Head coach of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Omar Wedderburn says his players left their shooting boots at the toll as they succumbed 0-2 to Excelsior High in the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) all-island Olivier Shield play-off on Thursday.

“Honestly, I think from [conceding] that penalty, it’s like our spirit dropped. We never found a way to hold back up our chins, and the next thing is like we left our shooting boots at the toll,” Wedderburn to the Jamaica Observer.

“But I’m still not throwing them under the bus for what they did to bring us here. We really love and appreciate it,” he noted.

“Yes, we would love the Olivier Shield, but the fact of the matter [is] we did not crown ourselves champions. But we love and appreciate what they did for the season,” Wedderburn added.

Excelsior opened the scoring via the penalty spot after goalkeeper Johnoi Steadman fouled Kimarly Scott. Captain Terrence Williams easily converted the kick in the 10th minute.

STETHS pushed for the equalising goal and came close on a couple of occasions, but then, with time running out, just as he did in the urban Manning Cup final, Kivann Salmon popped up and sealed victory for Excelsior, netting in the 87th minute.

STETHS had won the daCosta Cup and dedicated it to the people of St Elizabeth who are still recovering from the passage of Hurricane Melissa in late October.

They also wanted the Olivier Shield in an effort to continue the healing of the people in St Elizabeth and other western parishes.

They were looking for their second Olivier Shield title, having last won in 1999. That was not to be, but Wedderburn threw attention to the triumphs throughout the campaign.

“This season, a nice season. I don’t have any regret. I don’t have any complaints, the season went well,” said Wedderburn, who was the goalkeeping coach when STETHS last won the Olivier Shield.

“This season I think we did so much, we are ourselves champions.

“We [went] over and beyond expectations. As we normally say, if you’re not saying God, you’re saying nothing. We had faith, we had belief, and it really showed,” he said.

WEDDERBURN… I’m still not throwing them under the bus Photo: Observer file