CATHERINE HALL, St James — Despite a strong start to the defence of their ISSA/Wata Manning Cup title, Craig Butler is expecting even more from the Mona High team this season, after a 7-0 thrashing of Waterford High in their Zone B game played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Saturday.

Carlton Brown scored twice in the first half as Mona High sent a strong signal, but Butler, grading his team’s performance said, “with their potential … I’d say a two out of 10.”

Butler accepted, however, that the result was a posiitve start to their ambitions to repeat last season’s success.

“I think it’s a good start, I think the team played well, the system is being employed well, it shows our quality, and we have very talented players and very talented staff behind them,” Butler said.

Mona High dominated the game yesterday, hardly allowing Waterford out of their own area for long periods and Butler warned that his team will be pushing to win all trophies available this season.

“That’s what we’re here to do, nothing less. We train hard all year round. We invest a lot of time, a lot of effort. We have quality players, quality coaching staff; administrators of the team are wonderful. The principal is 100 per cent behind us and the staff at Mona is awesome. The teachers are great, so the boys really have a lot inside of them, a lot of quality, and they’re just executing those qualities,” he added.

Kevin Reid, the Waterford coach, rued the loss and put it down to a lack of experience among his players.

“Inexperience got the better of us but nevertheless, these are some youngsters, and we believe that with some more work, they will get better for the next game,” said Reid.

After taking little time to settle, Mona High took over the game and pushed Waterford back in their own area and it was only a matter of time before they opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Brown curled a shot high into the top corner of the goal, past goalkeeper Jaheim Daley.

Morton made it 2-0 in the 31st when his left-footed shot found the lower left corner of the goal.

Brown completed his brace in the 37th minute when he scored and Robino Gordon made it 4-0 just before half-time, in the 41st minute.

Alex Suazo wasted little time after the start of the second half, scoring from close range after just 45 seconds, while second-half substitute Kshaine Gordon added a sixth in the 67th minute before Denzel McKenzie completed the scoring in the 70th minute.