Naparima College, the school which brough thrills and excitement to the SSFL this year met an exit from the CocaCola competition yesterday, after losing 2-1 to St Benedict’s College in the final of the South Zone competition.
It was a come-from-behind effort from St Benedict’s, the fourth place finisher at the inaugural SSFL Premier Division over “Naps”, which took the season by storm winning both the top tier league competition and the Big-Four.
Martieon Watson opened the scoring in the 40th minute to give Naparima the narrow lead into the break, after a flurry of missed opportunities from the highly rated Nicholas Dillon and Jabari Mitchell.
Then, five minutes after the restart, St Benedict’s found the equaliser from Moriba Des Cartes, before taking the shock lead and the winner from Shemar Ravello.
Even before the match, St Benedict’s was one of few teams to do damage to Naparima all season. Just before going on a brilliant run to the Premier Division title, Naparima suffered a 3-0 defeat by St Benedict’s midway through September.
St Benedict’s will now represent the South Zone in the National InterCol competition and will face Carapichaima in the semifinal, on Thursday at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Carapichaima East secured the Central Zone title by dethroning Chaguanas North Secondary in the final. Caps exacted revenge for last year’s loss by issuing a comfortable 3-0 victory against a team, which was already deflated by its relegation from the Premier Division.
Today, the last team in the National InterCol competition will be determined in the North Zone final. East Mucurapo and St Mary’s College will square off at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, from 4.30 pm.
The winner of that match will meet Speyside Secondary in the lone InterCol quarterfinal match on Tuesday in Tobago.
Results
North Zone final
St Benedict’s 2 (Moriba Des Cartes 50th, Shemar Ravello 82nd) v Naparima 1 (Martieon Watson 40th)
Central Zone final
Carapichaima East 3 v Chaguanas North 0
Today
North Zone final
East Mucurapo v St Mary’s College, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo
St Benedict’s end Naps’ triple crown bid
T&T Express Reports.
St Benedict’s College ended Naparima College’s bid for a season sweep yesterday, defeating them 2-1 on an 82nd-minute goal from Shemar Ravello in the Coca Cola InterCol South Zone final.
The win was St Benedict’s first zonal InterCol title since 1992.
At Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Ravello’s strike ended Naparima’s season and crowned the La Romain Lions’ South champs, also putting them into the national semi-finals, where they will face Carapichaima East Secondary of the Central Zone.
“Caps” snatched the Central Zone crown yesterday with a 3-0 whipping of Chaguanas North Secondary.
In the South match, Big Four and Premier League winners “Naps” looked to have one foot in the door for the final four competition, but InterCol has proved there is never any sure victor.
Marteion Watson put his team ahead in the 40th for a 1-0 halftime lead. St Benedict’s came surging back through Mariba Des Cartes, five minutes after the resumption before Ravello had the last word.
St Benedict’s coach Dexter Cyrus is pleased with his troops’ efforts, but says thy must take it one match at a time.
“We actually beat Naps 3-0 earlier in the season,” Cyrus told the Express. “We had no reason to fear.” He chalked the results up to heir fitness regime, which he said was among the best in the League, allowing them to be superior late on in matches.
Cyrus added: “We want to take it one game at a time. I don’t want thinking about the final during the semis.”
Today will be last zonal final, with East Mucurapo Secondary taking on St Mary’s College from 3.30 p.m. for a chance to face Tobago’s Speyside Secondary in the lone semi-final.