SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Rusea’s High will today start their campaign to what they hope will be their first girls Western Championships title with the eliminations of the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA) Digicel event being held at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in Santa Cruz, starting at 9:00 am.

Based on their performances in the early season meets, Rusea’s High look set to replace St Elizabeth Technical as the girls’ champions, but it could go down to the wire come Saturday’s final at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

Rusea’s High have led after the eliminations for the last three years only to be pegged back by the depth of the STETHS team each time, but the Hanover school has made serious inroads into the STETHS total and fell short by only 18 points last year.

Thirty-five schools, including newcomers Aberdeen High of St Elizabeth and the return of Godfrey Stewart High and Westwood High, will compete.

Seventeen finals are down for competition today, 14 of them field events, as well as all three 1500m races.

St Elizabeth Technical boys, meanwhile, lead their section after Tuesday’s eliminations, and after 19 finals were on 123 points, just ahead of Petersfield High’s 119.33. Cornwall College are third place on 95.33, followed by Munro College 93, Herbert Morrison on 55, and Green Island High with 53 points.

Schools set to take part in today’s girls’ eliminations are Aberdeen High, Albert Town, Anchovy High, Roger Clarke High, BB Coke High, Cambridge High, Cedric Titus High, Frome Tech, Godfrey Stewart, Grange Hill, Green Island High, Hampton School, Herbert Morrison, Holland High, Hopewell High, Irwin High, Knockalva Technical, Lacovia High, Lewisville High, Maldon High, Mannings School, Maud McLeod High, Merlene Ottey High, Montego Bay High, Mt Alvernia High, Muschett High, Newell High, Petersfield High, Rhodes Hall High, Rusea’s High, Spot Valley High, St James High, St Elizabeth Technical, Westwood High, and William Knibb Memorial.

— Paul Reid