KINGSTON, Jamaica – Central High School ended up with one of the toughest match-ups that they possibly could when their name was last to come out of the hat in the draw for the ISSA Champions Cup at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston last night.

They will face two-time champions Kingston College (KC) in the feature game at 6:15pm when the competition gets going at Sabina Park on Saturday.

The unfancied Central High fortuitously snuck into the semifinals of the DaCosta Cup and thus the Champions Cup on Tuesday.

They began match-day three of the quarterfinals of the DaCosta Cup in last place in their group, but after stunning reigning Ben Francis Cup Edwin Allen High 2-0 and other results went their way, they ended up in second place, thus earning the right to participate in the prestigious all-island knockout competition for the very first time.

Their head coach, Jermaine Douglas, expressed gratitude at being able to participate in the competition.

“First of all, it’s an honour to be here participating in this prestigious competition. We are living the dream of most of the small schools of rural Jamaica who would love the opportunity to participate in this competition, so we can’t be anything but grateful,” he said.

Despite being rank outsiders, Douglas says that his team will be going all out to try to create yet another upset in schoolboy football this season, having done so on many occasions in the DaCosta Cup.

“If we don’t believe it, it makes no sense turning up for the game. We have to believe that we have a chance and come out and give of our best,” he reasoned.

Douglas promised that his team will be prepared tactically and mentally for the task ahead.

“We can be solid defensively and if needs be and like in the last game, we can go on the attack, if we need to. There is no fear in travelling. We are prepared mentally for whatever is to come.”

Meanwhile, KC head coach Raymond Watson does not expect the game against Central High to be a walk in the park.

“I wouldn’t say (it is) a good draw because playing against anyone here, it’s going to be a difficult game. I don’t know anything about Central, I guess Central may know a lot about Kingston College, so we will just go into the game with a positive mindset.”

Watson said that his lack of knowledge of what their opponents bring to the table will prove a challenge but is eyeing become the first team to win the trophy three times.

“I don’t know what to expect but we are just going to play some football. We won it a few years back, we won it twice…we would be the first team to win it three times, so it’s definitely one that we will be gunning for,” he said.

The first game of the double header, which starts at 4:00pm, will see reigning champions Clarendon College go up against the much-vaunted Mona High School, a team that will also be making their debut in the competition.