KINGSTON College (KC) reigned supreme inside the National Stadium on Friday evening after they captured their 17th hold on the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/Digicel Manning Cup title.

The North Street-based institution secured the prestigious urban area crown after they defeated first-time finalists St Catherine High 3-1 in a very entertaining final.

This is KC’s second title in four years, having last won the trophy in 2021.

Jaeshawn Edwards, who scored in the 36th, Demario Dailey (45th), and Deshawn Byfield (54th) were the scorers for Kingston College. St Catherine got on the scoresheet via an own goal conceded by Raje Ximines in the 63rd minute.

The opening stages of the first half were evenly contested as both teams cancelled out each other in front of a large crowd inside the stadium.

However KC, coached by Vassell Reynolds, took the lead when Edwards headed home a cross from Deshawn Byfield past St Catherine goalkeeper Omarion Brown.

The celebrations had hardly died down when Dailey increased KC’s lead nine minutes later with a powerful strike from 12 yards.

Kingston College picked up where they left off in the second period as they increased their lead when Byfield arrived at the back post to volley home from point-blank range.

St Catherine, eager to get their first hold on the Manning Cup, reduced the deficit when Ximines’ misguided header from a corner kick went into his own goal.

A few minutes later, St Catherine’s Dwight Gentle got the opportunity to score his team’s second goal, but his weak shot from 10 yards went straight into the hands of goalkeeper Malique Williams.

The Anthony Patrick-coached St Catherine tried desperately to further reduce the deficit but they were denied by a determined Kingston College defensive unit.

The trophy was Head Coach Reynold’s first Manning Cup title. Patrick previously won the urban area title with Bridgeport in 2001 and again in 2006.

— Robert Bailey