ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Alex Smith, head coach of Concorde University men’s football team, had a decidedly positive reaction to the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) football showcase at STETHS Sports Complex in Santa Cruz on Saturday.

“All the coaches who came here today will be very happy with what they are seeing,” Smith said

The all-rural and all-urban teams split the two games. Both went down to penalty shoot-out, with the all-rural team winning the “scholastic” game and the urban team taking the feature game.

On both occasions the all-rural team came from behind to earn 1-1 results in normal time. The all-rural won the “scholastic” game 5-3 on penalties but the all-urban prevailed 7-6 in sudden death penalties in the other clash.

At the behest of the United States college coaches who arrived in the Jamaica to watch the all-island Olivier Shield play-off between urban Manning Cup champions Excelsior High and rural daCosta Cup winners STETHS on Thursday, the two main games on Saturday were played in three 35-minute periods.

The format called for all players in the squads to feature in the matches. Players were allowed to return to the game after being substituted.

A third game, a 20-minute scrimmage, was added also at the request of the coaches as they wanted to get a second look at some of the players, most of whom played in the opening game.

Smith, who represented Anchovy High and Cornwall College at the daCosta Cup level and played NCAA Division One football, said he was impressed with the talent they saw.

“Jamaicans are known for speed and skills, and what we have seen over the past two days confirmed that there is talent here, and we all hope we will be able to get some for our programmes,” he said.

Ewan Scott, competitions co-ordinator at ISSA, said the event was a success from their end.

“The players really came out to play as they understood what was at stake and that they needed to be at their best to catch they eyes of the scouts.”

Though not providing the numbers, Scott said the turnout of scouts was an increase over previous stagings.

A number of players who participated on Saturday had not played since last year, while others were involved in the Olivier Shield match and had to make a quick turnaround.

In the first game which featured players with outstanding academic grades, the all-rural team missed the chance of taking the lead when Reece Roman skied a penalty kick in the 15th minute, after his teammate Ajani Johnson was taken down in the opposing team’s penalty area by Jaiquin Stewart.

Keshaun Lee-Chin took advantage and fired the all-urban team into the lead in the 18th minute.

The all-rural team responded almost immediately, Justin McPherson pulling his team level when he beat goalkeeper Yuri Dryden from just outside the 18-yard box.

With the score tied at the end of the game, penalties were used to decide the match, with the all-rural team emerging victorious.

In the second game, the all-urban team took the lead in the 58th minute when Dwight Gentles turned a ball from close range past Carlyle Tingling.

Shemar Daley’s spectacular response in the third period, firing home high into the top left-hand corner from about 24 yards, regained parity for the all-rural team.

The teams were locked at 5-5 after regulation penalties in driving rainfall and were still locked at 6-6 after the first set of kicks in sudden death. But the decisive moments came when all-urban scored from the spot in-between consecutive saves by their goalkeeper Jamari Gordon.

All-urban team’s Jayeem Hall (left) chases all-rural’s Ajani Johnson during the ISSA football “scholastic” showcase at STETHS Sports Complex in Santa Cruz on January 10, 2026. The all-rural team won 5-3 on penalties after regulation time ended 1-1.

SMITH… what we have seen over the past two days confirmed that there is talent here