STETHS, Dinthill, Cedric Titus book second-round spots
TWO former champions, St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and Dinthill Technical, and Cedric Titus High booked their second-round spots in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup football competition on Monday with return round wins.
STETHS and Cedric Titus High completed their play-off games against Lacovia High and William Knibb Memorial, respectively, while Dinthill Technical edged Charlemont High 1-0.
They joined eight other second-round qualifiers who had booked their places while another four teams, including defending champions Clarendon College, can make progress as well after Tuesday’s set of matches.
Clarendon College, winners of five straight games, can advance with a win over Thompson Town, whome they were leading 1-0 before the game was interrupted on September 23.
A win for Black River High over Petersfield High would see both the winners and Manning’s School take the automatic spots from Zone D while Manchester High, who have won all seven games played so far, need only a point from their game against Mount St Joseph Catholic to advance from Zone F.
STETHS and Lacovia were tied at 1-1 on Saturday when their Zone E game was suspended, and on Monday the former winners went on to win 4-2, thereby improving to 22 points — but they cannot finish lower than second in the zone.
Donate Campbell’s penalty had drawn STETHS level at 1-1 on Saturday, and Ajay Smith, DeAndre Hibbert and Justin McPherson scored on Monday.
Kamari Gordon and Terron Eccleston scored second-half goals for Cedric Titus in their game that was locked at 0-0 when it was called off on Saturday, as they won 2-0 to secure their second-round place with 22 points.
William Knibb, who have made it to the quarter-finals the last two seasons, are left in a precarious position as, even with three teams from Zone C earning an automatic spot in the next round, they are on 12 points and must win their two remaining games to stay in contention.
Giovanni Afflick’s lone goal was enough to give Dinthill Technical a 1-0 win over Charlemont High, three days after they beat them 7-0.
The win was Dinthill’s sixth in a row and took them to 18 points, and now they can only be caught by McGrath High.
Meanwhile, the race for places from Zone I got even tighter on Monday after fourth-place St Mary High beat top-ranked Tacky High 3-0, while Horace Clarke High edged second-place Wycliffe Martin High 1-0.
Despite Monday’s results Tacky High still leads with 17 points but are only one ahead of St Mary High and Horace Clarke, both on 16 points, while Wycliffe Martin High have slipped to fourth place on 14 points.
Mile Gully took over sole leadership in Zone G by beating Christiana High 1-0 in their top-of-the-zone clash, their second win against them this season, thereby moving to 18 points.
Alphansus Davis High won their first game of the season, edging Bellefield High 1-0 and dealing their second-round plans a major blow.
Monday’s results
Maldon High 2, Spot Valley High 0
Cedric Titus 2, William Knibb Memorial 0
Ocho Rios vs Brown’s Town – waterlogged field at Addison Park
Tacky High 0, St Mary High 3
Wycliffe Martin 0, Horace Clarke High 1
Charlemont High 0, Dinthill Technical 1
STETHS 4, Lacovia 2
Mile Gully High 1, Christiana High 0
Knox College vs Holmwood Tech – not played
Bellefield High 0, Alphansus Davis 1
Tuesday’s games
Lennon High vs Edwin Allen – Lennon High 3:00 pm (0-0)
Clarendon College vs Thompson Town – Foga Road 3:00 pm (1-0)
St Mary Tech vs Carron Hall – St Mary Tech 2:00 pm
Iona High vs Annotto Bay – Annotto Bay Sports Complex 2:00 pm
Rusea’s High vs Merlene Ottey High – Rusea’s 3:00 pm
Cambridge High vs Green Island High – Cambridge 3:00 pm
Ferncourt High vs Discovery Bay High – Noranda Sports Complex 2:00 pm
Aabuthnott Gallimore vs York Castle – York Castle 2:00 pm
Black River High vs Petersfield High – Black River 3:00 pm
Newell High vs Roger Clarke High – Newell High 3:00 pm
Sydney Pagon High vs Maggotty High – Lacovia Comm Centre 3:00 pm
Belair High vs May Day High – Belair High 3:00 pm
Mt St Joseph Catholic vs Manchester High – Mt St Joseph 3:00 pm
Cross Keys High vs deCarteret College – Cross Keys 3:00 pm
Porus High vs Central High – Porus Comm Centre 3:00 pm
Old Harbour High vs Denbigh High – Port Esquivel 3:00 pm
Tacius Golding High vs Vere Tech – MOE Region 6 3:00 pm
Kemps Hill High vs Foga Road High – Kemps Hill 3:00 pm