HAVING enjoyed a fairly successful outing last season, former champions Charlie Smith will begin their journey towards replicating or bettering that semi-final appearance in the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup against Haile Selassie at the latter’s home ground today.

That semi-final berth, which was Charlie Smith’s first since 2014, should inspire some confidence in Eugene Williams’ young charges who are favoured to top what seems a fairly unpredictable Group C. The group also includes Bridgeport, Vauxhall, Edith Dalton and Tivoli Gardens High.

They will be vying for second-round berths as they seek to remain in the hunt to capture the emblem of schoolboy football supremacy.

Despite retaining a number of his players from the truncated season, Williams in a recent interview expressed cautious optimism about his team’s chances, pointing out that how they progress will be dependent on how they deliver during each game.

With their perennial rivals Haile Selassie making a return after missing last season uncertainty surrounds what the Payne Avenue team will bring to the table — but they have over the years shown that they can be competitive and so should not be taken lightly.

Another former champion, Bridgeport High are set to square off against Edith Dalton and are also favoured to secure all three points to start.

Bridgeport failed to sparkle last season, finishing sixth on four points in a group which saw Jamaica College, Kingston Technical and Charlie Smith progressing.

Though on paper this seems a sightly easier group from which they could advance, the fact that much of the teams are unknown means they, like Charlie Smith, should leave nothing to chance.

The same is true for Tivoli High, who enjoyed a good outing last season before being booted from the competition for use of an ineligible player. Their charge to make amends on this occasion starts with a home contest against Vauxhall High.

Elsewhere in Group A, Waterford High and Meadowbrook High, both of whom missed last season, will be hoping for winning starts, much like reigning champions and group favourites Kingston College and many-time champions St George’s college had.

Meanwhile, the lone Group F encounter will see Cumberland and Jose Marti locking horns in a St Catherine Derby that could go either way.

TODAY’S GAMES

Group A

Waterford High vs Meadowbrook @ Waterford

Group C

Edith Dalton vs Bridgeport @ Edith

Haile Selassie vs Charlie Smith @ Haile Selassie

Tivoli High vs Vauxhall @Tivoli

Group F

Cumberland vs Jose Marti @ Cumberland

All games are scheduled to start 3:30 pm.