Mason Hall into SSFL 'Big Five' semis.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).[/size]
Mason Hall Government Secondary continued their Cinderella story yesterday with a 1-0 victory over Central Zone champions Carapichaima in a BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) "Big Five" quarter-final at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
The new Tobago Zone kingpins, who secured their maiden Championship Division title last week, had 17-year-old striker Stefano Wright to thank for the winner in a close encounter. Just four minutes into the second half, Wright thumped home from close range off a cross ball, spoiling Carapichaima's perfect record in 2007.
The victory puts the previously little-known Mason Hall in Friday's SSFL Big Five semi-final against East champs San Juan Secondary Comprehensive at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar. Mason Hall manager Rostan Wood was impressed with the opposition given by the visiting Carapichaima squad, but felt all his team's hard work had paid off in the encounter.
"The game was a 50-50 game," Wood told the Express after the win. "Anybody could have won. They [Mason Hall] have been training very hard and they still have room for improvement. But they worked according to the game plan, they followed what the coach told them, and the result showed."
In other SSFL action yesterday, 2006 North Zone winners Mucurapo Secondary Comprehensive only just escaped relegation when they thumped five goals past Diego Martin Secondary goalie Andrew Waldron.
Goals by five different strikers not only sunk their opponents, but forced a spirited--and unlucky--Diego Martin to the bottom of the "North" standings and into automatic demotion from the Championship Division.
Kevin Molino, Mutar Taylor, Akel Bruce, Allan Joseph and Kern St Louis all struck the net, turning a 3-0 hafltime lead into a devastating loss for their opponents, who have added an element of excitement, even against the better sides in the league this year. Only an inferior goal difference to Trinity College stopped "Diego" from returning to the top flight of schools football next year. The "Big Five" competition continues tomorrow with North Zone champs St Anthony's College and their South Zone counterparts Naparima College facing off at the Hasely Crawford Stadium from 3.45 p.m.
Yesterday's BG T&T SSFL Results:
Big Five[/b]
Mason Hall 1 (Stefano Wright 49th) v Carapichaima 0
North Zone
Mucurapo 5 (Mutar Taylor, Akel Bruce, Kevin Molino, Allan Joseph, Kern St Louis) v Diego Martin 0
Yesterday's News
Mason Hall tackle Carapichaima.
By: Kern De Freitas (Express).[/size]
First-time Tobago Zone champions Mason Hall Government Secondary and their Central counterparts Carapichaima Senior Comprehensive kick off the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Big Five tournament today at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago from 3.45 p.m.
For both teams, the league competition has ended, and only one of them will grace the semi-final stage come Friday. The teams are yet to meet on the field, with Mason Hall being the "babes" of the competition--in only their fourth year of existence and their second in the Championship Division. They aim, however, to take full advantage of the "underdogs" tag.
Carapichaima themselves do not know what it means to be national league champions. This year, according to manager Steve Gopeesingh, they intend to change that fact.
Last year, the Central Zone champs stumbled in a 5-1 whipping at the hands of Mucurapo Secondary Comprehensive in their quarter-final fixture. Gopeesingh explained that goalkeeping was his team's "Achilles Heel" in that loss. He is more assured this year.
"We're looking for a victory tomorrow (today) to be honest," Gopeesingh told the Express, yesterday. "To be honest, we're all confident of reaching the final."
Their less experienced opponents, who are enjoying home advantage today, will be hoping to spoil Carapichaima's perfect record.
On Saturday night, coach Sherwin Jordan hosted the entire Mason Hall squad at his Patience Hill home ahead of their final training session early yesterday morning. Jordan is hoping that same togetherness his team is exhibiting will be the key to victory.
"If the team stick to the instructions that they're given, I think that we have enough strength to win against Carapichaima," Jordan said, during a training session on Friday.
Strikers Jeffon Cornwall (14 goals) and Trent Lougheed (9) have been prolific for Carapichaima, and are two of the SSFL's top scorers thus far. Mason Hall have their own stars they rely on, such as striker Benton Charles (7) and influential attacking midfielder Daneil Cyrus, the only national Under-17 player from Tobago.
Cyrus is the team's talisman and is well respected by all the players, who feel they can be more than a handful for the visitors from Central Trinidad. That will not daunt Carapichaima, who have their eyes on the prize.
"We're focusing on our game, we're not focusing on the opponents," Gopeesingh declared.
With no history between the teams, it will be tough to predict a winner. But when the final whistle sounds, only one will be moving on to the Big Five semis.
North Zone competition will conclude today with Mucurapo and Diego Martin Secondary battling to stave off relegation, at the Fatima College Ground, in a bottom-of-the-table clash. Trinity, who have completed their schedule of matches, are also in the relegation zone.
