Former champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Seaforth High secured their places in the second round of the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup football competition, after registering comfortable wins in their rescheduled return-round games yesterday.

STETHS, with a brace from Mustaq Christopher and one each from Antonio Biggs and Michael German, blanked Sydney Pagon High 4-0 for the second time, to move within a point of topping Zone E, while Seaforth High secured Zone O honours with a 3-0 win over second-placed Paul Bogle High.

STETHS are on 26 points, eight more than second-placed Munro College, who edged Black River High 1-0. Seaforth High, with their victory, raced to 22 points to extend a seven-point gap over Paul Bogle.

There were also first wins for Maldon High, who edged Irwin High 1-0 in Zone A and Kemps Hill, who beat Foga Road 1-0 in Zone N. The qualification of STETHS and Seaforth brings to 15 the number of schools that have qualified for the second round so far.

Defending champions Clarendon College leads the qualifiers along with Anchovy High from Zone A, Frome Technical and Rusea’s High from Zone B, Mannings School from Zone D, Lennon High from Zone H, Annotto Bay in Zone J, McGrath and Charlemont in Zone K.

Port Antonio and Happy Grove in Zone L, and Garvey Maceo and Denbigh High in Zone M are also through. Meanwhile, Zone F leaders Manchester High and BB Coke can both add their names to that list, if they can score wins over May Day High and DeCarteret College respectively today.

Manchester High will still be stinging from their shock 2-4 loss to BB Coke on Saturday, their first loss in the first round for 10 years. However, Manchester High, who are in pole position on 19 points, could rebound today against a May Day team that they beat 6-1 in their previous meeting.

BB Coke, on 18 points, are seeking to qualify for the second round in back-to-back seasons and will be riding high on their big come-from-behind win over Manchester. They are favoured to repeat their first round 6-0 win over DeCarteret.

Third-placed Mile Gully, who are unbeaten in their last three games, crawled back into contention, but must beat Belair High and hope one of the top two teams falter, if they are to have any chance of getting an automatic spot.

— Paul A Reid