Maldon High, Manning’s School and Cedric Titus High could all book their spots in the round of 32 of the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition with wins today.

With the end of the first round for most zones, the race for places in the second round as well as spots in the zonal play-offs in three groups, have started to heat up.

Maldon High, with the exception of a narrow loss to Cornwall College, have continued their good run from last year when they qualified for the second round for the first time in the school’s history.

The Dillon Thelwell-coached team started this season with three-straight wins and is in second place in Zone A on 15 points, one behind Cornwall College who are away to St James High on Saturday.

A win for Maldon over Irwin High would ensure their spot in the next round, as long as Herbert Morrison Technical do not win their game against Green Pond High.

Maldon High had edged Irwin High 3-2 in the first round and since then Irwin High have won two games and drawn another. They are coming off a 3-0 win over Herbert Morrison on Monday.

Manning’s School have been on a rampage with five wins and 30 goals scored without conceding. After defeating Lewisville High 12-0 in the first round, they look set to make it six wins in a row and secure their place among the qualifiers for the second round.

Cedric Titus, who have also won all five games played so far in Zone D, need only a draw against Muschett High to advance to the second round. When the teams met in the first round Cedric Titus won 5-0.

Both Rusea’s High and Frome Technical can also advance from Zone B with wins over Anchovy High and Green Island, respectively, but will need other results to go their way as well.

BB Coke High and Alphansus Davis High booked spots in their respective zonal play-offs despite contrasting scores.

Zone E leaders BB Coke beat Newell High 3-1 to secure their spot, moving to 13 points.

Despite losing their second consecutive game — beaten 0-3 by Christiana High — Alphansus Davis High joined them in the Zone G play-offs.

St Elizabeth Technical moved to within a point of booking their spot in Zone E after beating Sydney Pagon STEM 17-0 as Kaieem Lewis scored nine times. Kenoy Banton came off the bench to score a double, while reserve goalkeeper Timmari Roach, who was also a second-half substitute, also scored twice.

Deandre Barnett, Raheim Whyte, Jahvor Lawrence and Wayne Brown got the other goals for STETHS.

— Paul A Reid