Excelsior High and St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) will battle for the Olivier Shield at the Stadium East field on Thursday afternoon to decide the best schoolboy team in the island.

The start time is scheduled for 3:00.

The Olivier Shield — the emblem of Jamaica’s schoolboy football supremacy — is to be contested between urban Manning Cup champions Excelsior High and rural daCosta Cup winners STETHS.

The Olivier Shield was named in honour of Sir Sydney Haldane Olivier (later Lord Olivier), who was the Governor of Jamaica from 1907 to 1913. He donated the Shield in 1909 for an inter-scholastic football competition contested among the then-established rural and urban schools.

This season’s play-off was originally scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2025. But due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa which ravaged sections of Jamaica on October 28, the football season was postponed for over a month, hence pushing the all-island decider into 2026.

The devastation suffered by the western parishes and STETHS in particular has made them the sentimental favourites, as their players were in camp on the school compound when the hurricane struck.

STETHS Head Coach Omar Wedderburn and Principal Keith Wellington said that brought about a stronger bond within the group of players.

They are the only unbeaten team left in schoolboy football this season and they will put that on the line against a very good Excelsior team.

STETHS have won the Olivier Shield only once — in 1999.

Wedderburn told the Jamaica Observer they need it to lift the morale of people in the devastated parish.

“I love the Excelsior team. It reminds me of the STETHS team working towards the goal, working towards the objective. So, I am expecting a very, very competitive game. However, we really need the Shield in this parish,” said Wedderburn, who was the goalkeeper coach when STETHS last won the Olivier Shield, some 26 years ago. “It’s the two winners of the respective leagues. Now we’re going ahead with a serious clash to be crowned the all-island champion. We’re going to go out there as usual with our game plan, trying to win the game as usual.

“We need an extra boost for this year and are longing for that title here at St Elizabeth Technical High School. We definitely put in the work and it’s just time to see the boys do the execution towards their goal now,” said Wedderburn.

STETHS’s unbeaten run has been built on a solid backline, led by the steadying Johnoi Steadman in goal and teammates Malachi McMaster and Dantay Hewitt.

STETHS have scored 63 goals this season, led by MVP winner Kaieem Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago with 26 goals. He scored nine goals in the Santa Cruz-based school’s 17-0 win over Sydney Pagon. He netted 12 goals from the second round onwards to be the joint Golden Boot winner with Carlondo Morris of Cornwall College.

Lewis will have to be contained if Excelsior intend to win the Olivier Shield. Lewis will be supported by Shemmar Stewart, who scored eight goals and midfielder Jade Lynch and captain Deandre Barnett.

Excelsior, who won the Olivier Shield in 2003 and shared it with Rusea’s High in 1993, are hunting their third hold on the title. They will prove a tough nut to crack.

Excelsior Head Coach Keon Broderick ended their 21-year drought in winning the Manning Cup and will be aiming to end the 22-year Olivier Shield drought.

“It’s two teams with contrasting styles. Both teams have a lot of quality, both in attack and in defence and the records would have shown how good both teams are defensively and in attack as well. I am expecting a very competitive game,” said Broderick.

“I expect both teams to have their moments, especially chances and it’s down to who can convert their chances and seize their moments best in the game,” he noted.

“It’s not a case of who wants it more, as both teams are going to want it. But it’s a case of execution when it comes down to a final like this,” Broderick pointed out.

Excelsior will be depending on the wily Kimarly Scott, who was the MVP in the urban Manning Cup, having scored 20 goals. The likes of Kivann Salmon, Terrence Williams, Damarley Williams, Shamarie Chamber and the competent Jamari Gordon in goal.

Will STETHS live up to their school motto of “Work and Integrity”? Or will the Excelsior Eagles’ Age Animo “Do it with thy might” soar to victory?

Orel Miller (left) of Glenmuir High and Jahvor Lawrence of St Elizabeth Technical duel for the ball during the ISSA daCosta Cup final at the National Stadium on December 20, 2025. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)