Finally, the true ‘Battle of North Street’
The National Stadium should be buzzing with excitement as St George’s College (STGC) and Kingston College (KC) clash in a mouth-watering final of the Inter Secondary Schools Sports Association/Digicel Manning Cup, dubbed the “Battle of North Street” at 6:00 pm.
Before that at 4:00 pm, both schools will also meet in the final of the ISSA Under-16 competition at 3:30 pm.
The “Battle of North Street” pits 22-time champions STGC – the second most successful school who last won in 2012, against 14-time champion KC – the third most successful school, who last won in 1986.
After 109 years of competition, only 12 schools have tasted victory in the Manning Cup which started in 1909. Jamaica College, which won the inaugural competition, is the most successful school with 29 victories.
It will be the first time both schools will be meeting in the final, but can St George’s, the Dragon Slayer, get the better of the brave Fortis Dog?
The schools have met twice this season, firstly in the preseason Roper Cup where they drew 1-1 and 0-0 in the more serious Manning Cup quarter-final stage match. KC would eventually top the group with St George’s finishing second heading into the semi-finals.
The “Light Blues” had the distinction of knocking out the defending champions Jamaica College 2-1 in their semi-final, while the “Famed Purples” brushed aside last season’s runners-up St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) by the identical scoreline.
STGC will be depending on top scorer Chantomoi Taylor and Damani Harris with 16 and 15 goals, respectively, for victory. Captain Cheva Denton will, as usual, be leading from the back alongside the diminutive Leacroft Lettman Jnr, former KC player Jordan Petrekin and Emelio Rousseau.
KC will look to 11-goal top scorer Oneeko Allen, the wily Arymanna Rodgers (eight goals) and Trayvone Reid (10 goals). Allen has been fairly quiet of late, but his quality is such that he could win this game for KC if he shows up for the party.
Sixteen-year-old Dwayne “Busy” Atkinson will get some action and should make his presence felt having scored nine goals to date, mostly from the bench.
National Under-20 players, captain Casseam Priestly and Nathon “Kante” Thomas, will be anchoring the KC middle that will at some point include the improving Shacquille Smith and Jamari Morrison.
An interesting match-up will come from arguably the two best wingbacks in the Manning Cup – St George’s’ left-back Emelio Rousseau and KC’s right-back Jahmal Pusey.
