CORNWALL College’s Hector Wright and Clarendon College’s Devon Anderson will both be looking to deliver a trophy in their first season at their respective schools when the two clash in this afternoon’s Ben Francis Cup final.

Kick-off is set for the National Stadium at 3:00 pm.

Wright, who has been an assistant at the many-time former champions, was handed the reins after Theodore Whitmore left the role, while Anderson, who had good runs with Holy Trinity High and Hydel High in urban area football, succeeded Lenworth Hyde at the Chapelton-based school.

Cornwall are trying to win a title for the first time since they became the first daCosta Cup team to win the ISSA Champions Cup in 2018.

Four-time Ben Francis Cup winners Clarendon College, who are in back-to-back finals, last won the title in 2023.

Both men admitted that winning the Ben Francis Cup would be a good way to start their tenures and said they are ready to put all on the line to win their first silverware at this level.

Wright described his players as “resilient”.

He added: “Even if they are tired we expect them to give of their very best, and once they do that we will be satisfied — whatever the result.”

Having come close to getting into the semi-finals of the prestigious daCosta Cup, Wright said there was an initial and understandable drop in the intensity of the players.

“The mindset in the camp is very good. We fell just short in the daCosta Cup but we have rebounded and put that behind us, and now we are going out there to play hard as a unit,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Friday.

Anderson described his first season at Clarendon College as “roller coaster” as he had to adjust to not just the new competition, but the players, the school’s ambitions, and the management team.

Anderson is no stranger to crunch time football, however, as he took Holy Trinity to the 2014 ISSA Flow Cup final and was a Manning Cup finalist with Hydel.

He pointed out that the current set-up comprises players from last year’s team that lost in the Ben Francis Cup final to St Elizabeth Technical.

“The players are excited to be getting back to the final. We want to win — once you are in a final, you have to want to win. But, there will be tired legs after so many tough games in a short period of time.”

Clarendon College were edged 0-1 by Christiana High in their final daCosta Cup quarter-final-round game, before defeating Garvey Maceo High in the Ben Francis Cup quarter-final and then getting past Manning’s School 4-1 on penalty kicks after ending regulation time locked 1-1.

ANDERSON… once you are in a final, you have to want to win  (Photo: Observer file)