Defending champions Mona High, along with Kingston College (KC), St Catherine High and Tivoli Gardens High advanced to the Walker Cup quarter-finals after registering wins on Wednesday.

In the feature game at Stadium East, Mona defeated St George’s College 4-2, while in the curtain-raiser KC turned back St Jago High 4-1.

At Ashenhiem Stadium, Tivoli Gardens High whipped Wolmer’s Boys’ 4-2, while St Catherine beat Campion College 4-2 on penalties after the teams were locked 4-4 in normal time.

Dethroned Manning Cup champions Kingston College got the ball rolling, putting the disappointment of being eliminated from that competition behind them with a commanding win over St Jago.

Tahir Beckford had given St Jago an 11th-minute lead from the penalty spot, but KC responded swiftly and decisively as Jamal Fraser pulled them level in the 12th.

Tall defender Jaeshawn Edwards, who returned from a trial in Dubai, gave KC the lead on the stroke of half-time and they never looked back.

Shareef Ricketts got in on the act, netting twice in the 63rd and 73rd minutes to put the game to bed.

Vassel Reynolds, coach of KC, noted that his team responded well in training after the Manning Cup disappointment, and it was evident on the field on play.

“Clearly, we were very disappointed having dropped out of the Manning Cup as defending champions and to have dropped out at the second round,” said Reynolds.

“A few days after we were very deflated. The last couple of sessions coming into this game, I saw some good spirit, I saw the motivation,” he noted.

Jevaughn Codlin, head coach of St Jago, said his team started well but fell apart thereafter.

“We planned this game down to the t based on what we identified as the weaknesses from the opponent from their last game.

“We started very well and were one-nil up. We were right at it, but they are young boys so we just have to keep working on them,” said Codlin.

In the second encounter, Mona took a 19th-minute lead as Sean Leighton converted from the penalty spot.

But Demar Wallace responded for St George’s as his deflected shot looped over goalkeeper Howard Robinson and nestled in the back of the net in the in 22nd minute. St George’s went in front courtesy of Ryland Fray-Campbell in minute 29 from the penalty spot.

However, Mona equalised as Joenaldo Payne nodded home from a corner kick in the 45th.

The outstanding Leighton made it 3-2 for Mona with another header before the wily Nathaniel McCarthy made it 4-2 in the 73rd minute.

Meanwhile, in the lone Manning Cup game, Excelsior High whipped Hydel High 3-1 to move to three points in Zone A. Jamaica College, on six points, lead the zone, while Charlie Smith High are on three points. Hydel are eliminated without a point from two games.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

KC 4, St Jago 1

Mona 4, STGC 2

Tivoli Gardens 4, Wolmer’s 2

St Catherine 4(4), Campion 4(2)

Kingston College’s Deshawn Byfield (left) and St Jago High’s Tajauhn Beckford challenge for the ball during the ISSA Walker Cup match at Stadium East on Wednesday.