JC, STATHS in top-of-the-table clash
Having already secured their spots in the semi-finals of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association Manning Cup competition, former champions Jamaica College (JC) and St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) are set to clash on Friday as the Group B winners.
Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 pm at Stadium East field.
In the group’s other match, which is also slated to begin 3:00 pm, Haile Selassie High and Wolmer’s Boys’, who are both out of contention, face off at JC’s Ashenheim Stadium.
JC and STATHS are both on maximum six points from two matches. However, the Old Hope Road-based JC are marginally ahead by virtue of their superior goal difference. When the schools last met in the quarter-final round of last year’s competition, JC recorded an exciting, come-from-behind 5-3 victory over STATHS.
Davion Ferguson, the JC head coach, said he is expecting another compelling contest.
“It is always a good encounter when Jamaica College and St Andrew Technical meet because we have had a good history over the last couple of years, and so this game will be no different,” he said.
“All games are important… the key to prepare us for the next game is to win the last one, and so all the times that is our mindset [and] our motivation to keep those wins going as best as possible,” said Ferguson, whose team beat Haile Selassie 2-0 on Tuesday.
“I think the mood in the camp is good because these boys are maturing well and a lot of them would have had experience playing last year so we have a very good group and they are looking forward to this clash,” the JC coach added.
STATHS, who advanced to the semi-finals of the competition for the fifth-consecutive year, defeated Wolmer’s 1-0 in their last outing.
While acknowledging the quality of their opponents, Phillip Williams, the head coach of STATHS, played down the importance of the match.
“We are not placing much emphasis on this game because we have already met our objective which is to reach the semi-finals,” he said.
“JC is one of the best teams in the Manning Cup and therefore it is a matchup that we are anticipating to see where our programme is at this time. But it is a big game and we are looking forward to it,” Williams said.
— Robert Bailey
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Jamaica College vs St Andrew Technical @ Stadium East
Wolmer’s vs Haile Selassie @ Jamaica College
Games set to begin 3:00 pm
