The annual “Battle of the North Street Giants” football carnival between near neighbours Kingston College and St George’s College takes place today at the Stadium East Field starting at 11:00 am.

As usual, five matches will be played between current students as well as past students of both institutions in an all-day football affair.

The first game on show will feature the under-14 teams, who, along with the under-16 teams, play for the George Thompson Trophy. Immediately following the U-14 game, is the under-35 teams match-up, which constitutes the first half of the Roper Cup.

The over-35 game will see the schools vie for the Pancho Rankin Cup, and this precedes the under-16 game which will then be followed by a ceremony to honour past students of both institutions. The Under-19 Boys will close the show.

Speaking at the launch Stewart Jacobs, president of the Kingston College Parent Teacher Association praised the example set by the alumni of both institutions.

“Two schools, two of the finest all-boys institutions in this country come together and have an annual affair that the entire sporting fraternity look forward to. I can say that, on behalf of the parents at KC, that we appreciate how the two schools have been doing because it is an example of what an alumni association does — not only do things by yourself, but instead you forge partnerships and join together to get things going,” he said.

Immediate past president of the St George’s College Old Boys’ Association, Wayne Wray, insisted that the care being shown now by the students of both schools must continue.

“Father Roper recognised the need to use sports to focus the boys and to bring them together in one common direction, and that focus and that direction hasn’t really changed.

“We have instilled in our boys over time ‘the men who care’, and what we see in Kingston College is the same — men who care. We continue to do that which we were meant to do and that is to care about those in the school, those around the school, those who have left the school, and those who are to come to the school because they have an obligation thereafter to do the same for the boys and our community thereafter,” he insisted.

“The Roper Cupo represents galvanising old boys who still have an obligation to the younger boys; and they still have an obligation to the school and they still have an obligation to the community at large,” Wray concluded.

Patrick Dallas, president of the KC Old Boys’ Association said that the Roper Cup enables the continued collaboration between the two North Street schools.

“Once again, KC is pleased to be the hosts of the Roper Cup, and in keeping with the times we have scheduled the feature match to be played under lights. The Roper Cup provides the opportunity to deepen the bonds and collaboration between North Street neighbours. We continue to demonstrate our ability to be rivals and friends at the same time.”

Kingston College are the defending champions of the Roper Cup and the feature game between the Manning Cup teams is set to kick-off at 5:45 pm.

— Dwayne Richards