ST JAMES, Jamaica— Maldon High School’s head coach Dillon Thelwell was not concerned about what was to come when the Round of 32 in the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup football competition starts later this week.

It was not even 10 minutes after the final whistle from FIFA referee Daneon Parchment that confirmed their qualification for the second round of the daCosta Cup for the first time in school history and Thelwell, in his seventh season as head coach of the south St James school, was trying his best to savour the moment.

After finishing third twice, including last season when they failed on the final day of the first round, and was edged by Cornwall College, Maldon High finally got over the hump in a dramatic 1-1 draw with Green Pond, edging the losers on goal-difference, eight to five, as both ended on 19 points.

In the second round, Maldon High will play Munro College, Brown’s Town High and the third placed team from Zone G, most likely Alphansus Davis High.

Green Pond High needed to win their final two games to get into the Round of 32 and after edging Cornwall College 2-1 on Tuesday, they took a late lead in what was a pulsating game.

Garth-Dane Bromwell had scored in the 85th minute and they appeared well set.

Domonique Clarke, who was subbed on late in the game, etched his name in Maldon High’s history when he swept home a ball in the fifth and final minute of time added, the final kick of the game.

Even while fighting his own emotions, Thelwell said his players were struggling to come to grips with what they had achieved.

“The players, if you notice, they were crying even before the game ended, they really wanted to make it to the (next) round. They did it at the Under-14 and twice at the Under -16 level, but it has never been achieved before in the school history. So for us, this one is the big one, the daCosta Cup,” he said.“We never yet achieved this before, and we did it again. So you can see the emotions that are being shown, people are crying, jumping up and down even before the game was over.”

Thelwell, who is also a member of the Montego Bay United staff, said his players had delivered adding that he was always confident even as time ran out.

“We have one of the best attacking force in the zone and they can give us a goal anytime, they just have to get rid of the emotions and can continue to play the game and I know once we continue to play the game, the goal will come, even the last minute,” he said.

The achievement, he stated, would be a boost for the school. “We have not had this success on this level before, so I think this will put the school out there on the map to say something good is going on at Maldon High for the past four years,” he said.

“Two-year semifinalists for the Under -16 all Island, and then for the Under-14, we go to the semifinal with the same group and then to achieve this big one now in the daCosta Cup, it’s a major achievement for the school and the boys.”

-Paul A Reid