WITH the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup and Champions Cup already in the bag, Jamaica College will be hoping to get their hands on the Olivier Shield for the first time since 2017 — and by extension add another triple crown feat to their rich tradition.

But Clarendon College, like they have done over the years, once again delayed their ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup celebration, which is a signal of their confidence and determination to reclaim all-island supremacy.

So the stage is set for another epic battle between two talented teams to decide the best schoolboy team of this 2022 season, as they meet in the ultimate showpiece at Stadium East field today at 5:00 pm.

It will be a repeat of the 2014 and 2019 clashes between the two schools with the odds even, as Jamaica College won the former and Clarendon College the latter.

Still, if you were to ask both coaches about the most recent meeting in particular — which ended 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 stalemate at full time — they would be quick to point out that two completely different teams are on parade this time around, which means any number can play at the end of the 90 plus minutes.

Jamaica College’s (JC) rich tradition speaks for itself as they have claimed the All-Island Olivier Shield 22 times — 21 times outright while sharing the other with Munro College in 1919. That complements their now 31 liens on the urban area Manning Cup.

Their five most recent Olivier Shield victories were between 2013 and 2017 — which interestingly is also the period when they last had a triple crown feat.

With the Old Hope Road-based team failing to make an impression in the 2018 season, Clarendon College grabbed hold of the Olivier Shield crown with victory over Kingtson College and retained it for a second-consecutive season with the 2019 triumph.

However, with Davion Ferguson and Jamaica College having seemingly regained their winning mojo, they will be gunning to prove that they are indeed number one.

Note that the 2018 victory by Clarendon College broke a lengthy urban area hold on the Olivier Shield, as they were the first rural area team to cop the title since 2006 when Glenmuir High shared the title with Bridgeport High.

It was also the first time a rural area team was winning the Olivier Shield outright since 2004 when Glenmuir defeated Excelsior High.

Clarendon College’s credentials are also well advertised. They first won the Olivier Shield in 1977 and followed that up with victories in 1978, sharing it in 1998 with Dunoon Technical for five titles overall. They also have 10 daCosta Cup liens to their name.

The Lenworth Hyde-conditioned team has displayed a hunger and desire to return another title to their Chapelton base, which is viewed as the most fitting honour to the recent passing of their beloved Assistant Manager Neville “Manny” Peart.

Both schools take contrasting records into the Olivier Shield, with Clarendon College registering a comfortable 3-0 win over Central High in their rural area final while Jamaica College were 8-7 winners on sudden death penalties over St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS).

Interestingly though, if the scales were to be slightly tilted it would be in favour of Jamaica College who are still yet to be beaten this season, while Clarendon College’s only loss of the season came when they relinquished the Champions Cup title in a 2-4 semi-final defeat to Kingston College. Jamaica College bettered Kingston College 2-1 in that final.

That said, the “Dark Blues” will have to come good in the attacking third for this contest and try to win it in regulation time, if they intend to deny Clarendon College.

Romaine Blake, Tarick Ximinies, Maquan Aldridge, Kevaughn Wilson and J’Havier Lynch are just a few of those in the talented Jamaica College bunch, while Clarendon College will rely on Malachi Douglas, Kristoff Graham, Keheim Dixon, Christopher Hull and Devonti Hodges.