11 schools secure spots in daCosta Cup second round
CHAPELTON, Clarendon — Eleven schools led by defending champions Clarendon College booked their spots in the second round of the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup football competition on another rain-affected day to bring to 14 the number of qualifiers so far.
Clarendon College romped past Kellits High 6-0 and Lennon High edged Edwin Allen as both qualified from Zone H, while Anchovy High booked their first-ever spot, from Zone A.
Former champions Rusea’s High, Manning’s School, McGrath High, and Charlemont High from Zone K; Port Antonio and Happy Grove from Zone L; and Garvey Maceo High and Denbigh High from Zone M.
Meanwhile, there was a massive upset as B B Coke came from 0-2 down to score their first-ever daCosta Cup win over Manchester High with a 4-2 victory, slowing down the Zone F leaders.
Clarendon College stayed on course to defend their title as Sheldon Smart scored a hat-trick and David Chambers got a brace as they romped to their fourth-straight win and improved to 13 points.
Lennon High benefited from an own goal to edge Edwin Allen 2-1 and take the second spot behind Clarendon College, setting up a winner-take-all clash next weekend.
Anchovy High booked their first-ever spot in the second round with a 4-0 thrashing of Irwin High and are assured of at least second place in Zone A.
Twins Mark and Markino Smith scored, as well as Jaden Love and Ronaldo Grant, as Anchovy High took over the lead in Zone A with 20 points, three more than idle Cornwall College, whose game against Maldon High was rescheduled to Wednesday.
Rusea’s High snapped their two-game losing skid with a big 3-1 win over Zone B leaders and second-round qualifiers Frome Technical in Lucea, avenging their loss in the first round.
Tyrique Clarke scored a brace and Kenroy Campbell got the other goal for Rusea’s High as they improved to 12 points and with Green Island High’s 1-1 draw at Hopewell, will advance as well.
Manning’s School conceded for the first time all season, in their eighth game, but outscored Petersfield High 3-2 in their Zone D top of the zone clash in Savanna-la-Mar.
Manning’s 22 points cannot be overhauled by any other school in the zone and will leave Petersfield High and Belmont High, who beat Maud McLeod 3-1, to battle for the other automatic spot.
McGrath High lost points for the first time this season, held to a 2-2 draw by Charlemont High, snapping their four-game win streak as both teams advanced to the second round after Enid Bennett and Dinthill Technical also drew 1-1.
McGrath, who are on 13 points, will win the zone and Charlemont High, on eight points, will be the runners-up.
Despite their shock loss to Fair Prospect, Happy Grove, and Port Antonio High, who beat Titchfield High 5-0, will both advance from Zone L.
Port Antonio took over the lead with 12 points, two more than Happy Grove who were losing their first game of the season, as Fair Prospect also earned their first points.
Garvey Maceo High and Denbigh High are also through to the second round after 2-1 wins over Glenmuir High and Bellefield High, respectively, in Zone M.
Garvey Maceo lead with 11 points, three more than Denbigh High.
B B Coke pulled to within a point of Zone F leaders Manchester High after their big win yesterday, avenging a 0-5 drubbing in the first round.
Manchester High led 2-0 after 20 minutes but B B Coke drew level before the half-time break before scoring two more goals in the second half.
Jason Dyer maintained his hot scoring run with a goal to take his tally to 11 goals, while Christopher Nelson, Shemore Ford, and Danyae Whitely also scored.
It was the first loss for Manchester High on the field since 2009, as they had two wins overturned in the board- room in 2014, and it slowed them down after their high-octane start.
The Vassell Reynolds-coached team are still leading with 19 points but B B Coke are just one behind as the race heats up for the second-round spots.
St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) took control of Zone E with a 1-0 win over Munro College, as Antonio Biggs scored a header from a corner to make the difference.
Cedric Titus hammered Spot Valley High 5-0, beating them for the second time this season to throw Zone C wide open.
Naffia Jones got a brace while Javel Green, Kyle Lewin, and Christopher Gibbs also got on the score sheet.
Four points separate the top four teams in Zone C as William Knibb, whose game against Herbert Morrison was rained out, lead with 12 points, two more than Spot Valley, followed by Cedric Titus on nine and Herbert Morrison on eight.
Oracabessa and Brown’s Town are tied for the lead in Zone I with 16 points each; Oracabessa beat Ocho Rios High 2-0 while Brown’s Town were 6-1 winners over York Castle.
Yesterday’s results
Zone A
St James 0, Green Pond 1
Anchovy 4, Irwin High 0
Zone B
Rusea’s High 3, Frome Tech 1
Hopewell 1, Green Island 1
Zone C
William Knibb vs Herbert Morrison was rained out
Spot Valley 0, Cedric Titus 5
Zone D
Manning’s 3, Petersfield 2
Belmont 3, Maud McLeod 1
Godfrey Stewart 1, Grange Hill 0
Zone E
STETHS 1, Munro 0
Newell 3, Black River 0
Zone F
B B Coke 4, Manchester High 2
Belair vs De Carteret College was not played due to a waterlogged field
Zone G
Knox 3, Roger Clarke 0
Holmwood 1, Alston 2
Zone H
Clarendon College 6, Kellits 0
Edwin Allen 1, Lennon 2
Zone I
Iona 1, Marcus Garvey 6
York Castle 1, Brown’s Town 6
Ocho Rios 0, Oracabessa 2
Zone J
Annotto Bay vs Brimmervale was rained out
Tacky vs Carron Hall was not played
Zone K
Enid Bennett 1, Dinthill Technical 1
McGrath 2, Charlemont 2
Zone L
Titchfield 0, Port Antonio 5
Happy Grove 1, Fair Prospect 2
Zone M
Glenmuir High 1, Garvey Maceo High 2
Denbigh High 2, Bellefield High 1
Zone N
Foga Road 2, Central 0
Old Harbour vs Kemps Hill was rained out
Zone O
St Thomas Tech 1, Morant Bay 0
Robert Lightbourne,2, Yallahs 1
Yesterday’s Manning Cup results
Group D
Meadowbrook 1, Camperdown 5
St Mary’s College 1, Edith Dalton James 1
Hydel 4, Tivoli Gardens 1