DESPITE his team’s strong start to the 2024 JISA/Canopy Insurance Alberga Cup season Kemar Edwards, head coach at Sts Peter and Paul Preparatory, says although they are expecting a positive season he is doing his best to keep the pressure off his players — even as they hunt a return to the top of the pile.

Sts Peter and Paul, a multiple champion and staple in the competition, had to settle for a fourth-place finish last season, but they have already stated their intentions this year with two one-sided victories in their assignments so far.

They defeated Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) 11-0 and followed that up with a 10-0 hammering of Liguanea Prep.

They will be expected to continue in this vein when they host The Queen’s Prep at 2:30 pm in today’s fifth round of action, as one of several schools looking to keep their 100 per cent record intact. But Edwards is keeping his feet on the ground.

“We started out quite fine and we are definitely looking forward to a positive season. We have a nice set of kids who have been playing well as a unit, as a team, and we expect to come out and do our best,” said Edwards. “There is no pressure on the kids. We point out that they should be having fun, but even though they are having fun we are still teaching the game and expecting them to do well.

“We have a game tomorrow [today] against Queen’s and we are taking each game one step at a time. We are focusing on tomorrow’s game; we are not taking anyone lightly, we are just going out there to play our best as a unit and we are looking forward to a great season.

“We are looking to get to the next round, and we are aware that this will pose tougher challenges so we are preparing ourselves for that also,” Edwards added.

Defending double champions Mona Prep — 12-0 winners over Trafalgar on Saturday — have scored more goals than anyone else in the competition, 26 in total, and are yet to concede. They should have their way against Praise Tabernacle when both teams meet in Zone 4 at NWC Field at 2:30 pm. The other undefeated team in the zone, St Andrew Prep, who are coming off a 7-0 thrashing of Praise Tabernacle, is expected to be tested by Meadowbrook, who edged St Hugh’s 3-2, when they meet at 1:00 pm at Hillel Academy.

Liberty Academy has only played one match so far and they will be eager to get going against Mavisville today in their Zone 2 encounter, with the AISK and Stella Maris match expected to be a close encounter.

Lannaman’s and Emmanuel Christian Academy should record comfortable wins against their Zone 1 opponents Creative Kids and Obistan, respectively, while El Instituto and Belair are favoured against Zone 5 rivals Exceed and South Starz, respectively.

Wednesday’s Matches

Zone 1

Lannaman’s vs Creative Kids at Maxfield Park – 2:30 pm

Portmore Missionary vs Ardenne at Bridgeport – 2:30 pm

Vaz vs Christel House at Bridgeport – 1:00 pm

Obistan vs Emmanuel at Emmanuel – 2:30 pm

Zone 2

Avondale vs Bright Beginning at OLA – 1:00 pm

Liberty vs Mavisville at Liberty – 2:30 pm

Richmond Park vs Hillel at Hillel – 2:30 pm

Stella Maris vs AISK at Buttercup – 1:00 pm

Zone 3

St Theresa vs Wolmer’s at Sts Peter and Paul – 1:00 pm

Sts Peter and Paul vs Liguanea at Sts Peter and Paul – 2:30 pm

OLA vs St John the Baptist at OLA – 2:30 pm

Zone 4

Meadowbrook vs St Andrew at Hillel – 1:00 pm

St Hugh’s vs Reach at Emmanuel – 1:00 pm

Mona vs Praise Tab at Buttercup – 2:30 pm

Trafalgar vs Hydel at Liberty – 1:00 pm

Zone 5

Exceed vs El Instituto at Exceed – 2:30 pm

Belair vs South Starz