) gave Tivoli Gardens High a 3-0 win over Campion College in a Boys’ Under-19 encounter.

Both the boys and girls sections are divided into two zones. The top four teams from each zone advance to the quarter-final rounds.

BOYS Under-19:

Zone A – Jamaica College, Papine High, Mona High, York Castle High, Clan Carthy High.

Zone B – Munro College, Campion College, Wolmer’s Boys’, St Andrew Technical High, Denbigh High, Tivoli Gardens High.

GIRLS Under-19:

Zone A – defending champions Alpha Aacdemy, Immaculate Conception High, Papine High, St Hugh’s High, Denbigh High.

Zone B – Mona High, Excelsior High, St Andrew High School For Girls,Wolmer’s Girls, Merl Grove High.

—Gerald Reid