Defending champions Manning’s School will seek to qualify for back-to-back Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association/Mighty Malt rural area Under-16 football finals when they take on St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) at Manchester High in Mandeville.

The semi-final encounter is set to start at 3:30 pm.

STETHS, who won the rural area Under-14 title last season, will be seeking to extend their dominance to the next level.

The semi-finals of both the Under-14 and Under-16 competitions are to be played at Manchester High and at STETHS Sports Complex in Santa Cruz, with the winners advancing to the final scheduled for Tuesday at a venue to be decided.

In the other Under-16 semi-final, Munro College and Clarendon College are to meet at STETHS at 3:30 pm, while in the Under-14 competition, Glenmuir High and Garvey Maceo are to face off at Manchester High at 1:30 pm. In the other Under-14 semi-final, Irwin High and Manchester High are to square off at STETHS, also at 1:30 pm.

Manning’s School were second in their Under-16 quarter-final group behind Munro College. Meanwhile, STETHS topped Group 2 on goal difference over Clarendon College as both teams finished on seven points.

On Monday, STETHS edged Cornwall College 2-1 in Montego Bay to secure their spot, while Manning’s School beat Lennon High 3-1 in Savanna-la-Mar.

Clarendon College completed their quarter-final schedule on Monday, blanking Titchfield High 3-0, while Munro College dispatched St Thomas Technical 4-2 to complete a perfect record.

In the Under-14 competition, Glenmuir High edged Manchester High on goal-difference as both teams ended on seven points. Irwin High topped their group with six points, one more than Garvey Maceo High who just edged Titchfield High for the second qualifying spot.

— Paul A Reid