The clash between defending champions Garvey Maceo High and former winners Clarendon College at the Wembley Centre of Excellence in Hayes, Clarendon, is one of several interesting matchups on the schedule as the Round of 16 in the ISSA daCosta Cup football competition kicks off today, weather permitting.

After approximately six weeks of intense competition, the levels are expected to be increased with the ‘business end’ of the season getting underway with 16 of the 76 schools that started the competition having survived to put themselves in positions to win trophies.

The top two teams from the eight groups in the previous round qualified for this third round of the competition and have been put into four groups of four teams each.

The top two from each of the four groups will advance to the quarter-finals while the teams that fail to advance will play the first round of the Ben Francis Cup.

Interestingly, three first-round matchups will be repeated in this round — Cornwall College against Maldon High from Zone A, Garvey Maceo High and Glenmuir High from Zone I, and Dinthill Technical and McGrath High from Zone J.

This is the earliest any first-round opponents would have met in more than a decade in the competition.

Clarendon College and Garvey Maceo have combined to win the last six daCosta Cup titles and were drawn in the same group as Glenmuir High, three teams with championship pedigree.

Clarendon College, who failed to get out of the Round of 16 last season, managed to keep under the radar for most of the season, and are still unbeaten and have allowed just three goals in 11 games played.

Garvey Maceo, it can be argued, have been tested by their battles in the first round and have been able to rebounded after setbacks. They will be well prepared for today’s battle.

Glenmuir, who rebounded from a poor first-round play-off by scoring 16 goals in the Round of 32, will be home to Maggotty High, who advanced past the first round for the first time since 2019 and will have their work cut out for them at this level against three Clarendon giants.

Glenmuir gave up a 2-0 lead on Saturday and had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Manchester High while Maggotty rebounded from their loss to Ocho Rios High to beat Petersfield High 4-0 to close out their second round.

McGrath, who competed in two finals over the last two seasons, winning the Ben Francis Cup in 2023, faces the might of Manchester, who dropped points for the first time on Saturday and will be looking to start the Round of 16 with a win.

Mannings School also dropped points for the first time this season on Saturday, also conceding for the first time all season and will be away to Dinthill Technical.

Cornwall won both games against Maldon in the first round by a 5-1 margin and will be at home today but cannot relax despite Maldon’s 7-1 loss to St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) after both teams already secured safe passage.

Cornwall are coming off a 13-1 win over Cedric Titus High, their biggest output in years, but will face a familiar opponent who will go into the game with something to prove despite qualification for this round with a goal difference of negative two.

Wednesday’s games

•Cornwall College vs Maldon High — Cornwall 3:00 pm

•STETHS vs Kemps Hill High — STETHS 3:00 pm

•Glenmuir High vs Maggotty High — Glenmuir High 3:00 pm

•Dinthill Technical vs Manning’s School — Dinthill Technical 3:00 pm

•Christiana High vs William Knibb Memorial — Manchester High 3:00 pm

•Ocho Rios High vs Old Harbour High — Drax Hall 3:00 pm

•Garvey Maceo High vs Clarendon College — Wembley Centre of Excellence 3:00 pm

•McGrath High vs Manchester High — Ewarton Sports Complex 3:00 pm