Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: Tallman on August 15, 2022, 09:46:16 AM
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In anticipation of 2022 SSFL season
By Shaun Fuentes (T&T Guardian)
With another Secondary school Football League season on the horizon in September, the first return to play since 2019, the various members of the competing schools will no doubt be anticipating a competition that provides exciting opportunities to showcase abilities and are important learning opportunities for the young student-athletes in our country.
Every player who ends up on the final roster of his school team should be ready to give his all for so many reasons. The young player’s responsibilities relate to doing what is necessary to maximise the opportunities that will come their way this season. These responsibilities include giving their best effort, being responsible and disciplined, listening to coaches, being good at sports, being prepared, being respectful, and, importantly, being grateful for the opportunity to play and represent their schools and communities.
To each player, some other practical responsibilities will include participating in all training sessions, getting the most out of coaching, being cooperative and expressing appreciation to your parents, school staff, team coaches, and everyone else that will help you strive toward your goals.
But while players and coaches will be anxious to take the field, they should also be prepared to expect the unexpected. Things never go exactly as planned. Something unexpected or unusual will inevitably happen. Players, coaches and managers need to maintain a sense of humour or achieve a level of perspective when things out of the ordinary occur. At these times it will be useful to utilise preplanned refocusing strategies. Further, some crises or setbacks could also arise. During those times, it will be important to problem solve and find alternate ways to push through the issue. Open communication between the League and teams will be important at this point. Lessons need to be drawn and adjustments made to maintain and regain mental readiness and optimal focus.
The total experience for me means having fun, developing essential life skills and achieving their goals. This is what the main benefits of the SSFL will be for everyone taking part.
Practical responsibilities of management teams include ensuring that your players have the necessary equipment, proper coaching, and transportation, among other logistical concerns. Psychological and emotional support includes providing love, guidance, encouragement, and perspective in their efforts must also be on the cards
To parents, coaches, managers and school staff who will be involved, it may be necessary to make a listing of what you, in your particular roles, can do to help your players succeed. Ask your players what you can do to help them and what you should avoid doing. Next, have the player also make a list of what their responsibilities should be. If you feel your players have missed some important responsibilities, suggest them. Then, identify other individuals who will have responsibilities within the team and list what responsibilities they should have.
There should also be consequences for not fulfilling responsibilities. The best consequences are those that remove something of importance to the players and give them the control to get it back by acting appropriately, for instance, reaching late to practice or not showing at all. Find a way to make the player not want to make this mistake again for the rest of the season.
If those in charge along with the players are in agreement on their respective responsibilities, all should run quite smoothly. On the other hand, if there is conflict related to each of your responsibilities, trouble likely lies ahead. To prevent problems from arising once the new season arrives, you’ll want to discuss before the season starts how you can all get on the same page about who is responsible for what.
As teams enter the final stages of preparation for the SSFL over the coming few days, it is important to adhere to the “less is more” attitude. The tendency is to want to over-prepare for the event by squeezing in a number of sessions and warm-up games as the season opener approaches, Your players need to be well rested and mentally relaxed in order to perform optimally. Small refinements may be necessary but the key is to stick with the elements that have been working. Often this minimalisation is achieved with a simple tapering plan, but it is important that both coaches and players are aware of the concept and mindful of its implementation.
There is a significant difference between having a competition “Performance” and a competition “Experience.” A competition “Performance” implies a clear focus on the task at hand and a commitment to choices that will give the best possible chance for optimal performance to occur. Conversely, a competition “Experience” implies taking in the sights and sounds of the competition without a clear goal or focus. Ultimately, it will be important to find a balance between the two and allow an opportunity to be absorbed in the league atmosphere. Remember the league has seen no action for over two years, so there will be rough areas and good quality may take time. But hey, enjoy the Season as if there’s “no tomorrow.”
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Spoke to my buddy Mike Grayson. He is now CIC coach. Best wishes to him. He told me that the pandemic has had a serious on the state of football. He said that players are behind the curve at this moment. Even he as a coach needs to do more physical at 66 yrs old to do 2 sessions a day. So we will see.
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Tiger Tanks takes over as title sponsor for SSFL
T&T Guardian
Tiger Tanks will be the main sponsor of this year’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed yesterday.
An agreement between the parties (Tiger Tanks and the SSFL) was said to have been reached after months of negotiations. Coincidentally, a five-year agreement between the SSFL, Digicel and SportsMax was scheduled to conclude in 2020 before the intervention of the COVID-19 pandemic threw everything into a tailspin.
Under Tiger Tanks, the league is set to be well-served, inclusive of uniform provision and branding, prizes and the broadcasting of matches for all the divisions, inclusive of the Premiership, Championship and all the lower divisions.
Last week, Merere Gonzales, president of the schools league said they were hoping to negotiate for matches in all divisions in the SSFL to be broadcasted either LIVE or shown delayed on television, which is an initiative that would allow all students to use the footage for the purpose of receiving scholarships or for their personal use.
At today’s launch of the 2022 season at the T&T Football Association’s Technical Centre at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva, the executive is expected to unveil its sponsors and the league operations.
Information reaching Guardian Media Sports is that the League be called the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League and that Tiger Tanks will take over all broadcast rights from Jamaican-based sports television network - SportsMax.
Tiger Tanks were the main sponsor of a national run and organised Under-20 Football League which was played soon after the lifting of the COVID-19 restriction in January. A few years ago, Tiger Tanks found itself in a row when its sponsorship of Naparima College violated an agreement between Digicel and the SSFL.
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Starting from scratch - SSFL teams go into unknown for new season
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)
A new format, new players, a few new coaches and a lot of uncertainty.
Those elements will all be in the mix when the first pandemic season of Secondary Schools Football (SSFL) gets going this week.
Covid-19 struck in 2020, wiping out two seasons of the SSFL. So when the teams return to the pitch, much will have changed for them.
Defending Premier Division champions Naparima College, for instance, will have a new coach in former national player Travis Mulraine. He replaces Angus Eve who is now in charge of the national men’s senior team.
And national women’s coach Kenwyne Jones, himself a former schoolboy standout with St Anthony’s College, will be taking up the head coach’s job at Queen’s Royal College.
There will also be a household name on the bench of promoted Fatima College, in the form of ex-”Strike Squad” national team star Hutson Charles, while St Augustine Secondary and Trinity College East will feature coaches making their top-flight débuts in Tacuma Jones and Dwayne Davis.
These men and their counterparts in the other sides that make up the 16-team competition, will also have to deal with a different format.
Teams have been divided into two groups of eight, with the top sides from each group advancing to play each other for the title.
However, making educated guesses as to which teams will emerge on top this season could be as tricky as predicting when the pandemic will eventually end.
The two years without competition have meant there has been an exodus of players from the Premier Division teams of 2019.
Naparima with be “starting from scratch,” according to manager Percy Samlalsingh. And most squads will be relying on their Under-16 players to make the transition.
“Speaking with some of the other coaches, it will be a challenge,” says Shawn Cooper, coach of InterCol champions Presentation College San Fernando. “Pres” were also second in the league in 2019.
“A lot of the boys weren’t in the game, so they had to go over a lot of technical and tactical stuff,” Cooper added. And Fatima’s Charles notes that getting his players to, “understand the way I want them to play,” has been challenging.
Some schools have managed to hold on to one or two players with Premier Division experience. St Augustine will still be able to call on 2019 skipper, defensive midfielder, Keyel Morris.
However, East Mucurapo Secondary have lost all of their squad. Coach Dale Saunders is not deterred by that reality though. While admitting to his side’s inexperience he adds:”I think we will be able to compete. Mucurapo always produces talent. We will come through.”
For some shools however, simply putting a team together has been problematic in this ongoing period of Covid.
“Players are not really into the football too much. I’m fighting to get them to come training. Parents under struggle with boots and to support them financially,” reports Malick Secondary coach Anthony Bartholomew.
Money problems have also been serious for Carapichaima East Secondary. It was only late last month that the Central school was able to confirm that it would be able take part in the competition.
“Financially we were in a position where we almost couldn’t compete this year. Only two weeks ago we landed a sponsor and then the programme started,” manager Ashbert Charles relates.
“Caps,” solid in the league over the last couple seasons, will have much catching up to do just to be competitive.
Some schools were keen for promotion and relegation be suspended this season to allow teams to settle down again.
However, despite the various difficulties they face, everyone is relieved to get the chance to get back on the field.
“For most of the players, the two years out would have been a setback in their development but they are raring and excited to go,” notes Davis of Trinity East. “It’s definitely good to have them out.”
With all teams rebuilding, the Premier Division title race should therefore be wide open this season.
Queen’s Royal College manager Joshua Peru-Ishmael sums up the thoughts of many of his counterparts.
“It’s going to be interesting because most teams are very young teams. We don’t know what is out there. It’s going to be a whole new experience throughout the SSFL. It feels like a start from scratch.”
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Pandemic sees fewer SSFL teams ready for new season
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
POST-PANDEMIC challenges at some secondary schools have forced a restructuring of the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL).
This was confirmed by the league’s operations assistant secretary Laurence Seepersad at Wednesday’s welcome return and launch of the new season at the T&T Football Association’s Technical Centre, Ato Boldon Stadium, Balmain, Couva.
The league kicks off next Wednesday at four venues. On Friday, at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 4.30pm, an exhibition match between south’s behemoths Presentation College, San Fernando and Naparima College serves as a pre-tournament opener.
Seepersad said the SSFL premiership division will now comprise two groups of four teams each.
“There are less teams this year as a result of the many challenges some of the schools have been faced with, financial and infrastructure, so they are not in a position to produce all the teams we are accustomed with,” he said.
Particularly, there is only one school from Tobago – Speyside High School – in the premiership this year.
On the new structure, Seepersad added, “We looked at the standings at the end of the 2019 season and took all the odd numbers and placed them in one group and the even numbers, placed in another.
“At the end of our league stage, we will have two semi-finals with the winners of group A playing the second place (team) in Group B and the winners of Group B against the Group A second place (team). The winners here will play in a grand final to determine the winners of the premiership division.”
The last place teams in each group will be relegated to the championship division. Teams finishing just above them in the groups will contest a playoff to see who stay in the top flight while the other head to the second division.
He added, “The championship division continues with five zones; six teams each. At the end of the season we will have a big five competition and the first three teams will be promoted to the premiership.
“All other division like U16, U14 and form one football are all on stream and scheduled. It’s a packed 2022 season.”
Meanwhile, Tiger Tanks joined longstanding league sponsors First Citizens and Coca Cola as main partners for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Regional manager Dennis Latiff said he was pleased to expand the company’s reach into youth development through sport.
Through Tiger Tanks’ YouTube channel and other media, matches will be broadcast live in an effort to market the talents of young players to local, regional and international scouts.
“Games will be carried live, for the first time I think, on Flow, Sportsmax, Tiger Sports YouTube channel (produced by Rodeo Communications), on radio and social media.
“The idea is to showcase as much of our talent as we can in the hope that viewing scouts an pick the best of the best and offer scholarships.
“All matches will be on Tiger Sports YouTube channels for athletes to go back and view their games and can use footage to potential connections or scouts for scholarships and other football opportunities,” Latiff said.
In related news, Minister of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly welcomed the return of the SSFL and will serve as its patron.
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At long last: ‘Naps’ and ‘Pres‘ kick off 2022 schools football season tomorrow
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) president Merere Gonzales was in an emotional state yesterday.
Gonzales expressed great relief that after two years of inactivity and “inability” to host a physical competition, secondary schools football will kick off in Trinidad and Tobago tomorrow. The resumption comes after a two-year period of inactivity brought about by the Covid 19 pandemic and Government’s subsequent restriction of sporting activity.
“At this point in time I can finally exhale,” SSFL boss Gonzales stated at yesterday’s launch of the new season at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
“I am very heartened, as the president, for a very highly-anticipated, long-awaited, highly-competitive, very much entertaining and flamboyance of the football talent that will be displayed by all student-athletes.”
The SSFL season kicks off tomorrow with the new Tiger Tanks Cup, which matches Naparima College and Presentation College, the 2019 League and InterCol winners respectively. The traditional South giants meet in the season-opening exhibition match to be played at the Ato Boldon Stadium, from 4 p.m.
The actual league competition kicks off on Wednesday in the 16-team Premier Division, which have been divided into two groups containing eight teams apiece. There will also be competition in the Championship Division, lower age groups and girls divisions.
The Premier Division season will be short. Teams will meet each other just once in their group, after which the top two teams of each group will meet in a semi-final and subsequent final to decide the league title. There will also be a Coca Cola InterCol knockout competition involving both Premier and Championship division schools from November 1.
“So many persons, local, regional and international—surprisingly but very true—are waiting with bated breath for the commencement of the 2022 SSFL season,” stated Gonzales.
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, patron of the league, congratulated the SSFL and its sponsors for a sustained effort to aid the development of the student-athlete over the years.
“I know this season is going to be a bumper season and it is very important that it is, because we are recovering and rebounding from what was forced curtailment of all our activities by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It threw our young people into disarray almost, because it was such a time of uncertainty,” the Education minister said. “I am for one, very excited that our students are back out to school physically, challenges notwithstanding, and I am equally glad that we are able to come back to the days of InterCol and what that means to our students.”
League gets new sponsors
SSFL boss Gonzales was especially pleased with the continued investment in schools football that has been made by sponsors, among them long-serving First Citizens Bank represented yesterday by Trudy Louison and Coca Cola, represented by Anthony Lovelace, who announced that the long-serving sponsor will be bringing new initiatives to the 2022 Coca Cola InterCol competition.
The SSFL also revealed two new sponsors—The Ascension Tournament and Tigers Tanks Limited. In the absence of Ascension managing director Richard Ferguson, who was unable to attend, tournament director Kieron Edwards noted that Ascension thought it important that its first involvement in youth football be with schools football.
“We need to take it serious. We are in a time of a restart for Trinidad and Tobago football and the secondary schools league has a major part to play in that restart,” Edwards stated.
Denis Latiff, represented Tiger Tank, and disclosed that the company had sponsored several youth teams in the past. They also staged the Tiger Tanks Under-20 men’s football tournament this year and sponsored the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board’s Under-19 tournament.
Latiff announced that Tiger Tanks had pledged a minimum two years sponsorship to the schools league, beginning with the Tiger Tanks Cup, which will kick off the new season tomorrow. Tiger Tanks will also carry SSFL matches on its YouTube channel.
“The idea is to showcase as much of our talent as we can, in the hope that viewing scouts can pick the best of the best and offer some scholarships,” Latiff stated.
UPCOMING MATCHES:
Tomorrow
TIGER TANKS CUP:
4 p.m. - Presentation College San Fernando vs Naparima College, Ato Boldon Stadium
Wednesday
SSFL ROUND ONE:
GROUP A:
4 p.m. - St Augustine Secondary vs Naparima College, St Augustine Secondary
4 p.m. - Carapichaima East Secondary vs Speyside High School, Ato Boldon Stadium
4 p.m. - St Benedict’s College vs Fatima College, TBA
4 p.m. - Pleasantville Secondary vs St. Anthony’s College, Manny Ramjohn training ground
GROUP B:
4 p.m. - San Juan North Secondary vs Queen’s Royal College, San Juan North
4 p.m. - Chaguanas North Secondary vs Malick Secondary, Africa ground, Enterprise
4 p.m. - East Mucurapo vs Moruga, Fatima College
4 p.m. - Trinity College East vs Presentation College Sando, Trinity College East
Saturday
SSFL ROUND 2
GROUP A:
4 p.m. - St Benedict’s College vs Carapichaima East Secondary, St Benedict’s College
4 p.m. - Fatima College vs Naparima College, Fatima College
4 p.m. - Speyside High School vs St Anthony’s, Speyside
4 p.m. - St Augustine Secondary vs Pleasantville Secondary, St Augustine
GROUP B:
4 p.m. - Presentation College vs Malick Secondary, Union Hall
4 p.m. - Queen’s Royal College vs East Mucurapo, QRC
4 p.m. - San Juan North Secondary vs Chaguanas North Secondary, San Juan North
4 p.m. - Trinity College East vs Moruga Secondary, Trinity College East
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Pres, Naps clash in 2022 SSFL Premiership curtain raiser
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
South Zone duo and bitter long-time rivals, Presentation College of San Fernando and Naparima College will clash in the inaugural Tiger Tank Cup on Friday, September 9 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, from 4 pm to usher in the revamped 2022 season of the Tiger Tank Secondary Schools Football League.
Tiger Tanks will be the main sponsor of this year’s SSFL, taking over from Jamaican-based sports television network, Sportsmax.
Coincidentally, a five-year agreement between the SSFL, Digicel, and SportsMax was scheduled to conclude in 2020 before the intervention of the COVID-19 pandemic threw everything into a tailspin.
Under Tiger Tanks, the league is set to be well-served, inclusive of uniform provision and branding, prizes, and the broadcasting of matches for all the divisions, inclusive of the Premiership, Championship, and all the lower divisions.
Speaking at the launch of the new season at the T&T Football Association’s Technical Centre at the Ato Boldon Stadium yesterday, SSFL president Merere Gonzales, president of the SSFL said they were hoping to negotiate for matches in all divisions in the SSFL to be broadcasted either LIVE or shown delayed on television, which is an initiative that would allow all students to use the footage to receive scholarships or for their personal use.
Gonzales reflecting on the absence of SSFL action for the past two years as well as looking ahead to the new campaign said, “In an endemic stage like that of the covid-19 I’m very mindful of the situation, and I’m very heartened as the president for the much anticipated, long-awaited, highly competitive, very much entertaining and flamboyance of the football talent that will be displayed by all student-athlete of the respective schools in T&T.”
“As a responsible organisation in that of the SSFL, it is of paramount importance that we understand first and foremost that our main priority is to ensure the promotion, development, advancement, nurturing, support and guidance of our students.”
“And while they are engaged in a sporting disciplined and in this case football, we will also be responsible, and professional organisation and continue to create this platform for them to showcase their talent,” ended Gonzales.
Mulraine takes over at Naps
Naparima College won the last edition of the SSFL Premier Division crown in 2019, their fourth in six years under Angus Eve, the senior and under-20 national men’s coach, while the Shawn Cooper-coached Presentation College captured their first national Inter-Col crown in 44 years when they lifted the title in 2019 title beating San Juan North Secondary, 2-1 in the decider.
For Naparima, a lot has changed in the technical department with former national players Travis Mulraine (head coach) and Anthony Sherwood (assistant) now at the helm of the reigning SSFL Premier champions for the new campaign while Cooper, who was recently appointed national Under-17 men’s coach will be assisted, Dunstan Williams.
The new format of the 16-team Premier Division which gets going on Wednesday, September 14 will see the teams divided into two groups of eight teams for one round of round-robin competition, that’s is seven matches for each team, at the end of which the top two in each pool will advance to the crossover semifinals on Friday, October 21 ahead of the final four days later.
Both the semifinals and final are slated for either the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, or the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
This year’s SSFL season will be the first to be held since 2019 after the 2020 and 2021 seasons were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will also
The 16-participating schools will see Group A comprise Naparima College, St Augustine Secondary, Carapichaima East Secondary, Speyside High School, St Benedict’s College, Fatima College, Pleasantville Secondary, and St Anthony’s College, while Group B will feature San Juan North Secondary, Queen’s Royal College, Chaguanas North Secondary, Malick Secondary, East Mucurapo Secondary, Moruga Secondary, Trinity College East, and Presentation College (San F’do) with the opening round of matches set for Wednesday, September 14 with kickoff at 4 pm.
According to Gonzales, the 2022 SSFL season will see competition in the boys’ and girls’ championship divisions as well while due to some immediate constraints, the premiership division girls’ will unfortunately not be able to materialise this year.
However, a new aspect of the SSFL league will see for a short period the organisation of a “pilot project” sponsored by FIFA to engage more girls to be involved in football, and therefore we will be in the embryonic stages looking toward having a very short version or at least providing another platform for the Girls 13 and Under Division with the expectation that for 2023 season it will be more established as an official division with the SSFL.
Minister Gadsby-Dolly invites parents to support the players
Gonzales also noted that for the 2022 season, Minister of Education, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly has been made patron of the SSFL.
With regards to the demotion of teams from the SSFL, the two bottom-placed teams will be automatically relegated and will be joined by the losers of the playoff between the two teams to finish second from bottom in their respective groups.
At the same time, the winners of the five Championship Boys Divisions which will comprise six teams team will then contest a “Big-Five” round-robin series at the end of which the top three finishers will gain promotion to the 2023 Premier Division.
Gadsby-Dolly in her address reflected on her days as a supporter of St Augustine Secondary “Green Machine” said she remembered the joy and passion and excitements of Inter-Col.
Admitting that her children were also anticipating the season and already had matches earmarked to watch Gadsby-Dolly added, “I know this season is going to be a bumper season and it’s very important that it is because we are recovering and rebounding from what was a forced curtailment of all our activities by covid-19 and the pandemic, and that experience did more than simply closed schools and stopped sporting activities.
“In many cases, it disrupted the spirit of the promise of our students and it is more than just a building closing because when a school closes it’s not juts a building but an area of release for some students, it is an area where some students are able to socialise with their friends and release the frustrations of home.
“It’s an area where they can look forward to their progress as student-athletes as persons in the cultural sector and as students who are aspiring to different careers, and it threw our young people into disarray almost because it was such a time of uncertainty.
“And I’m for one very excited about the fact that our students are back out to school firstly, challenges notwithstanding and I’m equally glad that we are able to come back to the days of Inter-Col and what that means to our students,” stated Gadsby-Dolly.
Among the other speakers at the launch were Keiron Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of the Ascension Group of Trinidad, Laurence Seepersad, SSFL Assistant Secretary of Operations, Anthony Lovelace, Senior Brand Specialist at Coca-Cola Caribbean Bottlers, and Denis Latiff, General Manager/Owner Tiger Tanks Trinidad Limited.
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Pres beat Naps to take Tiger Tanks Cup.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Presentation College, San Fernando got a perfect start to their campaign in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) by clinching the opening Tiger Tank Cup, defeating arch-rival Naparima College 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva n Friday, following a 1-1 tie in regulation time.
But coach Shawn Cooper, whose men were forced to soak up periods of unrelenting Naparima pressure, would have a lot of work to do if they are to claim more titles this season.
The game for many reasons drew an expected large turnout in Couva. For some, it was a moment to feed the starvation felt by having no football for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while for others, it was the restart of a rivalry between two teams that goes back many years.
Naparima, coached by former Queen’s Royal College (QRC) midfielder Travis Mulraine, looked the better team in the early moments with Josiah Bobb, Omari Campbell, Kanye Francis leading the attack amidst two groups of nervous players, despite their eagerness to take the football field after two years.
The match was just 14 minutes old when Bobb, the creator of early problems for the Presentation defenders, took the ball down the left flank and centred for the unmarked Campbell to connect from point blank range, but goalkeeper Kanye Lazarus somehow kept it out.
Presentation College, the defending champion team, was determined to defend their title and they defended stoutly at the back while launching their attacks in spurts.
In spite of their determination, however, the ‘Pres’ young men could do nothing when Campbell slipped the ball into the path of an unmarked Francis on top of the box, to calmly slot the ball beyond the onrushing Lazarus in the Presentation goal in the 23rd minute.
Nine minutes later, the generosity of Naparima custodian Dejon Collingwood proved costly for his team, as it earned Presentation the equalising item in the 32nd minute.
‘Pres’ defender Cody Cooper launched a long ball high in search of captain Caleb Boyce, who had been surrounded by some three ‘Naps’ defenders. However, with the ball seemingly heading into the comfortable arms of Collingwood, the custodian hesitated to hold on to the ball, allowing Boyce with a toe in to push the ball past him and into the goal for the equalising item before the half-time interval.
On the resumption, the teams could not break the deadlock.
Naparima, who enjoyed more of the chances, thought they could have won it when Josiah Cooper picked out substitute Israel Joseph with a left-side cross, but Joseph’s header crashed off the crossbar before bouncing to safety in the 79th minute.
At the end of regulation time, the teams went into an immediate penalty shoot-out to decide on the winner. Following four missed penalties at the start, ‘Pres’ got goals from Levi Jones, Cooper and Adah Barclay, while ‘Naps’ got goals from captain Omari Archer and Giovanni Mc Knight.
Tyrell Rajoon, who had the opportunity to level the scores at the shootout for Naparima, fired his effort against the upright before going out for the Presentation win.
Action in the SSFL will continue on Wednesday.
RELATED NEWS
Pres S'do defeat Naps for Tiger Tanks Cup.
T&T Newsday Reports.
AFTER two years without school football, Presentation College (San Fernando) kicked off the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season with silverware, winning the Tiger Tanks Cup 3-2 via kicks from the penalty mark against rivals, Naparima College, at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday.
‘Pres’ dethroned the defending champions as Naparima last won the trophy in 2019.
Naparima College opened the scoring in the 24th minute through Kanye Francis. The Naps number 10 slotted the ball past goalkeeper Kanye Lazarus into the bottom left corner after receiving a defence-splitting through-ball from midfield.
But Presentation fought back and grabbed an equaliser eight minutes later, thanks to Caleb Boyce. From the top of the penalty area, the ‘Pres’ captain lobbed Naparima goalkeeper, Dajon Collingwood, who hesitated to make a challenge after coming off his line.
The game was then plagued by injuries and several players were forced to be replaced.
At the end of regular time, the score remained at 1-1 and the game had to be decided by kicks from the penalty mark.
After missing their first two penalties, the ‘Pres Lions’ dramatically recovered to win 3-2.
Speaking with Newsday after the game, Presentation coach Shawn Cooper expressed his delight for the victory and the bragging rights against the school’s bitter rivals.
“Even though this trophy is just for bragging rights, I am elated for the guys who put in the work to achieve this,” he stated.
“We put on a show for the spectators to open the 2022 season, but I think we still have a lot of work to do in terms of our physicality.”
Cooper continued, “We showed that we can play against the best. Naparima has a very strong unit but I think our boys wanted it more, and at the end of the game, we imposed ourselves.”
With school football being absent for two years, Cooper added that the technical staff had to educate the new players about the significance of the Pres-Naps rivalry and that they are the flag-bearers of top-level football in Trinidad and Tobago.
He also highlighted the number of high-quality coaches in the league, mentioning Naparima’s Travis Mulraine, Queens Royal College’s Kenwyne Jones, and stated that the league will be competitive this season.
Cooper also expressed that, of all his title wins, this one was most special to him as his son was now a part of his team’s success. “Since I started coaching, all of my victories were dedicated to my son, Cody Cooper,” he said. “In this game, he played, he made me proud and he was on a winning team.”
He also gave credit to Caleb Boyce, who was named Man of the Match, stating, “He really led the team by effort and performance”.
Cooper also expressed that he was pleased with the full-time result, and the victory from the penalty shootout was a bonus, having been less prepared than their opponents, physically and tactically.
Presentation will open their Premiership campaign against Trinity College East on September 14 while Naparima begin their SSFL title defence against St Augustine Secondary on the same day.
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Mulraine focuses on philosophy.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Shawn Cooper, the coach of Presentation College, San Fernando, and Travis Mulraine, coach of Naparima College were both pleased with the displays of their respective teams in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Tiger Tank Cup match at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva on Friday.
The fixture which pitted the four-time SSFL Premier Division winners and defending champion Naparima College and reigning Coca-Cola Inter-Col title-holders Presentation College against each other ended 1-1 at the end of the 90-minutes regulation time before the latter prevailed 3-2 on penalty-kicks.
Earlier on in regulation time, Naparima went ahead after only 23 minutes through Kanye Francis before Caleb Boyce drew Presentation level in the 32nd.
Following four missed penalties at the start, ‘Pres’ got goals from Levi Jones, Cody Cooper, and Adah Barclay, while ‘Naps’ got goals from captain Omari Archer and Giovanni Mc Knight.
Speaking after the loss, former national midfielder, Mulraine, the first-year coach of Naparima College after senior men’s national team coach Angus Eve stepped down from the role following four Premier Division crowns in six years said he was pleased with the overall effort of his team and both teams overall.
“I have to give them justice, I think both teams performed well, and I think that going forward we will see more quality from the guys on the field. “
With regards to his team’s preparations for the season after the league was on a pause for the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mulraine said, “Well the preparations was the Tiger Tanks Under-20 League because most of these guys represented Club Sando.
“So my job was a bit easy just polishing them up and trying to give my philosophy, and feed them certain things, and I think we will be good in the end.”
“The guys tried to execute our game plan and of course, we have a few things to iron out, but I think by and large I was happy with the performance,” stated Mulraine.
Looking towards the start of the Premier Division campaign in which four-time champions Naparima travels to St Augustine Secondary in their opener on Wednesday, Mulraine, a former Queen’s Royal College player said he was pleased that some of the guys showed a lot of confidence on the ball.
“Of course, we have some kinks to iron out as I said, so it’s back to the drawing board and Wednesday the ball starts rolling again,” ended Mulraine.
Cooper aiming for title honours
Cooper, coach of the victorious Presentation College of San Fernando and former title-winning coach with Naparima as well said his team performed beyond expectations and fought like young lions.
“We were outmatched in the physical aspect of the game but second half we made a few tactical changes and we started pressing them and we got into the game and I think we had a very good second half and topped it off with the penalties.”
Coming into the match, Cooper who was recently appointed the men’s national Under-17 coach admitted that his players had a lot of nerves ahead of their first match of the season, and the first in the competition since 2019 due to the pandemic.
He added, “Especially my son, today was his first official game, and to be playing in a magnitude of a game like this I had to settle him down because we did a team talk with them lunchtime, and they all said that they were nervous.”
“So first-half you saw in the first 15 to 20 minutes we had a lot of problems in settling down and the nerves got the better of them but coming down in the dregs of the match you saw that we could have played football and got a couple of opportunities, and I am pleased with the performance.”
Being the first match of the season, Cooper said from the match that they saw today I think football was in good hands, because I think it was a very entertaining game and what we have been missing.
“The boys even though they were out for two years I thought the standard was pretty good.
Looking ahead to the SSFL season Cooper said his team is well on its way to achieving its targets.
He boasted, “I told the principal I was not too concerned about this match today (Friday) as we are building and by late October or early November you will see the best out of this team.”
New season, new format, new sponsor
For this year’s SSFL season, the first to be held since 2019 after the 2020 and 2021 seasons were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tiger Tanks will be the official title sponsor of this year’s SSFL, taking over from Jamaican-based sports television network, Sportsmax.
Coincidentally, a five-year agreement between the SSFL, Digicel, and SportsMax was scheduled to conclude in 2020 before the intervention of the COVID-19 pandemic threw everything into a tailspin.
Under Tiger Tanks, the league is set to be well-served, inclusive of uniform provision and branding, prizes, and the broadcasting of matches for all the divisions, inclusive of the Premiership, Championship, and all the lower divisions.
The new format of the 16-team Premier Division sees the teams divided into two groups of eight teams for one round of round-robin competition, that’s seven matches for each team, at the end of which the top two in each pool will advance to the crossover semifinals on Friday, October 21 ahead of the final four days later.
Both the semifinals and final are slated for either the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo or the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
The 16-participating schools will see Group A comprise Naparima College, St Augustine Secondary, Carapichaima East Secondary, Speyside High School, St Benedict’s College, Fatima College, Pleasantville Secondary, and St Anthony’s College, while Group B will feature San Juan North Secondary, Queen’s Royal College, Chaguanas North Secondary, Malick Secondary, East Mucurapo Secondary, Moruga Secondary, Trinity College East, and Presentation College (San F’do) with the opening round of matches set for Wednesday, September 14 with kickoff at 4 pm.
With regards to the demotion of teams from the SSFL, the two bottom-placed teams will be automatically relegated and will be joined by the losers of the playoff between the two teams to finish second from bottom in their respective groups.
At the same time, the winners of the five Championship Boys Divisions which will comprise six teams team will then contest a “Big-Five” round-robin series at the end of which the top three finishers will gain promotion to the 2023 Premier Division.
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Naps 'ironing out kinks' ahead of new SSFL season.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
Newly appointed Naparima College head coach Travis Mulraine said his team still has some minor flaws to correct ahead of the new Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season, which kicks off on Wednesday.
Mulraine’s troops lost the Tiger Tanks Cup – an exhibition match – on Friday, 3-2 via penalty shootout against rivals Presentation College, San Fernando, following a 1-1 result after regulation time.
Naparima forward Kanye Francis opened the scoring in the 24th minute but Presentation striker Caleb Boyce equalised eight minutes later.
The exhibition match was the SSFL’s curtain raiser ahead of this week’s round one matches.
Naps are defending league champions and open their campaign against St Augustine Secondary. Presentation College are the Coca Cola Intercol title holders and begin their league quest against Trinity College East on Wednesday.
On his team’s display, Mulraine said, “They tried to execute our game plan; of course we have a few things to iron out, but I think, by and large, I was happy with the performance.
“I think some of the guys showed some confidence on the board but as I said, we still have some kinks to iron out. (We go) back to the drawing board and from Wednesday, the ball starts rolling.”
Mulraine said the majority of his squad plays for Club Sando and used the Tiger Tanks Under-20 Invitational Tournament earlier this year, as prep for the new season.
He expressed faith in his group of players for the new season.
Mulraine’s appointment follows that of Naparima’s trophy-laden coach of eight years, Angus Eve, who was appointed as national men’s and Under-20 head coach last year. Eve departed with his entire team staff.
Alongside Mulraine, Naps recently appointed Anthony Sherwood as assistant coach, ex-Naps custodian Rondell Renwick (goalkeeping coach), Devon Wilson (trainer) and Sue-Ann Lammy (physio) as team staff.
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SSFL coaches eager to return to play
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Fifteen teams will challenge reigning champions and winners of four of the past six editions of the competition, Naparima College for title honours when the 2022 edition of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division kicks off at several venues Wednesday afternoon across the country. The match that will hold the attention will be St Augustine Secondary dubbed the “Green Machine” which will host Naparima College at Warner Street, St Augustine from 4 pm.
Guardian Media Sports spoke to the coaches of the various teams about their preparations following the two-year with no competition because of the COVID-19 pandemic which affected all sports across the world.
GROUP A
Tacuma Jones (St Augustine Secondary): “For me as a first-time coach of the team at this level it will be a challenge as we have lost a lot of players due to the two years of non-activity because of the pandemic. So we are really in a rebuilding stage, and my aim for this season is to make sure that we stay up in the Premier Division and have some continuity with the program for the next season.”
Shivaurn Harding (Carapichaima East Secondary): “The team preparations have only been for the past six to seven weeks, but the players are all hyped and ready for the first game as well as the season ahead. We are also hoping to have some additional players by our second match as they finalise their paperwork following their CXC and GCE examination results.”
Kerry Lynch (Speyside High): “Our preparations for this season only really intensified over the last two weeks. We have a really young team with most of the guys getting some exposure to competition during the Tiger Tanks Under-20 Tournament, and Next Level Consulting Limited Under-19 Community Cup and we are expecting a decent season, despite being a totally inexperienced team at this level.”
Hutson Charles (Fatima College): “Fatima’s preparations started well as the nucleus of the team has come through from the under-14s and under-15s, so we have a nice foundation from those teams of two years ago, and the guys are looking forward to the first game of the season, and what lies ahead as well.”
Kyle Small (Pleasantville Secondary): “Our preparations for the season were pretty okay, but we don’t have a lot of the players from the last time we competed at this level. So it will be a challenge for us and I expect for most of the teams, but we are confident that we have a squad that can compete as we expect to finish at least mid-table to maintain our premiership status.”
Ronald “Hustler” Daniel (St Anthony’s College): “For each team, I expect that preparations for the season were a bit of a challenge and difficult with the new blood of talent.
“At the same time our boys are very excited, but we are in a rebuilding stage line all teams and it’s going to take a lot of hard work, focus, and determination for us to achieve our targets.”
“One thing for certain is that all teams know that St Anthony’s will also come out to play and win, and we intend to be that way once again in every match.”
Randolph Boyce (St Benedict’s College): “Pre-season went well as we had a great turnout of players for our sessions. But at the same time, we also had some challenges with the inclement weather that made it difficult for us to use our field at times, but physically and mentally the guys are ready and now it’s like an exam, they now have to go and perform.”
Travis Mulraine (Naparima College): “Our performance against Presentation College in the Tiger Tanks Cup was not a bad one, and I was very satisfied with how we prepared for the match and how we performed, but the result did not go our way.”
“So from that game we know we have a few things that we still need to work on especially our play in the final third of the game with regards to our attacking play and support as well.
GROUP B
Dwayne Davis (Trinity East College): “We have put in some work, but it’s also a start of a new program with new players after the two-year stoppage due to the coronavirus pandemic. We have not really set any real targets for the season in terms of table finish as we don’t really know much about any of the opposing teams.
Dale Saunders (East Mucurapo): “Our pre-season was a good one with a lot of young players from the Form 1 to Form 3 groupings and they have really developed well during our time together so far. But, at the same time with youth players you need time and while we have not set any real expectations, we do expect to compete well and play good consistent football.”
Jaeel Jeffrey (Chaguanas North): Preparation for us was not at the level as well as we expected as we had a few hiccups with players who we were expected to be part of the team not doing so after they weren’t successful with getting repeats or admittance to Form Six, after their examination results.
“So we basically have a young team, with only one player surviving from the team that actually gained promotion from the Championship Division promotion playoffs and we are just looking forward to seeing the players compete to the best of their ability.”
Kenwyne Jones (QRC): “Preparations have gone pretty well and we were really delighted to get the players back out on the field of play after the two-year absence of football due to the pandemic. The youngsters have been starved of football for the past two years, so with competition set to resume they are all hyped and looking forward to representing their school with the aim of doing well.”
Anthony “Chun” Bartholomew (Malick Secondary): “Our preparations were really hit by the coronavirus as parents were reluctant to send their children out to training, and overall we haven’t really trained much as a team.
“Despite those setbacks, I expect that the guys will go out and give off their best as they are talented individuals, but lack the experience and exposure at this level, and hopefully it will be good enough for us to stay in the division for the next season.”
Kempton Duval (Moruga Secondary): “I’m very optimistic about our chances in the competition as our main aim is to maintain our status in the Premier Division, this being our first time back at this level in a few years.”
“Along with fellow promoted teams Fatima College, and Chaguanas North, we will be coming against a core of teams who have the experienced at being at this level for a number of years, so we just want to compete well, represent our school Moruga as well as our community proudly.”
Shawn Cooper (Presentation College of San Fernando): Coming off the win over bitter rival and reigning Premier Division champions Naparima College in the Tiger Tanks Cup, we will be hoping to build on that win as the season goes on.
“In saying that, our preseason was good one despite the persistent inclement weather which forced us to do lots of our work indoors.
“And against Naps, it showed that we still have a lot of fo work to put in to be major contenders, and as a young group of players they will improve as the season goes on.”
Stephen Clarke (San Juan North Secondary manager): “Preparations for the season was a bit stunted as we would have lost a lot of the players from the 2019 team over the past two years of the coronavirus pandemic who have now finished school.
“So like most teams, we will be featuring a lot of new and young players who would have come up from Forms 2 and 3 but at the same time would have also missed out on competitive matches for the past two years which surely hampered their development.”
“So our first order of business in this year’s competition is trying to avoid finishing in the relegation positions, and by doing so we will be able to develop a team for next year.”
2022 SSFL TEAMS
Group A
St Augustine Secondary, Carapichaima East Secondary, Naparima College, Speyside High School, St Benedict’s College, Fatima College, Pleasantville Secondary, and St Anthony’s College.
Group B
San Juan North Secondary, Queen’s Royal College, Chaguanas North Secondary, Malick Secondary, East Mucurapo Secondary, Moruga Secondary, Trinity College East, Presentation College (San F’do)
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Naparima tramples ‘Green Machine’ 9-1 to begin defence.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Omari Campbell and Nathaniel O’Garro scored two goals each to lead four-time winners and defending champions Naparima College to an emphatic 9-1 come-from-behind win over St Augustine Secondary to kick off the defence of their title in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division at Warner Street, St Augustine, on Wednesday.
Coming on the heels of their 3-2 penalty-kick loss to long-time rival and current Coca-Cola Inter-Col holders Presentation College of San Fernando in the SSFL Tiger Tanks Cup season opener on Friday at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, first-year coach Travis Mulraine, a former national player was keen for his Naparima players to bounce back in their Group A opener.
However, against the run of play, it was the “Green Machine” of St Augustine, under the guidance of another first-year coach Tacuma Jones, who took a surprise lead within six minutes of the start after some clumsy defending by the visitors.
But that turned out to be the lone bright spot for St Augustine on the afternoon as Campbell and O’Garro got braces while Kanye Francis, Andres France, Israel Joseph, and Terrell Rajoon were all on target along with an own goal to cap off the win.
Speaking after the lopsided contest Mulraine said it was nice to see that his players were able to rebound and get the win away from home after the disappointment of losing the Tiger Tank Cup clash.
“The defeat against Presentation came like a blessing in disguise to us and young players have a tendency to become complacent and tasting defeat early in the season was a good wake-up call.
“Even today in the win, it was evident that again we saw some complacency in our game with players wanting to run too much with the ball, and that is something we have to curb, going forward,” said Mulraine.
In the other matches in Group A, Speyside High School got a double from Jarlon Toppin in the 13th and 77th while Reyes Gray, Lenox Eastman, and Milz Johnson added one each in 5-0 beating of hosts Carapichaima East Secondary at Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva; St Anthony’s College got first-half strikes from Joshua Millette and Mordicai Forde to blank Pleasantville Secondary 2-0 at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Training Field, Marabella, and St Benedict’s College got a second-half strike from Ephraim Brown to earn a 1-1 draw with travelling Fatima College who had taken the lead via Khiba Romany at the Moruga Multipurpose Sport and Youth Facility.
Yesterday’s results
Naparima College 9 (Omari Campbell 2, Nathaniel O’Garro 2, Kanye Francis, Andres France, Israel Joseph, Terrell Rajoon, own goal) vs St Augustine Sec 1 (Jordan Ferdinand)
Speyside High 5 (Reyes Gray 3rd, Jarlon Toppin 13th, 77th, Lenox Eastman 84th, Milz Johnson 90th) vs
Carapichaima East Sec. 0
Fatima College 1 (Khiba Romany) vs St Benedict’s College 1 (Ephraim Brown)
St Anthony’s College 2 (Joshua Millette, Mordacia Forde) vs Pleasantville Sec 0
SATURDAY’S MATCHES
Group A
St Benedict’s College vs Carapichaima East Sec @ Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
Fatima College vs Naparima College @ Fatima Grounds, Mucurapo Road
Speyside High School vs St Anthony’s College @ Speyside
St Augustine Secondary vs P)leasantville Secondary @ St Augustine Ground, Warner Street
(https://guardian.co.tt/image-3.3766101.206361.20220915000812.c0623d36d7?size=1024)
Naparima College striker Isreal Joseph, left, shoots and scores while under pressure from a St Augustine Secondary defender during the Secondary Schools Football League match at the St Augustine Secondary School yesterday in St Augustine. Naparima College won 9-1. (Photo by Daniel Prentice)
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Noel’s beaver leads San Juan past QRC 5-1.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
A beaver-trick from striker Larry Noel led San Juan North Secondary School to a more-than-convincing 5-1 victory over Queen’s Royal College (QRC) in Group B of the Premier Division of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League at the San Juan School Ground on Wednesday afternoon.
The Royalians sought to put up a fight in the early moments of the match, but Noel proved to be too much on the day. His enormous talent became QRC’s concern from as early as the second minute when a one-two with Elizsha Rogers enabled him to exploit an open QRC defence on the left side and with the goal at his mercy, Noel hit low and hard into the vacant far post for the 1-0 advantage.
However, the San Juan celebrations were muted less than a minute later. Tau Lamsee benefitted from a blunder in the centre of the field and he rifled his effort past goalkeeper Xavion Haynes for the equaliser in the 3rd minute.
The goal, however, failed to prevent the dominance that followed, courtesy of the brilliance of Noel. The prolific striker sent his team 2-1 up in the 18th minute before he galloped on to a through ball in the 41st minute, and despite the challenge by QRC’s Micah Nelson, Noel kept his composure to beat Shemuel Cassidy in the QRC goal for a 3-1 lead which they took to the half-time interval.
At the resumption, it was all San Juan North with attempts that went abegging. But they would not be denied as Kedell Jones was gifted a through ball and he tucked it beyond the dive of Cassidy to send his team 4-1 up in the 49th minute.
Noel later completed his rout from another ball down the left side and from an acute angle, he beat Cassidy at his near post with a thunderous left-footed drive that sealed maximum points for his team in the group.
Yesterday’s results:
San Juan North 5 (Larry Noel 2nd, 18th, 41st, 67th, Kedell Jones 49th) vs QRC- 1 (Tau Lamsee)
Chaguanas North 1 vs Malick Sec 4
East Mucurapo 5 vs Moruga Sec 1 (Santana Smith)
Trinity College East 0 vs Presentation, San F’do 1 (Caleb Boyce 70th)
SATURDAY’S MATCH UPS
Group B
Presentation College vs Malick Secondary @ Union Hall Ground
QRC vs East Mucurapo Secondary @ QRC Ground, St Clair
San Juan North Secondary vs Chaguanas North Secondary @ Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan
Trinity College East vs Moruga Secondary, Trinity College East, Trincity
(https://guardian.co.tt/image-3.3766102.206362.20220915001032.4ad680ea09?size=1024)
Larry Noel, right, of San Juan Secondary shoots while under pressure from Queens Royal College defender Nathan Quashie, no 8, during the Secondary Schools Football League match between San Juan North Secondary and Queens Royal College at the San Juan North Secondary School on Wednesday in San Juan. Noel scored four goals in the match. (Photo by Daniel Prentice)
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‘Pres’ win again, Fatima stop ‘Naps’, Noel scores six for San Juan North
T&T Express
Presentation College San Fernando got a second victory of the Tigers Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season when rallying from a goal down to beat Malick Secondary 3-1 in a Group B match yesterday at the Ato Boldon stadium, Couva.
Following a first half which saw Malick lead and Pres pull level through a fortuitous penalty, the South giants took over as Malick waned in the second half
Having won 1-0 over Carapichaima East Secondary in mid-week, “Pres” conceded their first goal, with Malick skipper Lendelle Baptiste shooting from distance and finding the far corner with a bouncing, deflected shot in the opening minute.
Malick employed a full press which successfully disrupted most of Presentation’s effort to go forward, and it was only from the penalty spot that the boys were able to pull level. Adah Barclay converted in the 30th minute after referee Cecile Hinds pointed to the penalty spot - a decision which seemed hard given the defender was hit at point -blank range and high up on the arm.
Presentation grew stronger in the second half, as Malick grew tired and could no longer keep up their intensity. Hard-running skipper Caleb Boyce scored twice for Presentation to put the game to bed.
Boyce put Pres ahead at 2-1 with a solo run, when cutting inside the penalty area before beating the Malick goalkeeper Mandell Huskerson with a low shot. Boyce was also first to the rebound which he put in from close-up, after Huskerson parried Isaiah Jacob’s initial shot into his path.
Having beaten Chaguanas North Secondary 4-1 on Wednesday, Malick will reboot and prepare for their next match.
Malick coach Anthony Bartholomew admitted his players were not yet fully fit but was still unconvinced about the legitimacy of the penalty awarded by Hinds.
“It’s not the ball hit him there. It’s the player feet which hit him there. That caused this penalty and made a big change in the game,” Bartholomew insisted.
“Presentation coach Shawn Cooper was far more contented.
“I’m pleased with the three points but not with the performance. What I have learned is we can come back from an early setback.”
In the second match at the Ato Boldon, St Benedict’s College were rampant, winning 8-0 to get their first win of the season, with Tarik Lee and Jaden Brown scoring doubles.
On Wednesday, Benedict’s drew 1-1 with Fatima College, and yesterday, Fatima also got an important win at home, Khiba Romany, clinching an injury-time winner as the home side squeezed past defending champions Naparima College 2-1.
In Group B, San Juan North Secondary captain Larry Noel scored six, to go with his four from the opening day, as San Juan swamped Chaguanas North secondary 13-0.
Yesterday’s scores:
GROUP A:
Fatima 2 (Chaim Williams, Khiba Romany) Naparima 1 (Christan Bailey o.g.)
St Benedict’s 8 (Derrel Garcia, Josiah Ochoa, Jeremiah Niles, Ephraim Brown, Tarik Lee 2, Jaden Grant 2) Carapichaima East 0
Speyside High 2 (Milz Johnson, Tyrel Moore) St Anthony’s 1 (Aalon Wilson-Wright)
St Augustine Secondary vs Pleasantville Secondary (Postponed)
GROUP B:
San Juan North 13 (Larry Noel 6, Kedell Jones 2, Lindell Sween, Jardiel Joseph, Rondell Harewood, Kent Guy, Elizsha Rogers) Chaguanas North 0
Presentation Sando 3 (Caleb Boyce 2, Adah Barclay) Malick 1 (Lendelle Baptiste)
QRC 5 (Zakari King, Teshaun Frankyn, Tau Lamsee, Mussadiq Mohammed, Aydon Caruth) East Mucurapo 0
Trinity College East 3 (Jaheim Faustin 2, Khaleem Prince) Moruga 0
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Fatima stun Naps 2-1 in SSFL Premiership
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)
NEWLY-PROMOTED Fatima College, against all odds, overcame defending Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership champions, Naparima College, 2-1 in an intense affair at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo on Saturday.
It was a stunning result as the boys from the north pulled off a remarkable comeback victory against Travis Mulraine's unit, especially given that the champions mauled St Augustine 9-1 in midweek and looked in good form.
Fatima, who were promoted from the SSFL Championship in 2019, are the first team to beat Naparima in the league since they themselves won with the same score-line, at the same ground, on September 16, 2017. Naparima’s unbeaten run lasted exactly five years (two and three-quarter seasons), achieving more than 30 games without loss.
The champions took the lead in the 29th minute via an own-goal from Fatima’s Christian Bailey. The rushing defender attempted to prevent Naparima’s Nathaniel O’Garro from scoring after beating the goalkeeper, but he bundled the ball into his own net.
However, the home side found an equaliser in the 67th minute when Chaim Williams slotted the ball past Naparima goalkeeper, Dejon Collingwood, and into the bottom right corner after receiving a well-timed through-ball.
Naparima struggled to create chances on the waterlogged pitch, which proved to work in Fatima’s favour. Fatima continued to press the champions and scored the winner with the last kick of the game, in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Khiba Romany created space for himself inside of the crowded penalty area and blasted the ball home as the home crowd erupted in ecstasy to celebrate Fatima’s first win of the season.
At the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva in the first game of a double-header, Presentation San Fernando recovered from a 1-0 deficit to win 3-1 against Malick. A double from Caleb Boyce and one from Adah Barclay led the ‘Pres Lions’ to claim their maiden three points.
The second game provided a spectacle for neutrals and St Benedict’s fans as the La Romain-based school hammered Carapichaima East 8-0.
San Juan North added to the goal rush on the day by thrashing the third of the three newly-promoted teams, Chaguanas North, 13-0. QRC recovered from their opening-day loss to beat East Mucurapo 5-0, Speyside got past St Anthony’s 2-1 and Trinity East overcame East Mucurapo 3-0.
St Augustine’s home fixture with Pleasantville was postponed due to the field being unsatisfactory for play. That fixture will be played on October 1 at 4 pm.
Matchday Three Fixtures (September 21)
GROUP A – St Anthony’s vs St Augustine (Hasely Crawford Stadium), 4 pm; Fatima vs Carapichaima East (Fatima College Ground), 4 pm; Naparima vs Pleasantville (Naparima College Ground), 4 pm; Speyside vs St Benedict’s (Speyside High School Ground), 3.30 pm.
GROUP B – Moruga Secondary vs San Juan North (Hasely Crawford Stadium), 2 pm; East Mucurapo vs Presentation (Venue TBA), 4 pm; Malick Secondary vs Trinity East (Malick Secondary School Ground), 4 pm; QRC vs Chaguanas North (QRC Ground), 4 pm.
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It's possible San Juan could score 20+ against Moruga 🤦🏾
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It's possible San Juan could score 20+ against Moruga 🤦🏾
Great! That, in the opinion of some, is sufficient to earn a NT call-up.
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It's possible San Juan could score 20+ against Moruga 🤦🏾
Great! That, in the opinion of some, is sufficient to earn a NT call-up.
Lol who's of international standard on San Juan team? Or on any of these U20 school teams?
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It is unfortunate that we have these lopsided scores. But it is what it is. Most of these students are behind in every aspects of the game at this moment. 2 yrs of no supervised football is what we are witnessing this season. I saw QRC beat E. Mucurapo 5-0. I can tell you that score line is a bit deceiving. While QRC went all out to score goals, I would say 3 of those goals were poor goal keeping by Mucurapo keeper. I would say QRC and Mucurapo are at the same level. But all teams need some serious improvement. It is hard to say at this moment which players are at international standard. Saw one or two players from both teams with potential. That’s about it.
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San Juan North Secondary 5-1 Queen's Royal College 5-1
https://www.youtube.com/v/dIckTYw7HbU
Presentation College 3-1 Malick Secondary
https://www.youtube.com/v/mhLioLHrM4g
St. Benedict's College 8-0 Carapichaima East
https://www.youtube.com/v/Oz4YQRC1Xxw
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St. Anthony's vs At. Augustine
https://youtu.be/ZlpWx7BTBGk
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I can see it on my cellphone.
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St. Anthony's vs At. Augustine
https://youtu.be/ZlpWx7BTBGk
Caught the 2nd half. Not a waste of time, but not spectacular. Definitely was schoolboy football with schoolboy errors.
Losses of possession were cheap, collective play was not a big emphasis, set pieces and dead ball situations need work and intention, managing/varying the tempo of play doesn't seem to be a desired thing ... anyhow still a decent view in terms of moderate expectations.
The more enterprising team won and it being 3-2 with not many minutes left, made it a lil entertaining.
Green Machine will grow into their own.
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Did not see the rest of the second half. Asylum, like I said before, we are seeing the results 2 years of no football. Your descriptions are on point. Any scores from the other games?
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Malick hit with 3-point deduction
ssfltt.com
Malick Secondary School have been docked three points in the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division competition after registering for the season late.
The SSFL disciplinary committee met on Tuesday night and decided on action.
A letter dated September 21 to the media by SSFL general secretary Azaad Mohammed-Khan, said, “Malick Secondary was in breach of Article #16 of the constitution by failing to submit players registration 72 hours before their first game. Malick’s registration came in on Tuesday 13 September 2022 by email at 10.23 am.”
Malick did not meet the deadline as their round one match against Chaguanas North Secondary kicked off at 4 pm, on September 14.
Malick defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 4-1, but that result will be changed.
“As a result, the disciplinary committee’s decision was that the game be awarded to Chaguanas North Secondary with three points and three goals,” the letter said.
Malick and Chaguanas North are playing in Group B of the SSFL premier division competition.
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Malick hit with 3-point deduction
ssfltt.com
Malick Secondary School have been docked three points in the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division competition after registering for the season late.
The SSFL disciplinary committee met on Tuesday night and decided on action.
A letter dated September 21 to the media by SSFL general secretary Azaad Mohammed-Khan, said, “Malick Secondary was in breach of Article #16 of the constitution by failing to submit players registration 72 hours before their first game. Malick’s registration came in on Tuesday 13 September 2022 by email at 10.23 am.”
Malick did not meet the deadline as their round one match against Chaguanas North Secondary kicked off at 4 pm, on September 14.
Malick defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 4-1, but that result will be changed.
“As a result, the disciplinary committee’s decision was that the game be awarded to Chaguanas North Secondary with three points and three goals,” the letter said.
Malick and Chaguanas North are playing in Group B of the SSFL premier division competition.
Was it within the discretion of the disciplinary body to conclude other than on a points deduction?
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Benedict’s, San Juan North take charge in SSFL Premiership.
T&T Guardian Reports.
THROUGHOUT a stormy match day three, on Wednesday evening, the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) was showered with goals at every ground played on the day.
The rainy weather failed to hinder all but one fixture in the league as the teams at the top of both groups thrived in the wet conditions.
Early pace-setters, St. Benedict’s College, climbed to the top of Group A after dominating Speyside High School, who have been impressive so far this season. The La Romaine outfit cruised to a 3-0 victory, and they overthrew the Tobagonians from the summit of the group standings.
In the north, after being the first team to beat Naparima in three seasons last weekend, Fatima College produced another jaw-dropping performance against Carapichaima East, hammering the central side 10-0. Fatima, who are a newly-promoted team in the league, remain unbeaten in their first three games of the season.
Elsewhere, St Anthony’s College edged St. Augustine 3-2 and the fixture between Naparima and Pleasantville was abandoned due to inclement weather. The defending champions led 2-0 at the moment the match was postponed.
In Group B, San Juan North continued their charge towards claiming top spot by beating Moruga Secondary 3-0. They now stand on nine points with a goal-difference of +20. This season’s Tiger Tanks Cup champions, Presentation College (San Fernando) lurk behind them following a slender 2-1 victory against East Mucurapo. Both teams march on with a 100 per cent record.
The other fixtures in the group saw Malick Secondary scrape a 1-0 win against Trinity East while Queen’s Royal College (QRC) and Chaguanas North played to a 2-2 draw.
The next round of matches will take place on September 26. The Group A matches will be Pleasantville vs Fatima (2pm), Naparima vs Speyside (4pm), Carapichaima East vs St Augustine (4pm) and St Anthony's vs St Benedict's (4pm).
The Group B fixtures will be played on September 28, showcasing Trinity East vs San Juan North (2pm), Chaguanas North vs East Mucurapo (4pm), Malick Secondary vs QRC (4pm) and Presentation vs Moruga Secondary.
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‘Blue Thunder’ plans to roar again
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
‘The Blue Thunder’ of El Dorado East Secondary School is planning to roar once again in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL).
The school, once known for being a top contender in the top-flight competition and boasted of players such as Stern John, Walt Noreiga, David Grimes and Sean Rosales, among many others, has been on a slow but steady climb that is expected to lead to a football team that they have been known to produce.
The school’s desire to become a force in the sphere of education, sports and all other areas of student development has led to the return of former coach Trevor Spicer, who joined a hard-working team that is being led by Joel Warrick.
The school is competing in the Championship Division, which means that promotion to the coveted Premiership Division will require them to win the East Zone first, and then battle for one of three top spots in a playoff at the end.
Today, the school will be up against Five Rivers Secondary at home from 3.40 pm, hoping to record its first win of the season, following their opening 3-1 defeat to arch-rivals Arima North Secondary, as well as a 3-3 tie with Valencia Secondary at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima.
Spicer said from what he has seen in his team so far, it looks as though “they’ve got something”.
The Valencia lads were also on the losing end in their opening game to Holy Cross College 2-3 and will be hoping to make amends this afternoon.
Holy Cross will be at home to Arima North in a clash of the two unbeaten teams in the zone thus far. Last week, the men from Calvary Hills got the better of Manzanilla Secondary 2-1 away and also defeated Valencia.
Arima North, known popularly as the ‘Dial Dynamos’ will could face its toughest test to date, following wins over El Dorado and Valencia.
All matches today begin at 3.40 pm.
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Bishop's High register 10-nil win in SSFL Girls' Division
By Dexter Edwards (T&T Newsday)
BISHOP'S HIGH made light work of Pentecostal Light and Life, on day one of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Tobago Zone Girls' Division on Thursday.
The 10-nil result was highlighted by supreme domination from Bishop's at the Plymouth Recreation Ground. Ty’Kaiya Dennis headlined the attack with four of her team's five goals, in the first half.
Kimonique Spencer netted a second half double, while there were a goal apiece from Tamia Peterkin, Gyasi Lewis, Kipnah Joseph and Lesley-Ann Joseph.
Signal Hill were 3-1 winners over Mason Hall, at the Moriah Recreation Field.
Signal Hill, took a 2-1 lead at half time, following goals by Niya Yeates and Aaliyah Baptiste in the sixth and 11th minute respectively.
Mason Hall reduced the deficit in the 28th minute, as Jada Graham converted a penalty.
Mason Hall's ploy to increase the tempo in the second half, did not pay dividends, as Lei-Marie Balfour's goal for Signal Hill, three minutes after the resumption, foiled Mason Hall ambitions.
Scarborough trounced Goodwood Secondary 6-0 at Shaw Park.
Kaleah Duke scored twice in the first half, and added two more in the second half. Also getting their names on the scoresheet were Kellecia Taylor and Shakira Charles.
In the SSFL Tobago Zone Boys' Division, Bishop's High are the early leaders. Their defence have conceded one goal, while their prolific attack has breached the defensive line of the opposition on eight occasions.
In their first match versus Goodwood Secondary School, Bishop's romped to a 4-1 win, with Malik Wilson scoring twice, while there was a goal apiece from Kaieem Lewis and Giovanni Burke. Goodwood had a consolation item from Kaylon James.
In their second game, Bishop's registered goals from Malik Wilson, Khaleel Job, Johan Elliott and Kieran Wright in a 4-0 rout over Pentecostal Light and Life.
Despite the boys' team positive start, Bishop's assistant coach Bernard Allum is remaining cautious. He said, “We are taking things one game at a time. We had a solid start to the season, but we have not played the bigger teams as yet. “Hopefully by the time we get to the bigger teams, we will be pretty well fine-tuned."
Allum added, “We have to improve on our goal scoring. We have scored eight goals, but we have missed more than we scored.”
Bishops last won the title in 2017.
In another encounter, Scarborough thrashed Goodwood 8-0.
Antonio Hopkins and Kyle James each notched a hat-trick, with Thiery John added two.
Roxborough, Signal Hill and Mason Hall Secondary Schools have drawn their opening matches.
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Fatima, St Benedict's keep marching on.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Fatima College and St Benedict's College stayed in pole position to secure the semifinal spots from Group A with comfortable away wins when Round Four matches in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division resumed with four matches, yesterday.
Playing in one of two early matches on schedule, the Hutson Charles-coached Fatima College got a goal each from Chaim Williams, Joshua Mason, Alijah Nunes, Christian Bailey, and Michael Chaves to blank host Pleasantville Secondary, 5-0, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium training field, Marabella.
The win was the third on the trot for Fatima to remain unbeaten after four matches with ten points, the same as St Benedict's College who secured an important road win at Morne Coco Road, Westmoorings over the St Anthony's College "Westmooring Tigers", 3-0, led by a first-half double from Tarik Lee in the 18th and 24th, and a second-half penalty from Nishon Alexander in the 62nd while the host also missed a penalty in the 82nd minute.
Defending champion Naparima College kept its hopes of a top two group finish alive with a 7-0 trashing of Speyside in ther early match at Lewis Street, San Fernando led by braces from Kanye Francis, and Nathaniel O'Garro with Jabari Forbes, Omari Campbell, and Israel Joseph also on target for the hosts.
In the day's other match, Carapichaima East Secondary blasted St Augustine East Secondary 5-2 in a clash of teams looking for their first points with Ethan Troman scoring a pair of goals for the winner and Kirziah Myers, Tyrese David and Josiah Hypolite with a later penalty also on target.
For St Augustine, Alex Piper and Isaiah Nicholas got a goal each before Juburili Williams sent off in the 89th minute.
Group B will resume tomorrow with joint leaders, San Juan North and Presentation College, both with a maximum of nine points from three matches each, hoping to remain the lone two teams with 100 percent winning records.
San Juan North will travel to Trinity College East at Trincity while Presentation hosts Moruga Secondary at Union Hall.
In the two other Group B matches on Wednesday, Malick Secondary entertains Queen's Royal College at St Mary's College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, while Chaguanas North Secondary is at home to East Mucurapo Secondary at African Grounds, Enterprise.
The new format of the 16-team Premier Division sees the teams divided into two groups of eight teams for one round of round-robin competition, that’s seven matches for each team, at the end of which the top two in each pool will advance to the crossover semifinals on October 21 ahead of the final four days later.
Both the semifinals and final are slated for either the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo or the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
The bottom-placed team in each pool will be automatically relegated and will be joined by the losers of the playoff between the two teams to finish second from the bottom in their respective groups.
At the same time, the winners of the five Championship Boys Divisions which will comprise six teams team will then contest a “Big-Five” round-robin series at the end of which the top three finishers will gain promotion to the 2023 Premier Division.
Yesterday's results:
Group A:
Fatima College 5 (Chaim Williams, Joshua Mason, Alijah Nunes, Christian Bailey, Michael Chaves) vs Pleasantville Sec 0
Naparima College 7 (Kanye Francis 2, Nathaniel O'Garro 2, Jabari Forbes, Omari Campbell, Israel Joseph) vs Speyside High 0
Carapichaima East 5 (Ethan Trotman 2, Tyrese David, Kirziah Myers, Josiah Hypolite pen) vs St Augustine Sec 2 (Alexis Piper, Isaiah Nicholas)
St Benedict's College 3 (Tarik Lee 18th, 24th, Neshon Alexander 62nd pen) vs St Anthony's College 0
Current standings
Group A:
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
Fatima*4*3*1*0*18*2*10
St Benedict’s*4*3*1*0*15*1*10
Naparima*3*2*0*1*17*3*6
Speyside Sec*4*2*0*2*7*11*6
St Anthony’s*4*2*0*2*6*7*6
Carapichaima East*4*1*0*3*5*25*3
Pleasantville*2*0*0*2*0*7*0
St Augustine*3*0*0*3*5*17*0
Group B:
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
San Juan North*3*3*0*0*21*1*9
Presentation (San F’do)*3*3*0*0*6*2*9
QRC*3*1*1*1*8*7*4
Chaguanas North*3*1*1*1*5*15*4
East Mucurapo*3*1*0*2*8*6*3
Trinity East*3*1*0*2*3*2*3
Malick Sec*3*1*0*2*2*6*3
Moruga*3*0*0*2*1*11*0
Round Four
Kick-off is 4 pm unless otherwise stated:
Tomorrow:
Group B:
Trinity College East vs San Juan North Sec, Trinity College East, Trincity
Presentation College vs Moruga Secondary, Union Hall, San Fernando.
Malick Secondary vs QRC, St Mary's College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair
Chaguanas North Secondary vs East Mucurapo Secondary, African Grounds, Enterprise.
Leading scorers:
11 - Larry Noel (San Juan North)
5 - Chaim Williams (Fatima)
4 - Nathaniel O’Garro (Naparima),
3 - Caleb Boyce (Presentation), Kedell Jones (San Juan North), Omari Campbell, Kanye Francis (Naparima), Joshua Mason, Christian Bailey (Fatima)
2 - Milz Johnson, Jarlon Toppin (Speyside), Zion Harley, Maalik Jarvis (East Mucurapo), Khiba Romany (Fatima), Ephraim Brown, Tarik Lee, Jaden Grant (St Benedict’s), Tau Lemsee (QRC), Jaheim Faustin (Trinity East), Joshua Miller, Theo Crovador (St Anthony's), Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Israel Joseph (Naparima), Alex Piper (St Augustine), Ethan Trotman (Carapichaima East)
1 - Jabari Forbes, Andres France, Terrell Rajoon, Josiah Cooper (Naparima), Jameel Cooper, Isaiah Nicholas, Marcel Valentine (St Augustine), Reyes Gray, Lenox Eastman, Tyrell Moore (Speyside), Mordacia Forde, Aadon Wilson-Wright (St Anthony’s), J'Lon Matthews, Oba Samuel (Malick), Mikel Toussaint, Al-Kalipha Henry (East Mucurapo), Santana Smith (Moruga), Josiah Ochoa, Jeremiah Nile, Derrell Garcia, Nicholas Bobcombe, Tyrique Lucas (St Benedict’s), Alijah Nunes, Michael Chaves, Nathan Achin, Luke Correia, Aidan De Gannes (Fatima), Adah Barclay, Micah Braithwaite, Levi Jones (Presentation), Teshaun Franklyn, Aydon Caruth, Zakari King, Musaddiq Mohammed, Stephon Jones, Micah Nelson (QRC), Khaleem Prince (Trinity East), Elizsha Rogers, Rondell Harewood, Jardiel Joseph, Kent Guy (San Juan North), Hezekiah John, Justin Lewis (Chaguanas North), Josiah Hypolite, Kirziah Myers, Tyrese David (Carapichaima East)
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These are some jokey scores
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San Juan North, Pres stay on course for semis spot.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
San Juan North Secondary and Presentation College of San Fernando kept up their 100 percent winning records at the top of Group B of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division with contrasting Round Four wins, on Wednesday.
Playing away from home on a very heavy surface at Trincity, San Juan North got a lone strike from Larry Noel to defeat Trinity College East for a fourth straight win in as many matches while handing the host a third straight 1-0 loss.
Noel got his goal as early as the second minute to push his league-leading tally to 12 goals, while San Juan North who also saw a left-footed Lindell Sween free-kick ricochet off the crossbar in the 27th minute improved to a maximum of 12 points, level with Inter-Col holders Presentation College to stay on course to secure the two semifinal playoff spots from the Group.
At Union Hall, San Fernando, Presentation got first-half items from Caleb Boyce, his fourth of the campaign, and Maliq Brathwaite and a second-half strike from Mackeil Edwards in a 3-0 win over Moruga Secondary, who remained bottom of the eight-team table without a point.
At St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, Aydon Caruth (22nd penalty), Zion Aberdeen (37th), Musaddiq Mohammed (52nd), and Stephon James (64th) were all on target for Queen's Royal College (QRC) in their 4-2 triumph over Malick Secondary, who got two late items from J'Lon Matthews in the 70th and 73rd minutes.
At African Grounds, Enterprise, Zion Harley netted a first-half double for East Mucurapo in a 2-1 win against Chaguanas North Secondary, who had Justin Lewis on target.
Wednesday's Round Four results:
Group B:
Trinity East 0 vs San Juan North 1 (Larry Noel 2nd)
Presentation (San F'do) 3 (Caleb Boyce, Maliq Brathwaite, Mackeil Edwards) vs Moruga 0
Malick 2 (J'lon Matthews 70th, 73rd) vs QRC 4 (Aydon Caruth 22nd pen, Zion Aberdeen 37th, Musaddiq Mohammed 52nd, Stephon James 64th)
Chaguanas North 1 (Justin Lewis) vs East Mucurapo (Zion Harley 2)
Latest Group A standings
Group A
Place Teams P W D L F A Pts
1*Fatima 4 3 1 0 18 2 10
2*St Benedict’s 4 3 1 0 15 1 10
3*Naparima 3 2 0 1 17 3 6
4*Speyside Sec 4 2 0 2 7 11 6
5*St Anthony’s 4 2 0 2 6 7 6
6*Carapichaima East 4 1 0 3 5 25 3
7*Pleasantville 2 0 0 2 0 7 0
8*St Augustine 3 0 0 3 5 17 0
Group B
Teams P W D L F A Pts
1*San Juan North 4 4 0 0 22 1 12
2*Presentation (San F’do) 4 4 0 0 9 2 12
3*QRC 4 2 1 1 12 9 7
4*East Mucurapo 4 2 0 2 10 7 6
5*Chaguanas North 4 1 1 2 6 17 4
6* Trinity East 4 1 0 3 3 3 3
7* Malick Sec 4 1 0 3 4 10 3
8* Moruga 4 0 0 4 1 14 0
Upcoming matches (Kickoff is 4 pm unless otherwise stated)
Saturday: - Group B:
QRC vs Trinity East, QRC Grd, St Clair
San Juan North vs East Mucurapo, San Juan North Grd, Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan
Presentation (San F'do) vs Chaguanas North, Union Hall, San F'do
Moruga vs Malick, Moruga
Rescheduled match: - Group A:
Naparima vs Pleasantville, Naparima College Grd, Lewis St, San F'do
Wednesday: - Group A:
Speyside High vs Pleasantville Sec, Speyside, 3.30 pm
Carapichaima East vs St Anthony’s, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 2 pm
St Benedict’s vs Naparima, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 4 pm
St Augustine Sec. vs Fatima, St Augustine Sec Grd, Warren St, St Augustine, 4 pm
Rescheduled match: - October 8:
St Augustine vs Pleasantville, St Augustine Sec Grd, Warren St, St Augustine, 4 pm
Leading scorers:
12 - Larry Noel (San Juan North)
5 - Chaim Williams (Fatima)
4 - Nathaniel O’Garro (Naparima), Caleb Boyce (Presentation), Zion Harley (East Mucurapo)
3 - Kedell Jones (San Juan North), Omari Campbell, Kanye Francis (Naparima), Joshua Mason, Christian Bailey (Fatima), J'Lon Matthews (Malick)
2 - Milz Johnson, Jarlon Toppin (Speyside), Maalik Jarvis (East Mucurapo), Khiba Romany (Fatima), Ephraim Brown, Tarik Lee, Jaden Grant (St Benedict’s), Tau Lemsee, Aydon Caruth, Mussadiq Mohammed, Stephon James (QRC), Jaheim Faustin (Trinity East), Joshua Miller, Theo Crovador (St Anthony's), Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Israel Joseph (Naparima), Alex Piper (St Augustine), Ethan Trotman (Carapichaima East), Justin Lewis (Chaguanas North)
1 - Jabari Forbes, Andres France, Terrell Rajoon, Josiah Cooper (Naparima), Jameel Cooper, Isaiah Nicholas, Marcel Valentine (St Augustine), Reyes Gray, Lenox Eastman, Tyrell Moore (Speyside), Mordacia Forde, Aadon Wilson-Wright (St Anthony’s), Oba Samuel (Malick), Mikel Toussaint, Al-Kalipha Henry (East Mucurapo), Santana Smith (Moruga), Josiah Ochoa, Jeremiah Nile, Derrell Garcia, Nicholas Bobcombe, Tyrique Lucas (St Benedict’s), Alijah Nunes, Michael Chaves, Nathan Achin, Luke Correia, Aidan De Gannes (Fatima), Adah Barclay, Micah Braithwaite, Malik Braithwaite, Mackeil Edwards, Levi Jones (Presentation), Teshaun Franklyn, Zakari King, Zion Aberdeen, Micah Nelson (QRC), Khaleem Prince (Trinity East), Elizsha Rogers, Rondell Harewood, Jardiel Joseph, Kent Guy (San Juan North), Hezekiah John (Chaguanas North), Josiah Hypolite, Kirziah Myers, Tyrese David (Carapichaima East)
RELATED NEWS
Pres, San Juan North continue stainless Premiership record.
T&T Newsday Reports.
PRESENTATION College San Fernando ensured that they maintained their 100 per cent record in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership this season with a resounding 3-0 against strugglers Moruga Secondary at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, on Wednesday evening.
The current Intercol and Tiger Tanks Cup champions have been resilient in Group B of the Premiership so far and comfortably brushed aside their southern counterparts, who are yet to earn a point this season.
The “Pres Lions” opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when Micah Braithwaite smartly placed a left-footed strike into the bottom left corner from 12 yards out. Their lead was doubled one minute before half-time through Caleb Boyce. The Pres captain turned two Moruga defenders at the edge of the goal area and rifled the ball into the roof of the net.
Mackeil Edwards wrapped up the three points for Presentation in the 82nd minute with a composed tap-in from ten yards as the Lions ensured their stay at the top of the group. Fellow table toppers, San Juan North Secondary, also maintained their clean slate this season as they edged Trinity College East 1-0 on a soggy pitch away from home.
In-form striker Larry Noel put San Juan in front in the second minute, one of the earliest goals scored in the SSFL Premiership this term. The clinical number nine’s initial shot from 12 yards was trapped by a pool of water in the penalty area, but Noel was quick enough to pounce on the ball for a second opportunity before the defender’s intervention and calmly slotted it into the back of the net.
The east-based team went on to dominate the home team on their own patch, registering 23 shots with 11 on target. But the heavy conditions made it difficult for either side to score after the game’s opening goal, and San Juan held on to claim victory. Last season’s Intercol runners-up are now four wins from four games played and are seeking to beat Pres to the top spot.
The two north-based teams in the group, East Mucurapo Secondary and Queen’s Royal College (QRC) earned victories to keep their qualification hopes alive against Chaguanas North Secondary and Malick Secondary, respectively.
East Mucurapo toiled hard and were rewarded with a 2-1 win against their central opponents away from home while QRC grabbed a 4-2 win.
Group B action resumes on Saturday for matchday five with QRC vs Trinity East (2pm), Moruga vs Malick (4pm), Presentation vs Chaguanas North (4pm), and San Juan North vs East Mucurapo (4pm).
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I can't understand how Chaguanas North Sec. lost 13-0 to SanJuan. Now the giving the other schools a fight. They tied QRC 2-2 and lost 2-1 to East Mucurapo. Again meh Alma Mater win 4-2 against Malick. But not convincing. A win is a win.
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Alot of teams only got their form 6s and repeaters after the 2nd game so you will see some improved showing
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Alot of teams only got their form 6s and repeaters after the 2nd game so you will see some improved showing
That's true.
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San Juan, ‘Pres’ qualify...Naparima close on Group A leaders
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express)
San Juan North Secondary continued their winning form in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League Premiership Division with skipper Larry Noel scoring a brace to lead his side to an easy 2-0 victory over East Mucurapo Secondary in their Group B fixture at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, yesterday.
Noel’s strikes in the third and the 35th minutes saw him take his personal tally for the season to 14 goals from five games which ensured San Juan’s place in the semi-finals of the tournament. The opening goal was a left-footer from the San Juan skipper to beat Dayshawn Alexander in goal for Mucurapo.
Alexander then failed to hold on to a free-kick from Lindell Sween that bubbled out his gloves with Noel pouncing on the loose ball to double San Juan’s advantage.
Noel had another opportunity in the second half when he collected a pass from Sween in the penalty box, however his turn-and-shoot effort sailed over the bar. Noel also hit the upright in the final minute as they had to settle for a 2-0 win.
Meanwhile, Presentation College San Fernando also stayed perfect with a 3-0 win over Chaguanas North Secondary in the second game of a double-header at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva to also secure a semi-final berth.
Adah Barclay opened the scoring for “Pres” in the 41st minute and doubled the advantage early in the second half with a free kick in the 57th minute that sailed over the wall and beat the Chaguanas North custodian.
Vaughn Clement then put the game beyond doubt, converting an 85th minute penalty, burying his right-footed shot in the left corner to seal the result.
Both San Juan and Presentation will advance to the semi-finals. Only the top two teams in the group will advance to the next round.
In the other results in Group B yesterday, Trinity College East defeated Queen’s Royal College 5-1 in the second game at Hasely Crawford Stadium to end the Royalians’ outside chances of catching at least Presentation, while Moruga and Malick Secondary played to a 2-2 draw in Moruga.
It was the Jaheim Faustin show in the second game at the Hasely Crawford, with the Trinity College East number 17 scoring a beaver-trick to lead his team to a comfortable win.
Faustin opened the scoring in the 14th minute, intercepting a back-bass and slotting home. Three minutes later, Trinity were on the counter-attack after Nathan Quashie squandered a chance to draw level at the other end and it was Faustin running on to a pass from Desailly Bastien-Cowen and hitting a left-footer past the QRC custodian Shemuel Cassimy.
Anderson Barnwell’s 30th minute corner put Trinity 3-0 up before Faustin scored again in the 35th as they ended the first half 4-0 up.
Faustin came back in the second half, fighting off a challenge from Zakari King in the 49th before finding the back of the net for his final goal of the game, while QRC pulled one back in the 82nd minute with substitute Roshaun Doobay getting his name on the scoresheet with a right-foot volley.
Meanwhile in a rescheduled Group A match, Naparima College beat Pleasantville Secondary 2-0 in the first game at Ato Boldon Stadium to keep alive their semi-final hopes.
“Naps” moved on to nine points from four games, just one point behind Group A leaders Fatima and St Benedict’s College who have ten points each from four games.
Yesterday’s SSFL results:
Group A
Naparima College 2 (Jelani Calliste, Kanye Francis) Pleasantville Secondary 0
Group B
East Mucurapo 0 San Juan North 2 (Larry Noel 3rd, 35th)
QRC 1 (Roshaun Doobay 82nd) Trinity College East 5 (Jaheim Faustin 4, Anderson Barnwell)
Moruga Secondary 2 (Tyrell Thompson, Brandon Collymore) Malick Secondary 2 (Tyrese Manswell, Jeremiah Gabriel)
Presentation College 3 (Adah Barclay 2, Vaughn Clement pen.) Chaguanas North Secondary 0
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North Eastern beat Manzan 5-2 in SSFL U-16.
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday).
NORTH EASTERN College beat Manzanilla Secondary 5-2 on Monday in an East Zone Under-16 contest in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL).
At the Ojoe Road Recreation Ground in Sangre Grande, North Eastern took little time to stamp their control with Jehrell Ignatius scoring the opener inside the first minute.
Left winger Lebron Andrews doubled the lead in the 7th minute as Manzanilla found it difficult to come out their half.
Ignatius put the match beyond doubt with two more goals to complete his hat-trick and give his team a dominant 4-0 lead the break.
Despite the huge deficit, Manzanilla came out a different team in the second half and pressured their opponents, who began to make mistakes. In contrast to the first half, Manzanilla had a number of shots on goal which either were saved or went narrowly wide.
However, they received a gut punch when North Eastern's Ricardo Sankar took advantage of a goalmouth scramble to fire it home and make it 5-0.
Manzan's persistence did not wane, and they received a further boost with a straight red card to North Eastern College's Alex Hinds for dissent.
Manzan were duly rewarded for their efforts with two late goals from Jadon Remy and Josiah Phillip, who removed his goalkeeping attire in the second half to help his team further up the field.
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Siparia sure of Big Five spot after 4-2 win.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Siparia West Secondary School yesterday booked its spot into the Big Five play-off that will be used to determine the teams to be promoted to the Premiership Division, next year.
This they did by defeating St Madeleine Secondary, 4-2, courtesy of a double strike by Akell Vasprey in the seventh and 58th, as well as two other goals from Israel Mascall (10th minute) and Isaiah Gittens (22nd minute) in the South Zone of the Boys Championships Division in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League.
With the win, the southerners assumed an unassailable lead of 19 points from six matches with two rounds of matches still to be played.
Coach Dexter Francis, a former national defender for the now infamous ‘Strike Squad’ of 1989 that came within a point of qualifying for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, has been running the show in Siparia. He said yesterday that he wants to go all the way to the Premiership Division, next year.
From the play-offs, which will take place among the top teams from the different zones in the Championship Division, the top three teams will be promoted.
In the South Zone, Point Fortin East is the closest team to Siparia with 11 points.
In the East Zone, Arima North leads the standings with 19 points following yesterday’s convincing 4-1 triumph over Five Rivers. However, with four more rounds of matches to go in the zone, they can be caught by second-place El Dorado East on 11 points.
Known as ‘The Blue Thunder’, El Dorado could not take the field yesterday in its encounter with Valencia due to the severe weather conditions for the past few days.
In the North Zone, St Mary’s College leads the group on 19 points after yesterday’s 3-0 win over Trinity College (Moka), while in the Central Zone, all matches were postponed due to a COVID-19 scare.
Results:
North:
Mucurapo 3 (Ismael Acosta, Christian Nicholas 2) vs Diego Martin Central 0
Tranquility 6 (Ronaldinho Richards 3, Tyrek Daniel, Dante Ferdinand, Akeem De Souza) vs Blanchisseuse 2
CIC 3 (Christopher Brooks, Daylon Riley, Raoul Aguillera-Nunes) vs Trinity College Moka 0
South:
Siparia West 4 (Akell Vasprey 2, Israel Mascall, Isaiah Gittens) vs St Madeleine 2
Point Fortin 7 vs P/Town 1 (Joshua Eccles)
East:
Holy Cross 0 vs Manzanilla 3
Arima North 4 vs Five Rivers 1
Standings
South
Place*Team*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Siparia West Secondary*7*6*0*1*39*9*+30*19
2*P/Fortin East Secondary*6*3*1*2*39*10*+29*11
3*Ste Madeleine Secondary*5*2*2*1*27*13*+14*7
4*P/Town West Secondary*6*1*5*0*6*40*-34*3
5*Fyzabad Anglican Secondary 6 1 5 0 10 49 -39 3
East
Place*Team*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Arima North*7*6*0*1*19*7*+12*19
2*El Dorado East*6*3*1*2*15*11*+4*11
3*Valencia *6*2*2*2*15*12*+3*8
4*Five Rivers *7*2*4*1*14*18*-4*7
5*Holy Cross*7*2*5*0*9*19*-10*6
6*Manzanilla*7*1*4*2*13*17*-4*5
Central
Place*Team*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Presentation*3*3*0*0*16*4*+12*9
2*Miracle Ministries*3*2*1*0*22*3*+19*6
3*Couva East*3*1*2*0*10*20*-10*3
4*ASJA Boys Charlieville*3*0*3*0*4*25*-21*0
North
Place*Team*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*St Mary’s College*7*6*0*1*22*7*+15*19
2*Trinity College Moka*7*3*2*2*13*12*+1*11
3*Tranquility *6*3*2*1*15*10*5*10
4*Mucurapo West*7*3*4*0*12*14*-2*9
5*Blanchisseuse*5*1*2*2*14*17*-3*5
6*D/Martin Central*6*0*6*0*8*19*-11*0
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Pres to maintain unbeaten run against QRC.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Unbeaten Presentation College, San Fernando will be aiming to maintain its unblemished record against Queen’s Royal College (QRC) at Serpentine Road, St Clair, Port-of-Spain from 3.30 pm this afternoon.
Presentation, under national Under-17 coach Shawn Cooper, is already assured of one of the top two places that will be progressing from Group B with an unassailable 15 points, but they will have to be concerned about an unpredictable Royalians side that has not had much luck this season, mainly due to a number of errors in their defence.
Last Saturday, the Royalians, with seven points, were the only team to upset the top two teams then, San Juan North and Presentation (on 12 points each then), from sealing their entries into the semifinals, but they self-destructed against Trinity College East at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, going down 5-1, courtesy of a beaver-trick by Jaheim Faustin and a series of defensive blunders.
With two more rounds of matches to be played, QRC will be aiming to finish strongly in the third position.
Cooper said yesterday they will be coming hard against the Royalians, as they continue their attempt to improve on their game.
“We will be coming to play and we are coming to win. We will be coming with our strongest team because while there will be nothing for them in the game, we will be trying to perfect our game. So we will not be taking this game lightly, we will not be giving anything away because we are not yet a finished product,” Cooper explained.
QRC will have to win today to keep their third-place spot with Trinity College (6 points), East Mucurapo (6 points), Chaguanas North (4 points) and Moruga (4 points) all ready to assume that position with a win this afternoon.
Today’s matches (Start time 3.30 pm)
Chaguanas North Sec vs Moruga Sec, Africa Ground, Enterprise Chaguanas
QRC vs Presentation College, QRC Grd
East Mucurapo vs Trinity College, Fatima Grd
Malick Sec vs San Juan North, CIC Grd
Standings
Group A
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*GD*PTS
1*Fatima*4*3*1*0*18*2*16*10
2*St Benedict’s*4*3*1*0*15*1*14*10
3*Naps*4*3*0*1*19*3*16*9
4*St Anthony’s*4*2*0*2*6*7*-1*6
5*Speyside*4*2*0*2*7*11*-4*6
6*Caps*4*1*0*3*5*25*-20*3
7*Pleasantville*3*0*0*3*0*9*-9*0
8*St Augustine*3*0*0*3*5*17*-12*0
Group B
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*GD*PTS
1*San Juan North*5*5*0*0*24*1*23*15
2*Presentation*5*5*0*0*12*2*10*15
3*QRC*5*2*1*2*13*14*-1*7
4*Trinity East*5*2*0*3*8*4*4*6
5*East Mucurapo*5*2*0*3*8*11*-3*6
6*Chaguanas North*5*1*1*3*6*20*-14*4
7*Malick Sec*5*1*1*3*6*12*-6*4
8*Moruga Sec*5*0*1*4*3*16*-13*1
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‘Pres’ and San Juan stay perfect
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express)
San Juan North Secondary and Presentation College San Fernando stayed perfect in Group B as action resumed yesterday in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division, setting up a showdown in the final round for the top spot.
San Juan are currently on top of the standings via a superior goal-difference and they maintained their golden run with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Malick Secondary at St Mary’s College Ground, St Clair.
Meanwhile, Presentation playing away to Queen’s Royal College overcame the Royalians 2-0 in their own backyard.
In the other Group B games yesterday, Trinity College East defeated East Mucurapo Secondary 2-1 while Chaguanas North Secondary edged Moruga Secondary 1-0.
“Pres” and San Juan are already into the next round by virtue of finishing in the top two in the group but after dominating the other teams, the pair will square off on the final match day with everything to play for.
San Juan North started their game without leading scorer Larry Noel and were made to fight hard for their victory thanks to a first half penalty that was converted by Lindell Sween and a late winner from Jardell Joseph.
Malick conceded a penalty in the 21st minute and Sween stepped-up to put the leaders in front. And is stayed that way until late in the second half when Malick’s Lendelle Baptiste brought the scores level with about ten minutes to go. Baptiste’s strike was only the second goal conceded by the Group B leaders this season.
Noel, eventually coming off the bench, had a long-range effort blocked by the Malick defence in the 80th before Sween’s 86th minute free-kick found the head of Joseph at the far post as San Juan sealed the win for full points.
At QRC Ground, both “Pres” and QRC had opportunities in the first half but it was the visitors that made the breakthrough in the 25th minute with Isaiah Jacob shaking off Malic Harraman down the left flank before serving up a cross to the unmarked Daniel Quashie in front of goal.
By the time the QRC defence realised their mistake, it was too late, with Quashie beating the advancing Shemuel Cassimy before burying his left-footed shot in the back of the net.
Three minutes later, a Pres corner found the head of a QRC defender before falling at the foot of an outstretched Phillip Gray for an own goal.
“Pres” coach Shawn Cooper maintained that they were taking it one game at a time. “Steady going. We are playing one game at a time,” he said. Asked about their next clash against San Juan, Cooper said: “We go back to the drawing board and we hope to do very well on that day.”
Yesterday’s Premier Division Group B results:
Chaguanas North Sec 1 vs Moruga Secondary 0
QRC 0 vs Presentation College 2 (Daniel Quashie 25th, Phillip Gray (OG) 28th)
East Mucurapo Sec 1 (Jermon Gulston 42nd) vs Trinity College East 2 (Desailly Bastien-Cowen 50th, Jean-Luc Romero 52nd)
Malick Secondary 1 (Lendelle Baptiste 79th) vs San Juan North Secondary 2 (Lindell Sween pen 21st, Jardell Joseph 86th)
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Saints whip Mucurapo West for North Champ Div title.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Four different players were on target as St Mary’s College whipped Mucurapo West Secondary 4-1 to claim the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League Boys’ Championship Division North Zone title at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, on Tuesday.
For the “Saints”, who became the second team after recently-crowned South Zone champion Siparia West Secondary to qualify for the Championship Division “Big Five”, the qualifier to the Premier Division, the quartet of Raul Aguillera-Nunes, Jamal Thomas, Josiah Connell, and Kyle Phillip were all on target while Jamani Andrews got the lone reply for Mucurapo West.
With the win, the “Saints” pushed their points tally to an unassailable 22 points from eight matches, eight clear of second-placed Trinity College of Moka, with two matches left to play for each team.
In the other matches in the North on Tuesday, Trinity College Moka edged Blanchisseuse Secondary 1-0 while Diego Martin Central Secondary got their first win of the season, 3-2 over Tranquillity Secondary.
In the East Zone, El Dorado East Secondary edged Five Rivers Secondary 2-1 to improve to 14 points from seven matches on the six-team table, and within five points of leaders, Arima North Secondary who were idle after their match against Holy Cross College was not played, while Manzanilla Secondary trashed Valencia Secondary, 6-2.
Over in Tobago, Scarborough Secondary jumped to the top of the seven-team standings with 12 points from five matches thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Pentecostal Light & Life, while Bishops High School slipped to third, a point behind after being held to a 1-1 draw by former powerhouse Signal Hill Secondary, who sits fourth with nine points, but from a match more.
At the end of the zonal Championship Division, the champions will contest a “Big-Five” round-robin series at the end of which the top three teams will be promoted to the 2023 SSFL Premier Division, to replace the three demoted teams.
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St Benedict's, Fatima, Naps stay in semis hunt.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
The trio of St Benedict's College, Fatima College and title-holders Naparima College all won handsomely to remain in a three-way battle for the two semifinals spots at stake from Group A for the National League semifinal playoffs of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division on Wednesday.
In the feature match of a doubleheader at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, St Benedict's College peppered St Augustine Secondary by an astonishing 14-1 margin, a record defeat for the "Green Machine" led by a six-goal burst from captain Tarik Lee in the sixth, 14th, 19th, 41st, 47th and 54th minutes to carry his season tally to eight from five matches, six behind San Juan North's Larry Noel.
The trio of Josiah Achoa (5th, 27th), Derell Garcia (8th, 46th), and Jaden Grant (84th, 86th) added two goals each for St Benedict's while Nicholas Bobcombe (24th), and Ephraim Brown with a 90th-minute item also netted to help carry their points tally to 13, the same as Fatima College, but with a superior goal-difference of plus-27 to Fatima's plus-24 with two matches left to play. Theron O'Brien got the lone reply for St Augustine in the second half from the penalty spot as they are yet to pick up a point and destined for relegation as the cellar-placed finisher.
Down at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, host, Fatima kept up their top-two finish bid with a comfortable 8-0 hammering of Speyside Secondary with a goal each from Chaim Williams, Jadon Williams, Aidan De Gannes, Alijah Nunes, Keba Romany, Justin Alcantara, Jose Attong, and an own-goal via Nigel Burnett.
Four-time Premier Division champions, Naparima kept up their bid to secure a semifinal spot as a top-two finisher in the pool thanks to a 4-0 trashing of St Anthony’s College at Naparima College Ground, Lewis Street, San Fernando with Andres Frances, Nathaniel O'Garro, Kanye Francis, and Jabari Forbes scoring on each to stay third with 12 points, ahead of their clash with St Benedict's on Saturday.
At the other end of the table, Carapichaima East Secondary wasted a chance to boost their survival hopes after squandering a 2-0 lead in a 3-3 draw with Pleasantville Secondary in the first match of the double-header at Couva.
Kiriziah Mayers netted a double to put Carapichaima East 2-0 ahead, only for Pleasantville Secondary then hit back with goals from Tyrese Phillip, Antonio Noreiga, and Daniel Jones to take a 3-2 advantage before Mayers salvaged a point for Carapichaima East to leave both teams level on four points with two matches left to play
Group B will resume on Saturday, with San Juan North Secondary and Coca-Cola Inter-Col holders Presentation College of San Fernando having already secured the two semifinal spots with a maximum of 18 points each from their respective six matches to date and one round left to be completed when they face off for a top spot on Saturday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 3.30 pm.
However, at the other end of the table, Moruga Secondary with one point in six matches, Malick Secondary with four, and East Mucurapo Secondary with six points will all be playing for their survival.
The new format of the 16-team Premier Division sees the teams divided into two groups of eight teams for one round of round-robin competition, at the end of which the top two in each pool will advance to the crossover semifinals on October 21 ahead of the final, four days later.
Both the semifinals and final are slated for either the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo or the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
The bottom-placed team in each pool will be automatically relegated and will be joined by the losers of the playoff between the two teams to finish second from the bottom in their respective groups.
Yesterday's Results:
Group A:
Fatima College 8 (Chaim Williams 12th, Jadon Williams 16th, Aidan De Gannes 25th, Nigel Burnett o.g 32nd. Alijah Nunes 53rd, Keba Romany 60th, Justin Alcantara 65th, Jose Attong 70th) vs Speyside High 0
Naparima College 4 (Andres Frances 5th, Nathaniel O'Garro 44th, Kanye Francis 46th, Jabari Forbes 71st) vs St Anthony’s College 0
Pleasantville Sec 3 (Daniel Jones, Tyrese Phillip, Antonio Noreiga) vs Carapichaima East 3 (Kirizah Mayers 3)
St Benedict’s College 14 (Tarik Lee 6th, 14th, 19th, 41st, 47th, 54th, Josiah Achoa 5th, 27th, Derell Garcia 8th, 46th, Jaden Grant 84th, 86th, Nicholas Bobcombe 24th, Ephraim Brown 90th) vs St Augustine Sec 1 (Theron O'Brien 50th pen)
Latest Standings
Group A
Teams P W D L F A Pts
1. Fatima 5 4 1 0 26 2 13
2. St Benedict’s 5 4 1 0 29 2 13
3. Naparima 5 4 0 1 23 3 12
4. St Anthony’s 5 2 0 3 6 11 6
5. Speyside 5 2 0 3 7 19 6
6. Pleasantville 5 1 1 3 6 12 4
7. Carapichaima East 5 1 1 3 8 28 4
8. St Augustine 5 0 0 5 6 34 0
Group B
Teams P W D L F A Pts
1. San Juan North 6 6 0 0 26 2 18
2. Pres (San F’do) 6 6 0 0 14 2 18
3. Trinity East 6 3 0 3 10 5 9
4. QRC 6 2 1 3 13 16 7
5. Chaguanas North 6 2 1 3 7 20 7
6. East Mucurapo 6 2 0 4 9 13 6
7. Malick 6 1 1 4 7 14 4
8. Moruga 6 0 1 5 3 17 1
SSFL Premier Division leading scorers:
14 - Larry Noel (San Juan North)
8 - Tarik Lee (St Benedict's)
6 - Jaheim Faustin (Trinity East), Chaim Williams (Fatima)
5 - Naparima O'Garro, Kanye Francis (Naparima)
4 - Caleb Boyce (Presentation), Zion Harley (East Mucurapo), Kirziah Myers (Carapichaima East), Jaden Grant (St Benedict's)
3 - Kedell Jones (San Juan North), Omari Campbell, Joshua Mason, Christian Bailey, Keba Romany (Fatima), J’Lon Matthews (Malick), Aadah Barclay (Presentation), Ephraim Brown, Josiah Ochoa (St Benedict's)
2 - Milz Johnson, Jarlon Toppin (Speyside), Maalik Jarvis (East Mucurapo), (Fatima),
(St Benedict’s), Tau Lemsee, Aydon Caruth, Mussadiq Mohammed, Stephon James (QRC), Joshua Miller, Theo Crovador (St Anthony’s), Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Israel Joseph, Jabari Forbes, Andres France (Naparima), Alex Piper (St Augustine), Ethan Trotman (Carapichaima East), Justin Lewis (Chaguanas North), Nicholas Bobcome, Derelle Garcia (St Benedict's), Alijah Nunes, Aidan De Gannes
1 - Terrell Rajoon, Jelani Felix, Josiah Cooper (Naparima), Jameel Cooper, Isaiah Nicholas, Marcel Valentine, Theron O'Brian (St Augustine), Reyes Gray, Lenox Eastman, Tyrell Moore (Speyside), Mordacia Forde, Aadon Wilson-Wright (St Anthony’s), Oba Samuel, Tyrese Manswell, Jeremiah Gabriel (Malick), Mikel Toussaint, Al-Kalipha Henry (East Mucurapo), Santana Smith, Tyrell Thompson, Brandon Collymore (Moruga), Jeremiah Nile, Tyrique Lucas (St Benedict’s), Michael Chaves, Nathan Achin, Luke Correia, Jadon Williams, Jose Attong, Justin Alcantara (Fatima), Micah Braithwaite, Malik Braithwaite, Mackeil Edwards, Levi Jones, Vaughn Clement (Presentation), Teshaun Franklyn, Zakari King, Zion Aberdeen, Micah Nelson, Rashaun Doobay (QRC), Khaleem Prince (Trinity East), Elizsha Rogers, Rondell Harewood, Jardiel Joseph, Kent Guy (San Juan North), Hezekiah John (Chaguanas North), Josiah Hypolite, Tyrese David (Carapichaima East), Kelon Williams, Daniel Jones, Tyrese Phillip, Antonio Noreiga, J’quan Edwards, Jadon Dorsett (Pleasantville)
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Just come from home, good players from de few games ah see.
Alex Thomas (Chaguanas North), Joshua Lewis (San Juan North), Aidan DeGannes (Fatima), Jaheim Faustin (Trinity College East), Josiah Ochoa (St Benedict’s), Caleb Boyce, Tarik Lee (St Benedict’s), Larry Noel (San Juan North).
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Did St. Augustine used their A colts against Benedicts ?
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Saints whip Mucurapo West for North Champ Div title.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Four different players were on target as St Mary’s College whipped Mucurapo West Secondary 4-1 to claim the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League Boys’ Championship Division North Zone title at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, on Tuesday.
For the “Saints”, who became the second team after recently-crowned South Zone champion Siparia West Secondary to qualify for the Championship Division “Big Five”, the qualifier to the Premier Division, the quartet of Raul Aguillera-Nunes, Jamal Thomas, Josiah Connell, and Kyle Phillip were all on target while Jamani Andrews got the lone reply for Mucurapo West.
With the win, the “Saints” pushed their points tally to an unassailable 22 points from eight matches, eight clear of second-placed Trinity College of Moka, with two matches left to play for each team.
In the other matches in the North on Tuesday, Trinity College Moka edged Blanchisseuse Secondary 1-0 while Diego Martin Central Secondary got their first win of the season, 3-2 over Tranquillity Secondary.
In the East Zone, El Dorado East Secondary edged Five Rivers Secondary 2-1 to improve to 14 points from seven matches on the six-team table, and within five points of leaders, Arima North Secondary who were idle after their match against Holy Cross College was not played, while Manzanilla Secondary trashed Valencia Secondary, 6-2.
Over in Tobago, Scarborough Secondary jumped to the top of the seven-team standings with 12 points from five matches thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Pentecostal Light & Life, while Bishops High School slipped to third, a point behind after being held to a 1-1 draw by former powerhouse Signal Hill Secondary, who sits fourth with nine points, but from a match more.
At the end of the zonal Championship Division, the champions will contest a “Big-Five” round-robin series at the end of which the top three teams will be promoted to the 2023 SSFL Premier Division, to replace the three demoted teams.
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Fatima, St Benedict's move into Big Four with wins.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Premiership Division contenders St Benedict's and Fatima Colleges have joined San Juan North Secondary and Presentation College in the Big Four of the Tiger Tanks-sponsored Secondary Schools Football League after contrasting wins yesterday.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, St Benedict's, one of the leading teams in Group A heading into the encounter, pulled off a hard-fought 1-0 win over Naparima while Fatima cruised to a 4-0 victory over St Augustine Secondary at Warren Street in St Augustine, courtesy of a double by Michael Chaves.
The wins pushed both Fatima and St Benedict's to 16 points each, which they cannot be reached with just one more round of matches to go. Naparima stayed on 12 points with the loss but even if they win in their final match they will not be able to surpass or reach Fatima and St Benedict's Colleges.
The southerners, playing far away from the southland, were expectedly cautious at the start, as both teams tried to eliminate errors, but that approach was soon discarded, as both needed to win to assure their entry into the playoffs.
Naps, sometimes vulnerable in defence, were exploited in the 39th minute when the diminutive but skilful Tarik Lee weaved his way through some three players in the centre of midfield before releasing to the speedy Nicholas Bobcombe to skip past his marker and slipped the ball past the advancing goalkeeper for the opening goal.
Coach Travis Mulraine, who took over from Angus Eve at the helm of the southern champs had now been given more to think about as his team trailed at the halfway interval 1-0.
However, his men did not give up, as they continued to press for the equalising item which they feel they should have gotten late in the second half. In the 84th minute, Omari Campbell lifted a pass to Nathaniel O'Garro storming into the St Benedict's area from the right side, and with the goalkeeper out of position, the latter hit his attempt wide of an open goal.
At St Augustine, Chaves laid the foundation for their passage to the play-off with a brace, while Chaim Williams and Khiba Romany scored the other two goals.
(Teams)
St Benedict’s College (4-3-3): 22.Thane Devenish (GK); 4.Keanu Morean (3.Anthony Williams 90), 6.Nesean Alexander, 5.Joshua Demas, 19.Lyshawn Morris; 12.Josiah Ochoa (20.Rayshawn Crichlow 84), 15.Ephraim Brown, 8.Derrel Garcia (21.Malacai Webb 90+3); 10.Nicholas Bobcombe (9.Jaden Grant 76), 7.Tarik Lee (captain), 11.Jeremiah Niles.
Unused substitutes: 1.Jair Buckmire (GK), 2.Joshua Phillip, 18.Tyrique Lucas.
Coach: Randolph Boyce
Naparima College (5-3-2): 1.Kerdeem Duncan (GK); 2.Jelani Calliste, 12.Omari Asher (captain), 6.Daimiel Mitchell (11.Omari Campbell 71), 5.Josiah Cooper, 7.Jkwon Bailey; 10.Kanye Francis, 4.Jaron Pascal, 8.Terrell Rajoon; 22.Jabari Forbes (16.Andres France 73), 9.Nathaniel O’Garro.
Unused substitutes: 30.Dajeon Collingwood (GK), 15.Chad King, 17.Kyrise Frontin, 20.Israel Joseph, 21.Zachary Seecharan.
Coach: Travis Mulraine
Referee: Crystal Sobers
Wired868 Man of the Match: Tarik Lee
Results
Group A:
St Benedict's 1 (Nicholas Bobcombe 39th minute) vs Naparima 0
St Augustine 0 vs Fatima 4 (Michael Chaves (2), Chaim Williams, Khiba Romany
Group B:
East Mucurapo 2 vs Malick 4 (Lindell Baptiste, Josimar Duncan, Jabari Bramble, Oba Samuel)
Trinity College East 5 (Khaleem Prince (4), Joshua Figaro) vs Chaguanas North 0
QRC 5 vs Moruga 1
Latest Standings
Group A
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*St Benedict’s*6*5*1*0*30*2*16
2*Fatima*6*5*1*0*30*2*16
3*Naparima*6*4*0*2*23*4*12
4*St Anthony’s*5*2*0*3*6*11*6
5*Speyside*5*2*0*3*7*19*6
6*Pleasantville*5*1*1*3*6*12*4
7*Carapichaima East*5*1*1*3*8*28*4
8*St Augustine*6*0*0*6*6*38*0
Group B
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*San Juan North*6*6*0*0*26*2*18
2*Pres (San F’do)*6*6*0*0*14*2*18
3*Trinity East*7*4*0*3*15*5*12
4*QRC*7*3*1*3*18*17*10
5*Malick*7*2*1*4*11*16*7
6*Chaguanas North*7*2*1*4*7*25*7
7*East Mucurapo*7*2*0*5*11*17*6
8*Moruga*7*0*1*6*4*22*1
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Harragin’s hat-trick guides Holy Name to 15 in North
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
North Zone leader Holy Name Convent Port-of-Spain, on Sunday moved to 15 points at the top of the standing in the zone after thrashing Bishops Anstey 8-4 at Fatima grounds in the Girls Championship Division of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League.
Jessica Harragin led the way with a hat-trick, while Calypso Ayoung and Elliana Dyette each got a brace, and Jada Cummings got the other goal to ensure that the school stayed in strong contention to claim the win in the zone that would enable them, to progress to the play-offs next month.
At St Joseph’s Convent’s home ground, the home team will have to wait for organisers to decide what happens next in their encounter with Tranquility Secondary, which was abandoned with four minutes left in the game.
The St Joseph’s Convent girls led 9-0 when the referee called off the match. The St Joseph’s girls are second on the standings with nine points and a win in this game will take them to 12 points where they will maintain pressure on the leader.
In another North Zone match, the officials will also have to decide after the Diego Martin Central versus Bishop’s Centenary contest was also called off with 25 minutes to go due to rain. The Diego Martin girls were leading 2-1 at that time.
Meanwhile, in the East Zone, Five Rivers Secondary maintained their lead at the top of the table by hammering El Dorado East, 6-0. They now lead second-place St Augustine Secondary by three points on 12 points.
However, the St Augustine girls shut out Manzanilla Secondary 4-2 to move to nine points.
In another match, the San Juan North could not follow in the footsteps of their boys’ counterparts, as they went down 5-0 to Bishop Anstey East.
Meanwhile, matches in the south and central zones were postponed.
RESULTS:
East
Five Rivers 6 vs El Dorado East 0
San Juan North 0 vs Bishop Anstey East 5
St Augustine 4 vs Manzanilla Sec 2
North
St Joseph’s Convent led Tranquilty 9-0 when match was abandoned
Holy Name Convent 8 (Calypso Ayoung 2, Ellianna Dyette 2, Jessica Harragin 3, Jada Cummings) vs Bishop Anstey 4
Diego Martin Central led Bishop’s Centenary 2-1 when match was abandoned
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Wow what a name. Calypso Ayoung!!!!!!
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St Benedict’s, San Juan North top SSFL Premiership seeds for semis.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
St Benedict’s College and San Juan North Secondary will go into the Tiger Tanks-sponsored Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division National Semifinals as top seeds after finishing as winners of their respective eight-team round-robin groups, on Tuesday.
In the playoffs, St Benedict’s will meet fellow southerners, Presentation College of San Fernando while San Juan North faces Fatima College.
At St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, St Benedict’s used goals from Rayshawn Crichlow, Darren Griffith, Jaden Grant, and Derrelle Garcia to defeat fellow southerners Pleasantville Secondary, who had Daniel Jones on target later on.
The win for St Benedict’s carried their points tally to 19 from seven matches, and ahead of Fatima College on goal-difference (plus-31 to plus-29) after the latter’s narrow 3-2 win away to St Anthony’s College despite playing more than 60 minutes with ten men after goalkeeper Tristan Edwards was red carded by referee Rashby Mc Phie.
Down at St Anthony’s College Ground, Westmoorings, captain Christian Bailey opened the scoring with a header in the 20th minute and Yohance Atherton made it 2-0 four minutes later.
Goalkeeper Edwards was then issued a straight red card for a professional foul as the last man, and from the resulting penalty, Russel Francois pulled a goal back for the Tigers, beating substitute goalkeeper Tyrese Romain.
Eight minutes before the half-time whistle, Jesse Hospedales conceded an own to put the host on level terms, but in the second-half despite playing a man down, it was Fatima who grabbed all three points in the pouring rain with Kheba Romany, hammering home a left-footed strike in the 62nd.
The defeat left the Tigers on six points with a match against Carapichaime East Secondary, who went under to dethroned champions Naparima College 2-1 to play with the loser facing the possibility of contesting the relegation playoffs as the seventh-placed finisher in the group, along with Pleasantville who also has a match against Speyside left to play.
Speyside guaranteed its survival with a 3-2 win over relegated St Augustine Secondary in the other Group A match.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, San Juan North ended at the top of Group B on goal-difference after battling to a 1-1 draw with fellow qualifiers Presentation.
With both teams already assured of qualification, the battle was on to see who would be the top seeds ahead of the semifinals, and it was Presentation who struck the first blow through Daniel Quashie in the eighth minute, only for Jardiel Joseph to level things up for San Juan four minutes later.
Both teams then failed to find a winner which meant, San Juan stayed top on goal-difference from Presentation as well after both teams also ended with 19 points from their seven matches played.
At the other of the Group B table, Moruga has already been relegated after ending with one point and will be joined by the loser of the playoff between seventh-placed East Mucurapo, and the Group A seventh-placed team.
Yesterday’s SSFL results:
GROUP A:
St Benedict’s 4 (Rayshawn Crichlow, Darren Griffith, Jaden Grant, Derelle Garcia) vs Pleasantville 1 (Daniel Jones)
St Anthony’s 2 (Russel Francois 28th pen, Jesse Hospedales 37th) vs Fatima 3 (Christian Bailey 20th, Yohance Atherton 24th, Kheba Romany 62nd)
Speyside 3 (Tyrell Moore, Shyon George, Jarlon Toppin) vs St Augustine 2 (Jordan Ferdinand, Marcel Valentine)
Naparima 2 (Aklilu Joseph 45+2, Aidan Ramnarine 85th) vs Carapichaima 1 (Emmanuel Edwards 16th)
GROUP B:
San Juan North 1 (Jardiel Joseph 12th) vs Presentation 1 (Daniel Quashie 8th)
Current standings:
Group A:
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*St Benedict’s*7*6*1*0*34*3*19
2*Fatima*7*6*1*0*33*4*19
3*Naparima*7*5*0*2*25*5*15
4*Speyside*6*3*0*3*10*21*9
5*St Anthony’s*6*2*0*4*8*14*6
6*Pleasantville*6*1*1*4*7*16*4
7*Carapichaima East*6*1*1*4*9*30*4
8*St Augustine*7*0*0*7*8*41*0
Group B:
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*San Juan North*7*6*1*0*27*3*19
2*Pres (San F’do)*7*6*1*0*15*3*19
3*Trinity East*7*4*0*3*15*5*12
4*QRC*7*3*1*3*18*17*10
5*Malick*7*2*1*4*11*16*7
6*Chaguanas North*7*2*1*4*7*25*7
7*East Mucurapo*7*2*0*5*11*17*6
8*Moruga*7*0*1*6*4*22*1
Remaining Round-Robin matches:
Group A:
St Anthony’s vs Carapichaima East
Speyside vs Pleasantville
National Premier Division semifinals: - Date to be determined, Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo
St Benedict’s College vs Presentation College
San Juan North vs Fatima College
Leading scorers:
14 - Larry Noel (San Juan North)
8 - Tarik Lee (St Benedict’s)
6 - Jaheim Faustin (Trinity East), Chaim Williams (Fatima)
5 - Naparima O’Garro, Kanye Francis (Naparima), Khaleem Prince (Trinity East), Zion Harley (East Mucurapo), Jaden Grant (St Benedict’s), Kheba Romany (Fatima)
4 - Caleb Boyce (Presentation), Kirziah Myers (Carapichaima East), Christian Bailey (Fatima)
3 - Kedell Jones (San Juan North), Omari Campbell, Joshua Mason, Michael Chaves (Fatima), J’Lon Matthews (Malick), Aadah Barclay (Presentation), Ephraim Brown, Josiah Ochoa, Nicholas Bobcome, Derelle Garcia, (St Benedict’s), Mussadiq Mohammed (QRC), Maalik Jarvis (East Mucurapo), Jarlon Toppin (Speyside)
2 - Milz Johnson, Tyrell Moore (Speyside), Tau Lemsee, Aydon Caruth, Stephon James, Teshaun Franklyn (QRC), Joshua Miller, Theo Crovador (St Anthony’s), Lindell Sween, Jardiel Joseph (San Juan North), Israel Joseph, Jabari Forbes, Andres France (Naparima), Alex Piper (St Augustine), Ethan Trotman (Carapichaima East), Justin Lewis (Chaguanas North), Alijah Nunes, Jaden Williams, Aidan De Gannes (Fatima), Oba Samuel (Malick), Brandon Collymore (Moruga), Daniel Jones (Pleasantville), Marcel Valentine (St Augustine)
1 - Terrell Rajoon, Jelani Felix, Josiah Cooper, Aidan Ramnarine, Aklilu Joseph (Naparima), Jameel Cooper, Isaiah Nicholas, Theron O’Brian, Jordan Ferdinand (St Augustine), Reyes Gray, Lenox Eastman, Shyon George (Speyside), Mordacia Forde, Russel Francois, Aadon Wilson-Wright (St Anthony’s), Lendelle Baptiste, Jabari Bramble, J. Duncan, Tyrese Manswell, Jeremiah Gabriel (Malick), Mikel Toussaint, Al-Kalipha Henry (East Mucurapo), Santana Smith, Tyrell Thompson, Joshua Figaro (Trinity East), Rayshawn Crichlow, Darren Griffith, Jeremiah Nile, Tyrique Lucas (St Benedict’s), Nathan Achin, Luke Correia, Yohance Atherton, Jose Attong, Justin Alcantara (Fatima), Micah Braithwaite, Daniel Quashie, Malik Braithwaite, Mackeil Edwards, Levi Jones, Vaughn Clement (Presentation), Zakari King, Nathan Quashie, Mikel Cardinal, Zion Aberdeen, Micah Nelson, Rashaun Doobay (QRC), Elizsha Rogers, Rondell Harewood, Kent Guy (San Juan North), Hezekiah John (Chaguanas North), Josiah Hypolite, Tyrese David, Emmanuel Edwards (Carapichaima East), Kelon Williams, Tyrese Phillip, Antonio Noreiga, J’quan Edwards, Jadon Dorsett (Pleasantville)
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SSFL bans school games at African Ground.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).
THE SECONDARY Schools Football League (SSFL) has banned its scheduled games at African Ground, Enterprise, Chaguanas for the rest of the 2022 season.
On Saturday evening, several gunshots were fired from a white panel van near the basketball court at the ground. Nine-year-old Jamal Modeste was struck in the back by a bullet and died at the Chaguanas Health Centre.
Four men were held in connection with the killing but were later released.
The African Ground was used by Chaguanas North Secondary’s junior and girls’ teams during the 2022 SSFL season.
Merere Gonzales, SSFL president, said on Tuesday, “The ground is not going to be used, full stop.”
Asked if that was a decision by the school’s authorities, Gonzales replied, “That’s a league decision, so the school would have to adhere to it.”
He added, “The lower division (teams) are also advised not to use it.”
The SSFL said in a media release, “The safety of all our players, officials, fans and other stakeholders remains of utmost importance (to the league). The SSFL wishes to extend heartfelt condolences to the family of the young deceased.”
Germaine Raymond, manager of the Chaguanas North Secondary teams, said that the SSFL’s decision will seriously affect the team’s participation in the 2022 season, especially since there are a lack of alternative venues in the Central Zone.
“We’re back to square one,” she said on Tuesday. “I thought I would have ticked this process off of my list of things to do. The majority of the grounds in Central are in a state of disrepair and cannot be used. We cannot use New Settlement in years gone by, we would have gone Woodford Lodge. All of those grounds (are) not available.”
She continued, “(Edinburgh) 500 we would have used in the 2019 season, apparently there is some (trouble) with getting the use of that ground. So African Ground was the ground (available) and we got some assistance from the (Chaguanas) Borough to get it ready. I feel like I don’t know where to turn.
“The school ground is in a state of disrepair,” Raymond added. “And it’s not only our school. Presentation (Chaguanas), their school ground is in disrepair (as well as) Carapichaima.”
Raymond pointed out that the majority of the Championship Division games in the Central Zone took place at the Couva East school ground but the surface is suffering due to overuse. “I really don’t know what the Central Zone is going to do in terms of accessing grounds for the season to be completed.”
With regards to the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Raymond said that it is costly for the schools to use the venue, especially since the majority of the schools are struggling to gain funds.
Concerning the mood of the Chaguanas North team, in light of the recent SSFL decision, Raymond said, “This (has) put a damper on things. We train on the African Ground as well. Since the incident, we haven’t had training either. The younger (teams) are training in school but (the ground) is not adequate for use.”
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what a ******* sad sate of affairs in TT. Now these ******* attacking school children football. They only bit of football in the country. What excuse they have for them murderers now ?
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Grave problem. Not to be ditched. However, why so many fields in an unprepared state?
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St Benedict’s, Pres clash in SSFL semi-final.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
ST BENEDICT’S College and Presentation College, San Fernando will clash in the first semi-final of the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Friday. The match kicks off at 3.30 pm.
Sixteen teams were split into two groups of eight with the top two teams in each group advancing to the semifinals.
A round-robin format was used in both groups.
St Benedict’s earned a place in the semi-finals after winning Group A with 19 points. St Benedict’s ended with six wins and one draw.
Presentation sealed their spot in the semi-finals after finishing second in Group B with 19 points. The match may be a tight contest as like St Benedict’s, Presentation ended the group phase with six wins and one draw.
The second semi-final on Saturday is expected to be another close affair.
Winners of Group B San Juan North Secondary will tackle the second-placed team in Group A Fatima College at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, at 4 pm.
Both San Juan and Fatima ended the preliminary phase with identical records – six wins and a draw.
The final will be played on Wednesday. The venue and time has to be determined.
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Arima North advances to SSFL Big 5 with 1-1 tie.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Arima North Secondary has joined Siparia West Secondary and St Mary’s College in the Big Five playoffs in the Boys’ Championship Division of the Tiger Tanks-sponsored Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) despite Tuesday’s 1-1 tie with Manzanilla Secondary at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.
Needing just a point to seal their berth into the playoffs, the Arima lads got an early item from Jeremy Joseph in the sixth minute, but Manzanilla got the equaliser in the 20th minute from Tevin Pantor for a share of the points.
Coach Lyndon “Chubby” Andrews’ main concern now will be how they handle the winners of the other zones. From the playoff, the top three teams will advance to the Premiership Division next year while the bottom three teams in the premiership will be demoted to the championship for 2023.
These three teams will be the last-place finishers in Group A and B, as well as the losing team from a play-off between the second-to-last teams from each group.
Last year, a lapse in concentration by his players prevented what they felt should have been a certain return to the SSFL top-flight football league for Arima North, who is known popularly as the “Dial Dynamos” but Chubby assured that this year, they will be hoping to go all the way.
Arima North needed just a point to ensure their entry into the big five playoffs as they entered the match with 20 points, which was a significant lead over their closest rival, El Dorado East, which had 14 points. Now they’ve moved to 21 points while El Dorado’s 2-1 triumph over Holy Cross College has pushed them to 17 points.
On Monday, St Mary’s extended its lead to 25 points atop the standings in the North Zone, courtesy of a 7-2 victory over Tranquility Secondary. With that advantage, the ‘Saints’ as St Mary’s are called, cannot be reached by second-placed Trinity College (Moka) who pulled off a 2-0 victory over Mucurapo West on Monday to move to 17 points from nine matches. With one more round of matches to go, they can only reach 20 points.
Tranquillity is third on the table with 10 points.
Meanwhile, in the South Zone, Point Fortin East thrashed St Madeleine, 5-0.
RESULTS
Tuesday
Arima North 1 (Jeremy Joseph 6th) vs Manzanilla Sec- 1 (Tevin Pantor 20th)
El Dorado East- 2 (Yanis Chai-Hong, Cameron Gulston) vs Holy Cross- 1
Valencia Sec- 5 (Darion Bridgemohan 4, Jequan Browne) vs Five Rivers Sec- 4
Monday
North Zone
Diego Martin Central Sec 2 vs Blanchisseuse Secondary 3
Mucurapo West Secondary 0 vs Trinity College (Moka) 2
St Mary’s College 7 vs Tranquility Secondary 2
South Zone
P/Fortin East Secondary5 vs Ste Madeleine Secondary 0
Standings
Central Zone
Schools*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Presentation College*3*3*0*0*16*4*+12*9
2*Miracle Ministries*3*2*1*0*22*3*+19*6
3*Couva East Secondary*3*1*2*0*10*20*-10*3
4*ASJA Boys, Charlieville*3*0*3*0*4*25*-21*0
East Zone
Schools*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Arima North *9*6*0*3*22*10*+12*21
2*El Dorado East *9*5*2*2*20*17*+3*17
3*Manzanilla*10*3*4*3*24*21*+3*12
4*Valencia *9*3*3*3*24*24*0*12
5*Five Rivers*10*3*6*1*22*25*-3*10
6*Holy Cross *9*2*7*0*10*25*-15*6
North Zone
Schools*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*St Mary’s College*9*8*0*1*33*10*+23*25
2*Trinity Moka*9*5*2*2*16*12*+4*17
3*Tranquility *8*3*4*1*19*22*-3*10
4*Mucurapo West*9*3*6*0*13*20*-7*9
5*Blanchisseuse *7*2*3*2*17*20*-3*8
6*D/ Martin Central *8*1*7*0*13*24*-11*3
South Zone
Schools*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Siparia West*7*6*0*1*39*9*+30*19
2*P/Fortin East*8*5*1*2*53*10*+43*17
3*Ste Madeleine*7*3*3*1*32*18*+14*10
4*P/Town West*7*1*6*0*6*45*-39*3
5*Fyzabad Anglican*7*1*6*0*10*54*-44*3
Tobago Zone Standings 2022
Schools*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Bishop’s High*5*3*0*2*14*6*+8*11
2*Scarborough*5*4*1*0*17*7*+10*12
3*Roxborough*5*2*1*2*13*8*+5*8
4*Signal Hill*6*2*1*3*11*9*+2*9
5*Mason Hall *3*1*2*1*6*3*+3*4
6*Pentecostal L/L*4*0*4*0*1*15*-14*0
7*Goodwood *4*0*4*0*3*20*-17*0
(https://guardian.co.tt/image-3.3811664.210584.20221021114332.286722723b?size=1024)
Arima North Secondary's Malachi Noriega, left, vie for possession with Valencia Secondary's Nickerson Simpson during the Tiger Tanks Secondary School Football League Championship match at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima, on Friday. The match ended in 2-2. Arima North advanced to SSFL Big 5 after its 1-1 draw with Manzanilla on Tuesday. (Photo by Daniel Prentice)
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St Benedict's whip Pres Sando to advance to Premiership final
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)
THE first finalist of this season’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership campaign is now known, as St Benedict’s booked their place in the championship fixture after whipping Presentation San Fernando 5-3 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday evening.
This will be only the second season in Premiership history that neither Naparima or Presentation will be crowned champions of the SSFL top flight (Shiva Boys’ Hindu College won in 2016).
In the battle of the Lions, the ‘La Romaine Lions’ put on a dominant display against their fierce rivals. The unit did not allow Presentation to play their usual pressing football and they made it their duty to be first to every ball.
St Benedict’s Derrell Garcia was the first to break down Presentation’s defensive barrier in the 21st minute. The speedy attacking maestro picked up the ball from midfield and dribbled all the way to the penalty area before clinically slotting the ball past Kanye Lazarus in the Presentation goal.
The match-winner against Naparima, Nicholas Bobcombe, then turned provider on this occasion as he smartly played a well-cushioned pass to Josiah Ochoa, who doubled the St Benedict’s lead from inside the penalty area three minutes later.
Lyshawn Morris made it 3-0 to the boys in green in the 31st minute, courtesy a impressive curled shot into the top right corner, leaving Lazarus with no chance of reaching it.
The early moments of the second half proved to be more of the same as the La Romaine Lions continued to dominate possession and shots on goal.
They were rewarded with a fourth goal in the 59th minute when captain Tarik Lee lead a counter-attack and stormed through Presentation’s back line to clinically place his shot past Lazarus’ left hand from 12 yards out.
Not long after, in the 63rd minute, Bobcombe finally got himself on the scoresheet, thanks to some incredibly smart refereeing. Bobcombe ran down to the byline and initially played a pass into the goal area, leaving him in an offside position.
However, in an attempt to defend, the ball was then deliberately played by Pres defender, Terrance Worrell, back to Bobcombe’s feet. The St Benedict’s number ten then rifled the ball into the back off the net, which triggered assistant referee Noel Moore to raise his flag for offside.
Assumingly, Moore perceived that the ball was played by St Benedict’s Jeremiah Niles who was closely tucked behind Worrell, hence the reason he raised his flag.
But referee Nikolai Nyron commendably consulted Moore, stating that there was no offside in the phase of play, and the goal was rightly given to make it 5-0 to St Benedict’s.
Presentation, the current Intercol and Tiger Tanks Cup champions, struggled to match St Benedict’s. But St Benedict’s coach, Randolph Boyce, opted to make several changes after his team’s fifth goal and Pres began to find their feet.
Vaughan Clement pulled one back for the ‘Pres Lions’ in the 69th minute via a well-placed shot into the bottom corner from outside of the penalty area. That goal was only the fourth goal conceded by St Benedict’s this season.
But their defence was breached again two minutes later when Adah Barclay pounced on a through-ball played over the top of the St Benedict’s back line and finessed his shot into the net to make the score 5-2.
The confidence grew in the Presentation camp as they restored belief in themselves to claw their way back from five goals down. They were now in control after the game and forced St Benedict’s to defend deep in their own half.
In the 83rd minute, Adah Barclay stormed his way into the Presentation penalty area and was hacked down by Anthony Williams, to his coach’s disappointment. Barclay then stepped up himself and converted the resulting penalty kick to bring Presentation to within two goals.
However, their fightback proved futile as St Benedict’s held on to claim a 5-3 victory and book their spot in Wednesday’s Premiership final.
In his post-match interview, Boyce, stated that he was very elated about his team’s performance, despite some complacency in the second half. He then went on to say, “We have things to tighten up on but, overall, things were perfect.”
The winning coach was then asked who he would prefer to face between San Juan North and Fatima College in the final. He responded, “they both are formidable opponents and are both playing great football at this time. It’s hard to pick because anybody who comes will bring a good game for us, which is good for the football in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“We’ve been down (due to the pandemic) for a while and you can see the development that is taking place, so I’d like (to face) any one of them.”
On the flip side, the defeated coach, Shawn Cooper said, “The game is played in halves – they won the first half. The conditions were a bit against us and they had the stronger and quicker guys, so it was about five or ten minutes of madness when they scored their goals.”
Cooper added, “In the second half, as the surface dried a bit, we started putting (passing) the ball around and believed in ourselves and we got three goals back. So we won the second half but we didn’t win the game.”
The current National Under 17 coach then expressed his love for Presentation College, stating that “We are a family; after the game, the boys thanked the fans for the support they have given us over the years, and we will make them proud. Proud to be Pres!”
St Benedict’s now await the winners of Saturday’s semifinal between San Juan North Secondary and Fatima College, two teams who have been impressive this season. That fixture will be hosted at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, kicking off at 3.30 pm.
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So we won the second half but we didn’t win the game.”
TM, winning a half but losing the match sounds like the sanctuary and solace sought by Manchester United fans.
+++
Pres could have gone 2-1 but squandered two opportunities that would have had a bearing on the complexion of the match going into HT had they scored and been able to manage the game to the whistle. One was a good ball swung by Cooper into the area and the other was a failure to recognize when a shot was on.
+++
What's the scouting report on Derrell Garcia? Would like to know more.
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So nobody post today’s score yet ?
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St Benedict's whip Pres Sando to advance to Premiership final.
T&T Newsday Reports.
THE first finalist of this season’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership campaign is now known, as St Benedict’s booked their place in the championship fixture after whipping Presentation San Fernando 5-3 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday evening.
This will be only the second season in Premiership history that neither Naparima or Presentation will be crowned champions of the SSFL top flight (Shiva Boys’ Hindu College won in 2016).
In the battle of the Lions, the ‘La Romaine Lions’ put on a dominant display against their fierce rivals. The unit did not allow Presentation to play their usual pressing football and they made it their duty to be first to every ball.
St Benedict’s Derrell Garcia was the first to break down Presentation’s defensive barrier in the 21st minute. The speedy attacking maestro picked up the ball from midfield and dribbled all the way to the penalty area before clinically slotting the ball past Kanye Lazarus in the Presentation goal.
The match-winner against Naparima, Nicholas Bobcombe, then turned provider on this occasion as he smartly played a well-cushioned pass to Josiah Ochoa, who doubled the St Benedict’s lead from inside the penalty area three minutes later.
Lyshawn Morris made it 3-0 to the boys in green in the 31st minute, courtesy a impressive curled shot into the top right corner, leaving Lazarus with no chance of reaching it.
The early moments of the second half proved to be more of the same as the La Romaine Lions continued to dominate possession and shots on goal.
They were rewarded with a fourth goal in the 59th minute when captain Tarik Lee lead a counter-attack and stormed through Presentation’s back line to clinically place his shot past Lazarus’ left hand from 12 yards out.
Not long after, in the 63rd minute, Bobcombe finally got himself on the scoresheet, thanks to some incredibly smart refereeing. Bobcombe ran down to the byline and initially played a pass into the goal area, leaving him in an offside position.
However, in an attempt to defend, the ball was then deliberately played by Pres defender, Terrance Worrell, back to Bobcombe’s feet. The St Benedict’s number ten then rifled the ball into the back off the net, which triggered assistant referee Noel Moore to raise his flag for offside.
Assumingly, Moore perceived that the ball was played by St Benedict’s Jeremiah Niles who was closely tucked behind Worrell, hence the reason he raised his flag.
But referee Nikolai Nyron commendably consulted Moore, stating that there was no offside in the phase of play, and the goal was rightly given to make it 5-0 to St Benedict’s.
Presentation, the current Intercol and Tiger Tanks Cup champions, struggled to match St Benedict’s. But St Benedict’s coach, Randolph Boyce, opted to make several changes after his team’s fifth goal and Pres began to find their feet.
Vaughan Clement pulled one back for the ‘Pres Lions’ in the 69th minute via a well-placed shot into the bottom corner from outside of the penalty area. That goal was only the fourth goal conceded by St Benedict’s this season.
But their defence was breached again two minutes later when Adah Barclay pounced on a through-ball played over the top of the St Benedict’s back line and finessed his shot into the net to make the score 5-2.
The confidence grew in the Presentation camp as they restored belief in themselves to claw their way back from five goals down. They were now in control after the game and forced St Benedict’s to defend deep in their own half.
In the 83rd minute, Adah Barclay stormed his way into the Presentation penalty area and was hacked down by Anthony Williams, to his coach’s disappointment. Barclay then stepped up himself and converted the resulting penalty kick to bring Presentation to within two goals.
However, their fightback proved futile as St Benedict’s held on to claim a 5-3 victory and book their spot in Wednesday’s Premiership final.
In his post-match interview, Boyce, stated that he was very elated about his team’s performance, despite some complacency in the second half. He then went on to say, “We have things to tighten up on but, overall, things were perfect.”
The winning coach was then asked who he would prefer to face between San Juan North and Fatima College in the final. He responded, “they both are formidable opponents and are both playing great football at this time. It’s hard to pick because anybody who comes will bring a good game for us, which is good for the football in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“We’ve been down (due to the pandemic) for a while and you can see the development that is taking place, so I’d like (to face) any one of them.”
On the flip side, the defeated coach, Shawn Cooper said, “The game is played in halves – they won the first half. The conditions were a bit against us and they had the stronger and quicker guys, so it was about five or ten minutes of madness when they scored their goals.”
Cooper added, “In the second half, as the surface dried a bit, we started putting (passing) the ball around and believed in ourselves and we got three goals back. So we won the second half but we didn’t win the game.”
The current National Under 17 coach then expressed his love for Presentation College, stating that “We are a family; after the game, the boys thanked the fans for the support they have given us over the years, and we will make them proud. Proud to be Pres!”
St Benedict’s now await the winners of Saturday’s semifinal between San Juan North Secondary and Fatima College, two teams who have been impressive this season. That fixture will be hosted at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, kicking off at 3.30 pm.
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Holy Name wins ‘Convent Classico’
T&T Guardian
Holy Name Convent defeated St Joseph’s Convent 3-2 during their Secondary School Football League Girls Championship match at the St Joseph’s Convent Grounds at Federation Park, Port-of-Spain on Thursday.
It was the battle of the North Zone leaders Holy Name Convent led by the prolific scorer Jessica Harragin and the second-place team St Joseph’s Convent in the season’s second match-up.
Holy Name got the go-ahead goal from Chaya Vincent in 17th-minute to put her team out front, however, to level the season two-match series 1-1, Mikaela Yearwood netted in the 20th minute and Charlotte Hadeed extended the lead when she found the back of the net in the 49th-minute for St Joseph’s Convent. With both teams being spurred on by their supporters it was Harragin, who rose to the occasion and connected with strikes in the 55th and 66th minutes to deny the home team victory and a share of the season “Classico” honours.
Holy Name recorded a 4-2 victory in the team’s first meeting.
The teams will now shift their attention to the InterCol.
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Fatima edge San Juan North 1-0 in SSFL semis
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
“MOVE over San Juan and let Fatima pass!” That was the cry of Fatima College students after the school’s premiership football team emerged with a narrow 1-0 win over San Juan North Secondary in the semifinals of the Secondary Schools Football League Premiership division on Saturday. Fatima had the lion’s share of support at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo as hundreds of students and parents attended the match.
After the match, the Fatima players went into the crowd to celebrate with their fellow students.
The match did not end without controversy as San Juan had a goal disallowed. However, the replay showed the player was onside.
After the match, Fatima head coach Hutson Charles was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I am elated to be here…I told them this is their time. It feels real good when you set goals and you see it materialise,” Charles said.
Fatima tried to play possession football during the match and it is a style of play Charles wants from his players.
“Since pre-season I told them listen to me I don’t like long ball (football). I like to play the ball on the ground because those guys have tremendous ability and if you notice my guys are not big guys so, we like to keep the ball on the ground, move it from side to side, get the opening (and) score goals.”
Charles thanked everyone who turned up to support the school.
“This was tremendous. You have to thank the fans, the SSFL for creating this kind of atmosphere. This is very good for secondary school football.”
Looking ahead to the final against St Benedict’s College on Wednesday, Charles said, “Now we have to go back and prepare because St Benedict’s is a good team, so we will probably watch a couple tapes of them again and prepare for them. As I told those guys this is their time and if they want to be champions we have one more hurdle to cross and that is St Benedict’s.”
Fatima dominated possession in the early stages of the contest stringing passes together.
In the 15th minute, Fatima’s Michael Chaves rounded San Juan goalkeeper Xavion Haynes and then tried to find one of his teammates but could not.
In the 12th minute, a free kick by San Juan 25 yards from the goal did not trouble Fatima goalkeeper Tristan Edwards.
San Juan captain Larry Noel made a promising run on the right flank in the 14th minute, but it did not lead to a clear-cut chance.
Throughout the first half, San Juan attempted shots from distance but Edwards was up to the task.
It seemed that the teams would be all square at half-time, but Alijah Nunes gave Fatima the lead in the 41st minute.
Nunes collected the ball on the left side and from 30 yards out struck a left-footed shot into the goal. It was uncertain if Nunes was attempting a shot or a cross.
Early in the second half, San Juan thought they found the equaliser. It was ruled offside, but the replay showed it was onside.
As the clock started to tick away, Edwards was made to work pulling off a spectacular save to deny San Juan a goal. The crowd came to life as they appreciated the effort by Edwards.
The last few minutes of the contest were back and forth with Fatima trying to seal the contest and San Juan desperate for the equaliser.
San Juan North substitute Niem Thomas tried a shot from distance, but it rolled tamely to Edwards.
After some neat dribbling by San Juan’s Lindell Sween, the ball fell to Kent Guy but it did not lead to a goal-scoring opportunity.
Fatima held on for the win. The venue of the final between Fatima and St Benedict’s on Wednesday has not been confirmed.
(Teams)
San Juan North Secondary (4-2-3-1): 1.Xavion Haynes (GK); 14.Desailly Lewis, 6.Jaheshua Ferguson (3.J’Sean Batson 89), 2.Joshua Lewis, 15.Kent Guy; 12.Jardell Mitchell, 20.Kedell Jones (17.Jahdel Chase-Charles 77); 21.Christian Browne (7.Elizsha Rogers 17 (8.Adel Black-Haynes 71), 10.Lindell Sween, 11.Jadiel Joseph (25.Niem Thomas 76); 9.Larry Noel (captain).
Unused substitutes: 30.Stephon Langaigne (GK), 18.Rondell Harewood.
Coach: Jerry Moe
Fatima College (4-3-3): 40.Tristan Edwards (GK); 3.Jesse Hospedales, 4.Yohance Atherton, 6.Jaden Williams, 2.Alijah Nunes; 8.Justin Alcantara, 10.Aidan DeGannes (13.Isaiah Zamore 84), 7.Khiba Romany; 33.Christian Bailey (captain), 15.Michael Chavez (5.Jordan Darius 67), 17.Jose Attong (14.Kade Collier 76).
Unused substitutes: 42.Tyrece Romain (GK), 9.Josiah Gobin, 11.Elijah Camacho, 16.Luke Correia.
Coach: Hutson Charles
Referee: Cecile Hinds
Wired868 Man of the Match: Tristan Edwards (Fatima College)
Big 4 semi-finals
(Sat 22 Oct)
San Juan North Secondary 0, Fatima College 1 (Alijah Nunes 41) at Hasely Crawford Stadium.
(Fri 21 October)
St Benedict’s College 5 (Derrel Garcia 20, Josiah Ochoa 24, Lyshawn Morris 31, Tarik Lee 59, Nicholas Bobcombe 64), Presentation College (San Fernando) 3 (Vaughn Clement 69, Adah Barclay 70, 83 pen) at Ato Boldon Stadium.
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Future looks bright...SSFL president believes schools football headed in right direction
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express)
Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) president Merere Gonzales is happy with the continued growth of secondary schools football in Trinidad and Tobago, suggesting that the quality of the league will only keep getting better with many former players returning to aid with the development of the next generation of stars.
He said the SSFL continues to draw former standout players back to help out in various ways. Speaking to Shawn Fuentes during the half-time show at the San Juan North Secondary versus Presentation College San Fernando clash at Hasely Crawford Stadium on Tuesday, Gonzales said because of the prominence of the league, many former national players are coming back into the fold.
He also revealed a proposed plan for the top two league teams to play against the top teams from the Jamaica Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) football league.
“We are meticulously and systematically putting things in place to ensure that all areas are covered, so that the teams in the various finals are well taken care of. We are very fortunate because we have the opportunity for these games to go live to a global audience,” noted Gonzales.
“One of our main plans in moving forward, and this is something that took place at the commencement of the season, there is the grand possibility that the top two teams in the league will find themselves representing T&T in what we will call the revamping, the resumption, the reigniting of the Caribbean clash between SSFL and ISSA from Jamaica,” the SSFL boss revealed.
“That tournament is supposed to take place between 14-20 of December and we are already in discussions as to preparing for it. One will say why not the InterCol winners. We would have liked to consider it but because of the timeframe for the InterCol to conclude it would put that particular team at a disadvantage. Only for now, for 2022, we will go ahead with the top teams within the league, which we know will very well represent us in this upcoming clash with Jamaica,” he explained.
In terms of having former national players and former SSFL players back in the league to lend their coaching expertise to teams, Gonzales said the magnitude and reputation of the league has a lot to do with it.
“Because of the magnitude of the league itself and the reputation and legacy and the history the SSFL has created since 1964, there are a lot of prominent celebrities, former national players who have returned to league and are now assisting maybe through coaching, managerial or administratively or otherwise,” Gonzales added.
“So, we are seeing them there coming back on board. Hutson Charles is there with Fatima; we have Mr Michael Grayson with St Mary’s College; Shawn Cooper, the national Under-17 coach, is here with Presentation College San Fernando; Lyndon Andrews, better known as “Chubby” is with Arima North and right now Dexter Francis is doing quite well with Siparia,” he continued.
“So, we are seeing these individuals gravitating towards the league and moving towards ensuring that the output of the student athletes is best supported by them in collaboration and working along with the SSFL and that I am really happy about,” Gonzales concluded.
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watched St Benedict's beat Fatima this evening. Tarik Lee's hattrick showed how much he stood above the others on the field. Bobcombe and Ochoa I believe might be tidy players as well. Fatima's keeper Edwards mightn't be too bad, but at times shows really poor positioning -- likely a result of lack of good goalkeeping coaching.
Wish we had a way to step the one or two gems like Lee up to the next level Maybe Yorke and Latapy could grab one or 2 of them.
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Lee tricks Fatima as ‘Golden Lions’ end SSFL 55-year drought.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Team captain Tarik Lee scored a hat-trick to lead St Benedict’s College to their first National League title since 1967 when they outplayed Fatima College 3-1 in an entertaining Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division “Big-Four” final at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, yesterday.
In a match that featured three penalty kicks, all for St Benedict’s, Lee scored one from the penalty spot in the 61st minute while he also netted in the 32nd and 73rd minutes to lead St Benedict’s to a well-deserved win and league title honours for the first time in 55 years when they defeated Fatima College.
Both teams met on the opening day of the season in a league match that ended 1-1, but from early on in yesterday’s match St Benedict’s signalled their intentions that they were up for the challenge.
In the tenth minute, the St Benedict’s ‘Golden Lions’ had their first real chance to open the scoring when referee Crystal Sobers whistled for her first penalty kick of the match after Fatima right-back Jaden Williams was called for a shove on St Benedict’s midfielder Nicholas Bobcome inside the 18-yard box.
The penalty call by Sobers was somewhat of a controversial one as she first allowed the play to go in the hope of St Benedict’s making full use of the advantage before she eventually called the infringement to the anguish of the Fatima players.
But, from the resulting spot kick, Fatima’s national youth team goalkeeper Tristan Edwards also showed he was up for the challenge on the day and kept the match scoreless when he went low to his left to keep out Derell Garcia’s tame effort.
It seemed just a matter of time before the Ronald Boyce-coached Golden Lions’ would open the scoring and the opener finally came in the 32nd minute through some clever work by the nippy Jeremiah Niles, who weaved his way past two defenders on the left side of the 18-yard box before squaring the ball to an unmarked Lee, who wrong-footed Williams before firing a left-footed shot into the far corner for a well deserved 1-0 advantage.
A minute Lee turned provider for Garcia, but his well-timed effort was smartly blocked out by a low save from Edwards, with Lee mistiming the rebound wide of the target to let the 2005 national champions Fatima off the hook.
On the resumption, Fatima started the brighter of both teams but St Benedict’s led by Lee, Garcia, and Bobcome in the attack were soon back into their stride and in the 61st minute, Sobers awarded her second penalty of the contest when defender Jesse Hospedales was called for an infringement against the influential Garcia off a long ball over the top from Lee, who coolly slotted the ball past Edwards low to his right to double the lead to 2-0.
Despite the 2-0 deficit, Fatima never dropped their heads, and spurred on by captain Christian Bailey, the northerners sliced the lead in half, second-half introduction Kade Collier connected with a right-footed volley off a left-sided floated centre from his captain which flew past goalkeeper Thane Devenish to his right to the delight of his teammates.
However, Fatima’s joy was short-lived as Lee soon restored his team’s two-goal cushion when he completed his hat-trick five minutes later by latching onto a through ball from Bobcome, before holding off the challenge of Fatima left back Alijah Nunes and blasting a powerful right-footed effort past Edwards on his near post off a slight defection from the retreating defender.
With nine minutes left in the match, there was still time for Sobers to award her third penalty-kick of the evening to St Benedict’s which Lee surprisingly left for defender Keanu Morean, but to his dismay, his right-footed effort was pushed around the right post for a corner to give Fatima hope of a late fight-back.
In the end, St Benedict’s who were national Inter-Col winners in 1998 were deserving winners as they captured their first National SSFL League crown since 1967, and ensured the title stayed in the hands of south-based schools since its inception with Naparima College, a four-time winner, and Shiva Boys Hindu College, and Presentation College of San Fernando, the other teams.
(Teams)
St Benedict’s College (4-3-3): 22.Thane Devenish (GK); 4.Keanu Morean, 6.Nesean Alexander, 5.Joshua Demas, 19.Lyshawn Morris; 8.Darrel Garcia (20.Rayshawn Crichlow 77), 5.Ephraim Brown, 12.Josiah Ochoa; 10.Nicholas Bobcombe, 7.Tarik Lee (captain), 11.Jeremiah Niles (21.Malacai Webb 87).
Unused substitutes: 1.Ja-ir Buckmire (GK), 2.Joshua Phillip, 3.Anthony Williams, 9.Jaden Grant, 18.Tyrique Lucas.
Coach: Randolph Boyce
Fatima College (4-3-3): 40.Tristan Edwards (GK); 3.Jesse Hospedales, 4.Yohance Atherton (13.Isaiah Zamore 64), 6.Jaden Williams, 2.Alijah Nunes; 7.Khiba Romany (5.Darius Jordan 70), 8.Justin Alcantara, 10.Aidan DeGannes (14.Kade Collier 64); 23.Christian Bailey (captain), 21.Joshua Mason, 12.Chaim Williams (15.Michael Chaves 64).
Unused substitutes: 42.Tyrece Romain (GK), 11.Logan Maingot, 17.Jose Attong.
Coach: Hutson Charles
Referee: Crystal Sobers
Wired868 Man of the Match: Tarik Lee (St Benedict’s College)
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I was reading the newspapers today and understand there is now a Big Five tournament.
I am confused. If we have league Champs what is the purpose of a Big Five? Or is this just another attempt to make money.
VB
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I was reading the newspapers today and understand there is now a Big Five tournament.
I am confused. If we have league Champs what is the purpose of a Big Five? Or is this just another attempt to make money.
VB
Always, Always, Always .... to make money. So I guess no intercol per se ? And vb sorry your guys came out on the short end. They played a tough game, but Benedicts had the edge. I thought when they scored to make it 2-1, they would give Benedicts a run for their money, but Tariq was the midas touch on the field yesterday.
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Despite a lack of fitness due to the shortened covid season, the game was entertaining. Benedicts was the better team. Fatima was a tough defensive team, while Benedicts was a "go for broke" attacking team. I am impressed with Tarik Lee. Under a good coach he can do very well. It was nice to see college football back. Seeing the main stand packed with people brought back fond intercol memories for me.
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Big 5 is to determine the promoted teams to the premier division.
The zones continue to run like long time, is just that they create the national premier league to run at the apex of the pyramid.
The premier division teams do not participate in Big 5 anymore.
And @Deeks, intercol will run at the end of the league season and Big 5.
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Big 5 is to determine the promoted teams to the premier division.
The zones continue to run like long time, is just that they create the national premier league to run at the apex of the pyramid.
The premier division teams do not participate in Big 5 anymore.
And @Deeks, intercol will run at the end of the league season and Big 5.
Cool, cool!!!!
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Old tapes inspire St Benedict's footballers to title
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
ST BENEDICT’S College football head coach Randolph Boyce said the coaching staff showed their players past tapes of the school’s illustrious days in an effort to ignite the fire in them for the 2022 season. It seemed to spark the players as St Benedict’s lifted the 2022 Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League premiership division title, on Wednesday.
St Benedict’s defeated Fatima College 3-1 in front of a bumper crowd at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva. Thousands attended the match as the covered section of the stadium was filled with rhythm sections and flags adding to the electric atmosphere.
Tarik Lee was the star on the day for St Benedict’s scoring a hat-trick.
There is a rich football history at St Benedict’s.
Their team won the South Zone Intercol five times between 1988 and 2000 and were crowned the National Intercol champions in 1998.
Some of the national footballers who attended St Benedict’s College are Warren Archibald, Leroy De Leon, Steve David and Bobby Sookram.
Boyce said the 2022 players were reminded of the school’s football tradition.
He said, “What we do at St Benedict’s College before each season while we having a camp we will gather all the boys and go into the AV room. We will play back videos of the history of the school and the football aspect of it and the amount of titles (we won) and let them see the likes of footballers that passed through and knowing that they have a big shoe to fill.
“This year we did some of that and they know they had to put in the work to be able to match the kind of legends and icons that pass through the school before and I think with this now they will definitely go down in some history.”
Reflecting on what he felt led to the memorable season, Boyce said preparation was key.
“A number of things (would have led to our successful season). We started (preparing) earlier, we went into a couple tournaments before (the season), we played a numerous amount of practice games…we went into a month-long camp.”
Boyce also said St Benedict’s and Ascension club team Cunupia FC signed a memorandum of understanding which allowed the St Benedict’s players to get experience against higher level competition.
Boyce thanked St Benedict’s school principal Gregory Quan Kep for his support.
“I must say thanks to the principal for buying into the philosophy, for supporting every single idea that I went to him with and seeing the vision that the staff had for the team this year and he supported us for every single thing that we required. He gave us 100 per cent support, he was always at every practice game, every game. He deserves this title.”
St Benedict’s were awarded three penalties against Fatima, but only one was converted.
Boyce was glad a few calls went in favour of St Benedict’s.
“In the changing room before the game, I told them when you get the ball don’t turn back because I watched about four or five of the Fatima games and I know that we had the edge on them with speed and the type of players they have defending I knew we would have gotten one or two calls at least.”
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History and tradition leaves SSFL out front.
By Shaun Fuentes (T&T Guardian).
In years gone by, supporting a football team was simple. You went to the match, cheered for your team and left the venue in a state of jubilation or disappointment. But the game has changed over time, and so have the fans and what unites them.
The T&T Pro League can tell you about this or local club football as a whole. What happened at the Queen’s Park Savannah (Port-of-Spain) decades ago, is from what club football experienced here, from the 90s to present.
But wait! There is one league that has carried itself the same way for years and while there may not have been 15,000 fans at the Ato Boldon Stadium (Couva) on Wednesday to witness St Benedict’s College’s triumph over Fatima College, the turnout of supporters was certainly among the larger attendance records in local football.
And the League has not done much differently than it has in years gone. Matter of fact, there’s been no paid advertising campaigns in the media on the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) matches. But yet, persons from different classes showed up to support either of the two teams in Couva, last week.
And yes, those from the North made the trek through traffic. And again, some may want to contest the strength of the league by comparing general attendance numbers in most games this season compared to the 1980s and prior, but it remains a fact, that no other league draws the quality of fan base as the SSFL. Are there ways to improve it? Of course, there are but that's for another discussion.
History, team identity and tradition!
Martin Cloake wrote, “Now, the Premier League is the richest and most glamorous in the world, English football is an in-demand global brand. But while it attracts support it does not inspire love. Love the game, hate the business; love the team, hate the club. The phrases fall readily from the lips of fans struggling with the contradictions that define them as football supporters.
"Football is successful commercially because it means something. The trouble is, we’re not sure what any more."
For many fans at many English clubs, it seems increasingly as if they support an idea that ceased to exist some time ago, a name that once meant something but is now just a badge sitting atop a global corporation or, most recently, a foreign government’s public relations spin.
In our region, specifically the Caribbean we can say the same about the game when it comes to the support of domestic football even though we are in no way in comparison to the size of the Premier League.
“It is possible to trace a social, economic and political history of England alongside a history of its football clubs,” Cloake added. And might I say, this could be said about schoolboy football in T&T.
The support community is a very important element in football. With this community, it is able to provide spirit for every community and football player, as well as providing community support to the favourite teams they support. This is evident with Secondary Schools football. Even if anyone had dared to argue that the Benedict’s team of 2022 would not stand a chance against the team of Bobby Sookram, Leroy De Leon and Wilfred Cave, the fact remains, the supporters showed up to support “St Benedict’s College.” Some of them from the De Leon era as well. The same occurred for Fatima.
Supporters are elements that cannot be separated from each other. They play both outside and inside the field, in providing support both physically and morally to the team they care about. They also have a style or strategy for providing support to their team.
As in England, football supporters began with a local community such as social clubs, churches, and fanatical unions of the team they loved. While Malvern or Maple can boast they had that in years gone by, most Secondary Schools can today still boast that its presence in their campaigns, unlike most of the existing local clubs.
Characteristics of football supporters are a community of football fans who have a traditional relationship with a team and the arena has intimate emotional relationships with the history of that team. Take a bow Secondary Schools.
Can you imagine the possibilities if local clubs were to finally align themselves with the traditional powerhouses of college football? There are so many possible ways to tie it together - an automatic feeder system for young players who actually want to pursue club football; Revenue share; Development programs, Supporters' club; Affiliation with Old Boys Associations, among other items.
I could tell you one thing, fans may be more inclined to turn up at the revamped Skinner Park (San Fernando) or Mahaica Oval (Point Fortin) in 2023, to watch a St Benedict’s United versus a Fatima City or a San Juan Atletico, simply because of the identity and alignment with history and tradition.
Shaun Fuentes is the head of TTFA Media. He was a FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. The views expressed are solely his and not a representation of any organisation. shaunfuentes@yahoo.com
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Thomas, Riley braces boost CIC promotion drive with 5-1 win.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
A brace each from Jamaal Thomas and Daylon Riley for St Mary’s College has given the ‘Saints’ drive for promotion to the Premier Division of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League next year, a major boost.
With the double strikes, St Mary’s College, known popularly as the ‘Saints’ by their fans, confirmed their first victory of the five-team play-off with a 5-1 win over central zone campaigners Miracle Ministries Secondary School at St Mary’s College Ground on Serpentine Road, St Clair on Saturday afternoon.
With the top three teams from the play-off advancing to the premier division, the ‘Saints’ raced ahead courtesy of a 34th-minute strike from Thomas. Two minutes later, Josiah Connell beat the Miracle Minsitries goalkeeper at his far post for a 2-0 CIC advantage that boosted their confidence of a victory in front of their home fans.
However, the central lads were given hope before the half-time interval when Daniel Hope was brought down inside the penalty area in the 39th minute. And Hope cut the St Mary’s lead in half at 2-1 when he converted from the penalty spot in the 40th minute.
At the resumption, Riley restored the two-goal advantage with a 65th minute strike, before pushing his team even further ahead 4-1 with his brace in the 83rd minute.
With the game heading for a 4-1 triumph for the ‘Saints’, Thomas then re-wrote the script six minutes into time added on, by scoring his second goal of the match to round off a comfortable 5-1 victory.
Meanwhile, in the southland, Siparia West Secondary was scheduled to host Arima North Secondary but the game was called off due to an unsuitable field.
Coach Lyndon Andrews said he was disappointed to have not played but after seeing the condition of Siparia ground, he was not surprised that the game was called off.
Arima will next play Miracle Ministries at a date and venue to be determined.
The second round of matches in the play-off will be determined soon, but it is expected to take place this week.
Results
St Mary’s 5 (Jamaal Thomas 34th, 90+6, Josiah Connell 36th, Daylon Riley 65th, 83rd) vs Miracle Ministries 1 (Daniel Hope 40th).
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History and tradition leaves SSFL out front.
By Shaun Fuentes (T&T Guardian).
In years gone by, supporting a football team was simple. You went to the match, cheered for your team and left the venue in a state of jubilation or disappointment. But the game has changed over time, and so have the fans and what unites them.
The T&T Pro League can tell you about this or local club football as a whole. What happened at the Queen’s Park Savannah (Port-of-Spain) decades ago, is from what club football experienced here, from the 90s to present.
But wait! There is one league that has carried itself the same way for years and while there may not have been 15,000 fans at the Ato Boldon Stadium (Couva) on Wednesday to witness St Benedict’s College’s triumph over Fatima College, the turnout of supporters was certainly among the larger attendance records in local football.
And the League has not done much differently than it has in years gone. Matter of fact, there’s been no paid advertising campaigns in the media on the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) matches. But yet, persons from different classes showed up to support either of the two teams in Couva, last week.
And yes, those from the North made the trek through traffic. And again, some may want to contest the strength of the league by comparing general attendance numbers in most games this season compared to the 1980s and prior, but it remains a fact, that no other league draws the quality of fan base as the SSFL. Are there ways to improve it? Of course, there are but that's for another discussion.
History, team identity and tradition!
Martin Cloake wrote, “Now, the Premier League is the richest and most glamorous in the world, English football is an in-demand global brand. But while it attracts support it does not inspire love. Love the game, hate the business; love the team, hate the club. The phrases fall readily from the lips of fans struggling with the contradictions that define them as football supporters.
"Football is successful commercially because it means something. The trouble is, we’re not sure what any more."
For many fans at many English clubs, it seems increasingly as if they support an idea that ceased to exist some time ago, a name that once meant something but is now just a badge sitting atop a global corporation or, most recently, a foreign government’s public relations spin.
In our region, specifically the Caribbean we can say the same about the game when it comes to the support of domestic football even though we are in no way in comparison to the size of the Premier League.
“It is possible to trace a social, economic and political history of England alongside a history of its football clubs,” Cloake added. And might I say, this could be said about schoolboy football in T&T.
The support community is a very important element in football. With this community, it is able to provide spirit for every community and football player, as well as providing community support to the favourite teams they support. This is evident with Secondary Schools football. Even if anyone had dared to argue that the Benedict’s team of 2022 would not stand a chance against the team of Bobby Sookram, Leroy De Leon and Wilfred Cave, the fact remains, the supporters showed up to support “St Benedict’s College.” Some of them from the De Leon era as well. The same occurred for Fatima.
Supporters are elements that cannot be separated from each other. They play both outside and inside the field, in providing support both physically and morally to the team they care about. They also have a style or strategy for providing support to their team.
As in England, football supporters began with a local community such as social clubs, churches, and fanatical unions of the team they loved. While Malvern or Maple can boast they had that in years gone by, most Secondary Schools can today still boast that its presence in their campaigns, unlike most of the existing local clubs.
Characteristics of football supporters are a community of football fans who have a traditional relationship with a team and the arena has intimate emotional relationships with the history of that team. Take a bow Secondary Schools.
Can you imagine the possibilities if local clubs were to finally align themselves with the traditional powerhouses of college football? There are so many possible ways to tie it together - an automatic feeder system for young players who actually want to pursue club football; Revenue share; Development programs, Supporters' club; Affiliation with Old Boys Associations, among other items.
I could tell you one thing, fans may be more inclined to turn up at the revamped Skinner Park (San Fernando) or Mahaica Oval (Point Fortin) in 2023, to watch a St Benedict’s United versus a Fatima City or a San Juan Atletico, simply because of the identity and alignment with history and tradition.
Shaun Fuentes is the head of TTFA Media. He was a FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. The views expressed are solely his and not a representation of any organisation. shaunfuentes@yahoo.com
Excellent article. On point.
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Holy Name Convent perfect to win SSFL north zone.
T&T Newsday Reports.
HOLY Name Convent finished perfect in the Secondary Schools Football League girls north zone on Sunday, with ten wins from as many matches.
The Michael Chapman-coached team had already secured the title prior to Sunday’s match against Diego Martin Central, but were still eager to end on a high. They completed that objective without kicking a ball, as their opponents did not show up for the encounter.
Manager Alana Ramdeen said the team is looking forward to the Big Five competition.
She said the team, which was promoted to the championship division in 2017, and won the north zone and north intercol titles in 2018 and 2019, has had a good season.
“We had some returning players, so some seniors – form six and five. We have a talented batch of juniors, so we have a really nice combination.”She said the two years of no football in the pandemic had the girls keen to get back on the field.
“The two years invigorated them. Everybody just wanted to get back out there.”
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Saints kick off Inter-Col campaign.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Former Secondary Schools Football League powerhouse St Mary’s College will look to continue their climb back towards the elite when they kick off their Inter-Col campaign with a preliminary round encounter against Diego Martin Central Secondary in one of three North Zone round-of-16 matches on today from 3.30 pm.
The “Saints” as St Mary’s College are known will enter the match at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, Port-of-Spain brimming with confidence having defeated their opponents twice this season during their victorious Championship Division campaign to secure a “Big-Five” playoff spot which they began with an emphatic 5-1 thumping of Central Zone winners’ Miracle Ministries on Saturday.
The winner of the clash between the “Saints” and Diego Martin Central will advance to the zonal quarterfinal on Friday against Malick Secondary at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 4 pm, with two former national champions East Mucurapo Secondary and St Anthony’s College to meet in the opening match from 2 pm.
In today’s other North Zone preliminary matches, zonal runner-up Trinity College Moka faces Tranquillity Secondary at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair with Queen’s Royal College awaiting in the quarterfinals, while Mucurapo West Secondary meets Blanchisseuse Secondary at QRC ground, St Clair with the winners to battle national league runners-up Fatima College in the other last-eight encounter.
Presentation College of San Fernando, the national Inter-Col champions start their campaign on November 10 in the quarterfinal round at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin against the winners of the South Zone preliminary clash between Point Fortin East and Fyzabad Anglican, which takes place on Thursday.
The meeting between Point Fortin East and Fyzabad Anglican takes place on Thursday at Point Fortin while in the other zonal preliminary round match, Ste Madeleine faces Princes Town with the winner to face newly crowned national Premier Division “Big Five” League winners also on October 10 at Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin from 3 pm.
Inter-Col preliminary matches
￭ Today
North Zone
St Mary’s College vs Diego Martin Central Sec, Fatima Grd, 3.30 pm
Trinity College Moka vs Tranquillity Sec, CIC Grd, 3.30 pm
Mucurapo West Sec vs Blanchisseuse Sec, QRC Grd, 3.30 pm
￭ Tomorrow
East Zone
Five Rivers Sec vs Holy Cross College, St Augustine Grd, 3.30 pm
￭ Thursday
South Zone
Ste Madeleine Sec vs Princes Town, Moruga Sports Complex, 3.30 pm
Pt Fortin East Sec vs Fyzabad Anglican Sec, Pt Fortin, 3.30 pm
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Saints, Blanchisseuse cruise into North Inter-Col quarters
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
The quartet of Jamal Thomas, Kyle Phillip, Koby Morain, and Abraham Kirk all netted hattricks for their respective schools in winning efforts when the Secondary Schools Football League's Coca-Cola Inter-Col competition kicked off with North Zone preliminary round matches, yesterday.
At Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo, Thomas and Phillip got a treble each as former powerhouse St Mary’s College clobbered Diego Martin Central, 9-0.
Josiah Connell also scored a first-half double, and Harrison Parks, the other for the "Saints" who advance to the zonal quarterfinal on Friday against Malick at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 4 pm, with two former national champions East Mucurapo and St Anthony’s College meeting in the opening match from 2 pm.
At Queen's Royal College ground in St Clair, Kirk netted his hattrick and Aaron Marcano a brace to lead Blanchisseuse to a 5-1 spanking of Mucurapo West and a date with national league runner-up Fatima College in the zonal quarterfinal on Friday at St Mary's College Ground.
In yesterday's other North Zone preliminary match, a goal-feast, zonal runner-up Trinity College Moka and Tranquillity Secondary battled to a 4-4 draw at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair before the latter emerged 5-3 winners on penalty-kicks to advance to a quarterfinal meeting with Queen’s Royal College at Fatima College ground on Friday as well.
Tranquillity showed great spirit in securing the win with Morain scoring goals in the 20th, 44th, and 51st minutes along with a strike from Kyle Downes in the 82nd to get their team on even terms on four separate occasions after Trinity Moka had taken the lead four times in the contest via Jordan Charles in the fifth minute, Antonio Cole in the 30th, Malachi Roach in the 47th, and Mickel Raphael, in the 61st.
Tranquillity also had to overcome the expulsion of coach Marlon Phillip who was shown a second yellow card in the 73rd minute of the enthralling contest.
Today, action gets going in the East Zone where Five Rivers and Holy Cross meet in the lone preliminary round encounter at Warren Street, St Augustine from 3.30 pm for a spot in the zonal quarterfinal against San Juan North next Wednesday (November 9) at St Augustine.
Presentation College of San Fernando, the national Inter-Col champions start their campaign on November 10 in the quarterfinal round at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin against the winner of the South Zone preliminary clash between Point Fortin East and Fyzabad Anglican, which takes place tomorrow.
The meeting between Point Fortin East and Fyzabad Anglican takes place at Point Fortin while in the other zonal preliminary round match, Ste Madeleine faces Princes Town with the winner to face newly crowned national Premier Division “Big Five” League winners also on October 10 at Mahaica Oval from 3 pm.
Results (Yesterday)
North Zone
St Mary’s College 9 (Jamal Thomas 3, Kyle Phillip 3, Josiah Connell 2, Harrison Parks) vs Diego Martin Central Sec 0
Trinity College Moka 4 (Jordan Charles 5th, Antonio Cole 30th, Malachi Roach 47th, Mickel Raphael 61st) vs Tranquillity Sec 4 (Koby Morain 20th, 44th, 51st, Kyle Downes 82nd) - Tranquillity won 5-3 on penalty-kicks
Blanchisseuse Sec 5 (Abraham Kirk 3, Aaron Marcano 2) vs Mucurapo West 1 (Andwele Glasgow)
Upcoming matches (Preliminary Round)
Today (Wednesday, November 2)
East Zone
Five Rivers Sec vs Holy Cross College, St Augustine Grd, 3.30 pm
Tomorrow (Thursday, November 3)
South Zone
Ste Madeleine Sec vs Princes Town, Moruga Sports Complex, 3.30 pm
Pt Fortin East Sec vs Fyzabad Anglican Sec, Pt Fortin, 3.30 pm
Zonal Quarterfinals
Friday
North Zone
Fatima College vs Blanchisseuse Sec winner, CIC Grd, St Clair, 3.30 pm
QRC vs Trinity College Moka/Tranquillity Sec winner, Fatima Grd, 3.30 pm
East Mucurapo Sec vs St Anthony’s College, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 2 pm
Malick Sec vs St Mary’s College, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 4 pm
Monday, November 7
Central Zone
Miracle Ministries vs ASJA Boys (Charlieville), Arena Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
Presentation College vs Couva East Sec, Couva East Sec. Grd, 3.30 pm
Tobago Zone
Speyside High vs Goodwood, Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, 3 pm
Scarborough vs Signal Hill, Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, 5 pm
Mason Hall vs Roxborough
Bishop's High vs Pentecostal Light & Life
November 9
East Zone
San Juan North Sec vs Five Rivers Sec/Holy Cross College winner, St Augustine, 3.30 pm
St Augustine Sec vs Manzanilla Sec, El Dorado, 3.30 pm
Trinity College East vs Valencia Sec, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 1.30 pm
Arima North Sec vs El Dorado East Sec, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 3.30 pm
November 10
South Zone
St Benedict’s College vs Ste Madeleine Sec/Princes Town winner, Mahaica Oval, 3 pm
Presentation College vs Pt Fortin East Sec/Fyzabad Anglican Sec winner, Mahaica Oval, 5 pm
Naparima College vs Siparia West Sec, Moruga Sports Complex, 3 pm
Pleasantville Sec vs Moruga Sec, Moruga Sports Complex, 5 pm
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Transfer mix-up: Manzanilla Secondary removes student-athlete after four days
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
A student-athlete who thought he went through the proper procedure to transfer from St Anthony’s College to Manzanilla Secondary School is now being told otherwise.
The student, who lives in the east, said he wanted to transfer to Manzanilla Secondary for Upper Six to reduce the hours of travelling and help boost the school’s football programme.
The student’s father said his son applied online and was allegedly told by a school official that he was accepted. After attending the school for four days last week, the student was removed from class and told he would not be allowed on the compound until his situation was rectified.
To further complicate things, the student also played a game for the school in the east zone of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL). A meeting is expected to be held on Thursday to discuss the matter.
But the school official identified by the boy's parent is denying giving verbal approval about the transfer.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said: “I did not talk to the boy about the issue at all.
“We don’t have any information from the boy that came into the school. From my knowledge, he did not apply.”
Asked how the boy was assigned to a classroom and attended school for four days, the official said: "That is the embarrassing and foolish thing about the situation."
The boy's father said his son played an SSFL match for the school against Valencia Secondary at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground. He claimed that a day before the match, the school official said the transfer was successful.
The father said school books, uniforms and school supplies have already been bought for the new term.
He said his son's education is being affected by others involved in the matter.
“The whole thing is about ego. The coaches have ego and teachers not talking to teachers, and everybody doing their own thing, and everybody want to look good.
“I told the teacher yesterday (Tuesday) we might sweep this under the carpet today, but the next administration that comes after will go through the same thing.”
He claimed a Ministry of Education official had contacted him to let him know that the ministry had not approved the transfer request. He claimed the ministry official said a “small error” by the school caused some confusion.
The parent said a Manzanilla Secondary official decided to do their “own thing” and did not let the Ministry of Education official resolve the error.
“It is something within the school and certain people have their personal rift…Why you all putting the children through this.”
The parent is concerned that the school may be banned from the SSFL.
“We dealing with a whole team,” he said.
The father said his son’s chances of pursuing football abroad will also be affected.
“When you do that (you are denying someone a chance). He and the others who may be more inclined could get a scholarship. You don’t know how it could work out in their favour. It is an opportunity you taking away from them.”
Students transferring to schools to play football and cricket has been normalised over the years. As part of coaching, scouting for players to strengthen a team is now part of the job. However, there have been several instances where the proper procedures were not followed, resulting in a loss of points and other penalties.
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SSFL to Intercol - How did your team perform?
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian)
The 2022 edition of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football league (SSFL) season is over and St Benedict's College was deservedly crowned, champions after they defeated an inspired Fatima College by three goals to one in the final last Wednesday (October 26).
The final was witnessed by a large crowd despite the strange decision of the SSFL management to play the game on a Wednesday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva which, in normal circumstances, is a nightmare for commuters heading south after a working day. It was even worse with all the traffic going into Couva. Nevertheless, that did not deter the supporters, parents, friends, schoolmates, past students of either of these schools; and even fans who just wanted to be there, from attending the game.
For me, the two best schools got to the final. I had predicted from very early on that it would have been a St Benedict’s versus Fatima final with “Benedict’s” holding a slight advantage. This year, because of time constraints, the league was split into two groups with the winner and runner-up of Group A facing the winner and runner-up in Group B in the semi-finals. Then, the winners square off in the grand final.
It was probably the fairest way to split up the groups by looking back on how they finished in 2019 and all the odd numbers from one to 15 in a group and all the even numbers from two to 16 in the other group. The last two in each group would be relegated and a playoff between the second to last teams would be the third team to go down.
I would expect that next year, the SSFL would revert to one league with 16 teams meeting one another to determine the champions. It would be great, however, if at the end of the season, they could make way for some sort of big four tournaments. The winners and runners-up in the league meeting the winners and runners-up in the Intercol and if it is the same teams, then look at the semi-finalists or the teams finishing third and fourth. That being said, the level of interest created by the final this year was astonishing.
Let's look back at the highly successful league season. Firstly, compliments to the sponsors especially the major sponsor: Tiger Tanks. It is always great to see a sponsor putting their money where their mouth is and trying to work the sponsorship. They showed a keen interest in the running of the league and always had suggestions in trying to improve it. That is what sponsorship is all about - working with the organisation rather than just putting in your money and sitting back. Let us hope more sponsors come on board for 2023.
St Benedict’s was easily the best team. Offensively, they are dynamite from their captain Tarik Lee to star players like Darrel Garcia, Jeremiah Niles, Josiah Ochoa and Nicholas Bobcome. They are all comfortable and quick with the ball at their feet. If, however, you put them under pressure, they can make mistakes at the back but teams are worried to go at them and leave themselves exposed in defence. They are going to be difficult to beat in the Intercol once they don't become complacent.
Fatima is a good all-round team with an excellent keeper in Tristan Edwards. They are solid defensively but played too cautiously against St Benedict’s and did not turn over from defence into attack quickly enough to cause the La Romaine boys any significant concern. They have some good individual players and should do well in the Intercol once, like St Benedict’s, they don’t become complacent.
San Juan North Secondary is a good team and on their day can turn the tables on the big two. In Larry Noel, they have a marksman extraordinaire. He scores goals when you least expect them and, together with Lindell Sween, remains the backbone of the team. But the other players will have to step up for Intercol and make their presence felt or the other teams may well target their two main players and that may hurt San Juan.
Presentation College (San Fernando) was not as strong this year as in previous years but what they lack in talent, they make up for in terms of their structure and organisation. They are well-coached and on their day, can spring a surprise but they will have to work hard to defeat St Benedict’s if they meet in the Intercol. Missing their best player, Caleb Boyce, through injury has left a huge gap in their team.
Naparima College is also a good team but gave the champions too much respect and even when they were 1-0 down, they still adopted a cautious approach knowing they needed victory. They also possess some good individual players and will have to be a little more adventurous if they are to go deep into the Intercol competition.
To be brutally honest, the five aforementioned teams are head and shoulders above the other teams in the league and that is extremely worrying. In group A, Trinity College East looked the best of the rest with Jaheim Faustin up front who, if given opportunities, could give defenders problems. Defensively, they looked solid and lost three games by a 1-0 margin. They could be a dark horse for the Intercol.
QRC and Malick Secondary were largely disappointing. QRC leaked as many goals as they scored and in Aydon Caruth, they have a good player, but their problems stem from a leaky defence and they will concede against the better teams unless they come up with a different system. Malick was inconsistent; they played well for long periods against the more attractive teams but evidently could not sustain playing at a high level throughout the 90 minutes.
Chaguanas North, East Mucurapo and Moruga left a lot to be desired. They were completely outplayed and will have to look at their development programmes if they want to compete at the premiership level.
In Group A, two of the biggest let downs were St Augustine Secondary and St Anthony’s College - two schools with a remarkable footballing history. St Augustine will have to put a proper plan in place if they are to return while St Anthony’s has some talented players but seem to lack self-belief. Both schools are far too deep in tradition to fall to the depths of just a school making up numbers in a competition.
Across in the sister-isle, Speyside Secondary started well but faded away. I have always said that going to Tobago to play is always difficult but the Tobago system needs to be revamped and the players need to be coached better in all aspects of the game especially to understand their roles on the field. Carapichaima East was not in the same league as the top sides and Pleasantville was slightly better but a lot more work has to go into developing the younger players if these schools are to compete in the premiership division.
The Intercol preliminaries started on Tuesday and as usual, it is going to be an exciting tournament and a dark horse always seems to upset the fancied teams. Let's wait and see if we will get a surprise in this year's tournament. Good luck to all schools!
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QRC leaked as many goals as they scored and in Aydon Caruth, they have a good player, but their problems stem from a leaky defence and they will concede against the better teams unless they come up with a different system.
A very correct assessment of my alma mater.
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Point Fortin, St. Madeleine move on in InterCol with big wins
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
Point Fortin East and St Madeleine Secondary Schools marched on to the quarterfinal round of the Coca-Cola Intercol Play-Off in similar fashions yesterday in their respective South Zone matches of the Secondary Schools Football League.
Akiel Vasprey continued his rich goal-scoring form with a beaver trick to help Point Fortin East march on from the early round of the Intercol Play-Off, with a convincing 8-0 victory over Fyzabad Anglican Secondary at Clifton Hill.
Vasprey's goal-scoring asset had been the one thing that the Point Fortin men were hoping for, and they got it. His four goals were complimented by other items from Rickel Ramgosine, Ruben Phillip, Serryon Mitchell and Jamal Seepersad.
However, it now puts them in line to face southern champion Presentation College (San Fernando) in the first match of a doubleheader at Mahaica Oval on Thursday.
St Madeleine Secondary also moved on by virtue of hammering Princes Town Secondary, 7-0, courtesy of double strikes from Kiaheem Dyer and Kareem Stewart.
Jamali Barclay, Tyrell Dyette and Adriel Acheverro scored the other goals to complete their passage into the quarters, where they face an intimidating task against Tiger Tanks Premier Division champion St Benedict's College in the second match of a doubleheader at Mahaica.
Despite the unpredictability of the Intercol, St Madeleine coach Anton Quashie said they will be facing the storm after the calm.
Fatima begins quest for glory
Meanwhile, today in the North Zone, Fatima College, the losing finalist in the premier division final, will begin their campaign for Intercol glory against Blanchisseuse Secondary at St Mary's College from 3.30 pm, while at the same time, Queen's Royal College, considered under-achievers in the premier division, will begin their quest for Intercol success against Tranquility Secondary at Fatima College ground.
QRC was fourth in Group B of the premierships division and will be hoping to make amends, while Blanchisseuse will try to continue their winning ways, since beating Trinity College Moka in their opening match.
In two other matches, East Mucurapo and St Anthony's College will tangle in the first match of a doubleheader at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo from 2 pm, while at 4 pm- Malick Secondary will take on St Mary's College.
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SSFL suspends Manzan Sec over ineligible player.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
MANZANILLA Secondary School championship division football team have been suspended from the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) after fielding an ineligible player.
A media release on Thursday from the SSFL, said, "At the disciplinary committee of the SSFL held today please note the following decisions.
"Manzanilla Secondary's boys championship team has been suspended with immediate effect from the league. This is due to the fact that a person who was not a bona-fide student of the school according to the existing rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education played for the school."
The student, who lives in the east, said he wanted to transfer to Manzanilla Secondary for Upper Six to reduce his hours of travelling and help boost the school’s football programme.
The student’s father said his son applied online and was allegedly told by a school official he hsd been accepted. But after attending the school for four days, the student was removed from class and told he would not be allowed back until his status was regularised.
The student played a game for the school in the east zone of the SSFL. In a story in Thursday's Newsday, a school official identified by the boy's father denied giving oral approval of the transfer.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said: “I did not talk to the boy about the issue at all.
“We don’t have any information from the boy that came into the school. From my knowledge, he did not apply.”
Asked how the boy was assigned to a classroom and attended the new school for four days, the official said: "That is the embarrassing and foolish thing about the situation."
The boy's father said his son played an SSFL match for the school against Valencia Secondary at the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground. He claimed that a day before the match, the school official said the transfer was successful.
As also reported in the story on Thursday, the father of the student said he believes some of the teachers don't get along and this may have led to confusion over his son's transfer.
“It is something within the school and certain people have their personal rift…Why you all putting the children through this?”
He was concerned that the school might be banned from the SSFL.
“We dealing with a whole team,” he said.
The Intercol competition continues on Friday.
Fatima, the runners-up in the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership Division, will meet Blanchisseuse at the St Mary’s Ground, St Clair as the Coca-Cola Boys Intercol Zonal Quarter Finals (North Zone) begins.
This game will kick off at 3.30 pm, while, simultaneously, QRC will face Tranquillity at the Fatima Ground, Mucurapo.
In a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, East Mucurapo will square off against St Anthony’s from 2 pm and, two hours later, Malick will tackle St Mary’s.
On Tuesday, in the preliminary round, St Mary’s hammered Diego Martin Central 9-0 at the Fatima Ground, and Blanchisseuse whipped Mucurapo West 5-1 at the QRC Ground.
Also on Tuesday, Tranquility defeated Trinity Moka 4-2 via kicks from the penalty mark, after the scores were locked at 4-4 at the end of regulation time at the St Mary’s Ground.
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QRC and Tranquil battled to a 5-5 tie, With the Q going forward on 3-1 pks. Imagine leaking 5 against Tranquil. I have my doubts. Saints were eliminated by Malick. The had a fantastic season. QRC now faces Malick
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QRC, Mucurapo survive, reach North semis
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
Queen’s Royal College (QRC) barely survived when playing out a ten-goal thriller against Championship Division Tranquility Secondary However, defending champions St Anthony’s College exited the North Zone Coca Cola InterCol at the quarter-final stage following a 7-6 penalty kicks defeat to East Mucurapo Secondary yesterday at the Hasely Crawford stadium.
Both matches ended level and were decided by kicks from the penalty spot. St Anthony’s lost a two-goal advantage when drawing 2-2 with East Mucurapo, a match with late-action drama, but coming nowhere close to matching the thriller on Fatima College Ground.
There, QRC defeated lower division Tranquility 3-1 on spot kicks, having never led, as the teams played to a 5-5 draw over the 90-minute regulation period. QRC had their hands full on Fatima ground, where both Tranquil’s Ronaldinho Richards and QRC captain Aydon Caruth scored hat-tricks. Premier Division QRC never led, and had a torrid time controlling Tranquillity’s ‘Ronaldinho’ - the little number ten continually breaking down the Royalians’ best defensive efforts and also forcing a QRC goalkeeper change late in the match.
Coached by former National defender Radanfah Abu Bakr, Tranquility twice led by two goals in the second half, before the Kenwyne Jones-coached QRC ended level at 5-5 when Mussadiq Mohammed forced in a close-up rebound with four minutes left in the 90-minute regulation period.
The Championship Division boys drew first blood just past the half hour mark, a low shot from Richards, and Jamal Jemmott’s penalty kick had them up 2-1, while QRC replied each time with quality goals from their captain, as the first half ended 2-2.
The shootout continued in the second half, with Tranquility building a 4-2 lead, before Caruth provided another quality finish to complete his hat-trick for 4-3.
Having given Tranquility the early second half advantage, Richards completed his hat-trick and restored Tranquil’s two-goal lead at 5-3 with a lobbed shot after seeing the QRC goalie off his line. Micah Nelson took Caruth’s cross and squeezed the ball in at the first post as QRC rallied to 5-4 and another Nelson shot was parried into the path of Mohammed, who forced the ball in as the Royalians pulled level at 5-5 with just about four minutes left in regulation time.
Meanwhile, following an unmemorable, low quality, goalless first half; the action at Hasely Crawford stadium only became lukewarm in the second half between East Mucurapo and the “Tigers.” However, Mucurapo recovered from two goals down to pull level at 2-2 via a penalty, scored with just about 30 seconds left in added-on time.
Goalkeeper Dayshawn Alexander allowed a floater by the left-back Joachim Calllender to slip through his grasp, and St Anthony’s were ahead at 1-0 in the opening moments of the second half. Mucurapo would have been level except for the good work of goalkeeper German Jackson, who was twice quickly off his line to repeal raids on his goal.
St Anthony’s went further ahead at 2-0, through Jeremy Bobb, who wriggled out of a tackle and forced in a low shot, but Shurland Callender kept Mucurapo alive at 2-1 with a back post header from a corner kick. With those 30 seconds left of the four minutes given for added-on time, Mucurapo captain Khidr Atiba converted a penalty, following a ball-handling infringement. With momentum in their favour, East Mucurapo went on to win a long penalty shootout, which saw the Tigers hit the crossbar with their final two kicks.
QRC will now meet Malick Secondary, while Fatima College face East Mucurapo in the North InterCol semi-finals.
RESULTS
Queen’s Royal College 5 Tranquility Government 5 (QRC win 3-1 on penalties)
East Mucurapo Government 2 St Anthony’s College 2 (East Mucurapo win 7-6 on penalties)
Makick Secondary 3 St Mary College 1
Fatima 10 Blanchisseuse 0
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Chaves scores hat-trick as Fatima demolishes Blanchisseuse 11-0.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Fatima College, beaten in the final of the Tiger Tanks Secondary School Football League's Premier Division League, stormed back with a detrimental display in the Coca-Cola Intercol play-off, by demolishing Blanchisseuse Secondary School 11-0 at the St Mary's College ground on Serpentine Road yesterday.
Michael Chaves led the scoring with a hat-trick and both Aidan De Gannes and Kade Collier netted a brace each in the win. Fatima, as expected, dominated from start to finish in the encounter, scoring almost anytime they attacked.
Apart from Chaves, De Gannes and Collier, the other goals for the Mucurapo Road lads came from Christian Bailey, Khiba Romany, Joshua Mason and Logan Maingot.
Meanwhile, both Queen's Royal College (QRC) and East Mucurapo came from behind in their respective matches to seal quarterfinal spots in the north zone.
At the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, East Mucurapo trailed by two goals in the second half but stormed back to win from the penalty spot 5-4 against St Anthony's College.
Known as 'The Tigers', St Anthony's got goals on each side of the half from Joachim Callender and Jeremy Bobb. But as the match approached the end, Maalik Jarvis pulled one goal back from a header at the back post, before Jarrel Brewster converted from the penalty spot to make it 2-2 in time added on, when St Anthony's Russel Francois was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
The game had to be settled from the spot and Kayshawn Hutchinson's miss for St Anthony's cancelled out an earlier miss by East Mucurapo's Mickel Toussaint.
However, Brewster scored in sudden-death penalties to send the Mucurapo men in front, while St Anthony's Anthony Samuel sent his attempt crashing against the woodwork to ensure that East Mucurapo advanced to the quarterfinals.
At Fatima College ground, QRC came from behind to tie the match against Tranquility in a high-scoring match 5-5. They later prevailed 3-1 from the penalty spot, courtesy of an almost perfect display from the spot for the Royalians, coupled with three missed attempts by the Tranquility men, who only recently defeated Trinity College 4-2 on penalties in their opening Intercol match.
In another match, Malick also advanced to the quarterfinals by beating St Mary's, 3-1, in the second match of a doubleheader at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Results
Fatima 11 (Michael Chaves 3, Aidan De Gannes 2, Kade Collier 2, Christian Bailey, Khiba Romany, Joshua Mason, Logan Maingot) vs Blanchisseuse 0
QRC 5 vs Tranquility Sec- 5 (QRC prevailed 3-1 on penalties)
Malick 3 vs St Mary's College 1
East Mucurapo 2 vs St Anthony's 2 (East Mucurapo won 5-4 on penalties)
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Own goals while searching for SSFL glory
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
SCHOOL days are the best days of one's life. And sporting success with one's school team, cheered on by your peers, makes for beautiful memories.
There is tremendous rivalry among school teams in football and cricket, the two most popular sports locally.
For decades, sporting programmes have been part of schools' curricula, sometimes overshadowing the academic programme. Eager for success, schools have been beefing up their teams with talent from other schools. Secondary school students transferring for sporting reasons has been a popular trend for decades.
Unfortunately, at times, students are allowed to represent school teams without the necessary exam passes, or proper procedures are not followed in completing a transfer. Also in recent years, teams have not followed the rules in terms of who is eligible to play for their school team, which has ended up in schools being penalised.
Is there a student-athlete policy?
The Ministry of Education does not have a student-athlete policy in place and students who transfer primarily for sports are treated as a regular transfer.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Ministry of Education official told Newsday: "There is no special transfer. We don’t transfer students just to play sport. The regular procedure across the board applies.”
The official said if a student wants to transfer to a school, the child’s parent or guardian must complete the necessary paperwork.
“Nothing special for persons (who) just want to transfer to play sport or play cricket…There is no special policy as it refers to transferring students who are playing football or cricket. The same standard transfer applies across the board.”
A football team manager from a SSFL premier division team said his school allows students to transfer in lower forms (Form Two primarily) so they will understand the culture of the school.
Those students are required to sit a written exam to ensure their grades are of a certain standard. He said this helps gauge if the students can cope with the workload.
“At the end of the day, you want to ensure the boys are capable of matching up with the other students in the school and could cope with the work. They are student-athletes – student first.
“We don’t take in many boys externally for A-Levels, more so (for) sports.”
He added, “It is the only thing (education) that will last you a lifetime.”
He said the school encourages their players to aim high.
“Plenty players I have seen in Trinidad go to army and police because of Pro League football. They getting a job and they getting to play football (for the army and police teams). I think plenty of them better than that if they push themselves.”
The team manager said the SSFL acceptance standard for Sixth Form must be revisited.
“In the SSFL now, you allowed a minimum of four passes to play Secondary Schools (Football)… you pass four O-Levels, but you are going to do four A-Level (subjects)? It doesn’t add up to me.”
He said that with the current rules, students will struggle with the volume of work in sixth form.
Asked what would motivate teams to try to bend and even break SSFL rules, he said: “The premiership (title) only recently increased to about $25,000, Intercol is $12,000. The money you winning is nowhere close to the money you going to spend.”
Instances where schools were punished
In the latest incident, a Manzanilla secondary school fielded an ineligible player in the championship division.
A media release on Thursday from the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), said, "Manzanilla Secondary's boys' championship team has been suspended with immediate effect from the league. This is due to the fact that a person who was not a bona-fide student of the school according to the existing rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education played for the school."
The student’s father said his son applied online and was allegedly told by a school official he had been accepted into Upper Six. But after attending the school for four days, the student was removed from class and told he would not be allowed back until his status was regularised.
In 2017, Fyzabad Secondary were banned during the SSFL season after the school was found guilty of registering two players whose academic certificates had been falsified.
After the students “attained” the required four subjects, the Ministry of Education had granted the students places in Lower Six, which paved their way to participate in the SSFL. However, after investigation, the SSFL determined the two students did not have the necessary qualifications and the documents to gain admission into Lower Six were fraudulent.
William Wallace, then SSFL president, had encouraged schools to be honest in accepting players in Sixth Form.
“We can only appeal to all persons, all stakeholders to make sure that they check their information properly – that they be honest – that is all that we can do,” he said.
Also in the 2017 SSFL season, Shiva Boys' Hindu College were also punished by having 17 points deducted for fielding two players improperly registered for the season.
One Shiva Boys player participated in a Super League game for Marabella Crisis Centre andanother played for Siparia Angels in the Southern Football Association.
Both games were on September 2, 2017 before the start of the SSFL season. The SSFL rules say players must seek clearance from the league to play in other leagues after August 31. As a result, Shiva Boys were relegated to the championship division next season after losing so many points.
The rules are available for all
SSFL president Merere Gonzales, discussing the recent incident involving Manzanilla Secondary, said it was "highly regrettable, very sad (and) extremely unfortunate."
Gonzales said all schools know the rules.
“All members are so reminded to read and continuously peruse the rules and regulations so that they can avoid breaching them.”
Gonzales said transfers fall under the Ministry of Education and not the SSFL.
“The SSFL is not held responsible for the transferring of students. Please bear in mind the SSFL, like all other sporting disciplines under the Ministry of Education, we fall under the statutes of the MOE…any request for a transfer from one school to the next must be viewed, approved and sanctioned by the Ministry of Education.”
Gonzales said people are not always trying to intentionally get an unfair advantage, saying mistakes happen.
“I must say that I really don’t think it is primarily because of malicious and dishonest behaviour by those involved. I don’t think it is 100 per cent like that…there is also where persons naively and unknowingly just assume that things are proper and correct and therefore they don’t sometimes read as much as they ought to.”
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Scarborough girls, Bishop’s High boys take Tobago SSFL titles
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Scarborough Secondary and Bishop’s High School were crowned champions of their respective Tobago Zone Girls and Boys Tiger Tank Secondary Schools Football League Girls’ and Boys’ Championship Division at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago, on Thursday.
In the day’s opener, Scarborough Secondary defeated long-time rivals Signal Hill Secondary 3-1 in the Girls’ final.
Scarborough went ahead as early as the 12th minute when a free-kick from J’Eleisha Alexander was fumbled over the line by the opposing goalkeeper, but within four minutes, Lei-Marie Balfour got Signal Hill back on level terms in the 80-minutes contest.
Four minutes before the half-time whistle, Shakira Charles restored Scarborough’s advantage with a right-footed effort from inside the 18-yard box while Kellecia Taylor added the third item with a long-range effort in the 78th.
With the win, Scarborough Secondary secured their spot in the National SSFL Girls Championship Division ‘Big-Five’ where they join Holy Name Convent (North Zone), and Five Rivers Secondary (East Zone) as the teams already qualified, with the Central Zone, and South Zone champions for the national league playoffs still to be decided.
Goalkeeper Mc Eachnie stars in Bishop’s High
Goalkeeper Kristeon Mc Eachnie was the hero for Bishop’s High School, pulling off three straight penalty-kicks shoot-out saves to earn his team a 3-2 shoot-out win over Mason Hall Secondary after both teams had battled to a 1-1 draw in the second match at Bacolet.
After a goalless first-half, Kaieem Lewis fired Bishop’s High ahead in the 54th and that goal looked like enough for his team to lift the coveted title, only for Rickeldi Williams to pounce in the 88th minute to get Mason Hall a deserved equaliser to send the match into extra-time.
Both teams then failed to find a winner in the two ten-minute halves before the drama unfolded in the penalty shoot-out with Mason Hall goalkeeper Neon Walker saving Bishop’s High first two attempts while his team-mates scored their first two, for a 2-0 lead.
It was then the turn of Mc Eachnie to come up trumps for the league round-robin table-toppers Bishop’s High as he then denied the next three efforts from Mason Hall while his compatriots scored to secure a 3-2 shootout triumph, and with it the zonal crown to join St Mary’s College (North), Arima North Secondary (East), Miracle Ministries (Central) and Siparia West Secondary (South) in the Big-Five round-robin series which began on Saturday last with the “Saints” beating Miracle Ministries 5-1.
At the end of the round-robin series, the top three schools will gain promotion back to the SSFL Premier Division where they will replace the already demoted duo of St Augustine Secondary and Moruga Secondary along with the loser of the playoff between the two seventh-placed teams from each Premier Division groups.
East Mucurpao is already assured of competing in the playoff as the seventh-placed finisher from Group B of the Premier Division and will come up against one from St Anthony’s College, Carapichaima East, and Pleasantville Secondary in their playoff with the loser being the third team to be demoted.
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Fatima clinch SSFL North Zone Under-13 crown.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).
FATIMA clinched the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) North Zone Under-13 crown on Saturday, after defeating St Mary’s 2-0 at the St Mary’s Ground, St Clair.
The Fatima team got a goal apiece from Reagan Rowe and Lucas Shaw.
During the 2022 season, Fatima were joined by Trinity Moka, QRC, East Mucurapo and Diego Martin Central in Group A, while St Mary’s and St Anthony’s were the only remaining teams in Group B.
Fatima and Trinity Moka finished top of Group A with ten points apiece, and the same goal-difference, hence a playoff was required to determine the group winners.
Both Fatima and Trinity Moka played to a 2-2 draw in the playoff, but Fatima prevailed 6-5 via kicks from the penalty spot.
The squad, which is coached by Damien Frederick, with Kerdyn Moe as his assistant, will now turn their attention towards the SSFL North Zone knockout competition, as well as the National knockout contest.
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Pres Chaguanas, Miracle Ministries advance to Intercol Central Zone semis.
T&T Newsday Reports.
THE semifinals for this season’s Central Zone Coca-Cola Intercol competition were decided on Monday afternoon when Presentation College (Chaguanas) and Miracle Ministries High School won their respective quarterfinal matches.
Pres Chaguanas booked their place in the last four with a slender 2-1 victory against Couva East Secondary at their opponent’s home ground.
In the other quarterfinal, the boys in purple – Miracle Ministries – defeated ASJA Boys’ College (Charlieville) 4-2 at Arena Recreation Ground in Freeport.
Miracle Ministries will now go on to face last season’s Central Zone Championship winners, Chaguanas North Secondary at the Ato Boldon Stadium. Pres Chaguanas will then face Carapichaima East Secondary, at the same venue.
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QRC to face Fatima in InterCol ‘North’ final
T&T Express
QUEEN’S ROYAL COLLEGE will face this season’s Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League runners-up, Fatima College, in next Friday’s Coca-Cola InterCol North Zone final, to be played at Hasely Crawford Stadium from 4 p.m.
Yesterday’s North semis saw QRC come from a goal down to defeat Malick Secondary 2-1, before Fatima completed a 8-0 rout of East Mucurapo Secondary, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
It was routine work for Fatima, leading 4-0 at the end of the first half through Michael Chaves, Khiba Romany, Jaden Williams and Alihah Nunes before adding another four more in the second half.
Meanwhile, QRC had to work much harder, before completing a season double over Malick, having also won 4-2 when the teams met at Serpentine Road earlier in the league season.
Malick had the better of the first 45 minutes and QRC won the second half of a match that never reached high quality. However, all three goals scored were well-taken. Right midfielder Jahsima Duncan gave Malick a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute before QRC replied with second half items from striker Masaddiq Mohammed in the 52nd minute and vice-captain and centre-midfielder Nathan Quashie in the 81st minute.
“I think it the first time in five years that QRC have been able to get to the North Zone final. That is phenomenal,” stated QRC head-coach Kenwyne Jones, the former English Premier League striker, who is plying his trade as a coach in the schools’ league.
The boys from Coconut Drive, Morvant, led in spectacular fashion when Duncan spectacularly found the net with a shot from just inside the half-line centre-circle, after spotting QRC goalkeeper Christiano Austin off his line. Malick had a couple of chances to put the match away from a QRC team, which throughout the season have been capable on attack, but woefully fragile at the back, especially down the middle.
Striker Lendelle Baptiste looked set for his second after he ghosted down centre of QRC’s defence, before his curling shot was impressively turned past the post by keeper Austin — surely a match-saving moment. That opened the way for QRC to rally, first restoring parity when striker Mohammed put an accurate low, left-footer, inside the far post after a free-kick which deflected nicely into his path. With both teams pushing for an advantage, Malick twice had opportunities to take a lead, with J’Lon Mathew and Tyrese both failing to score from close-up.
What was to come was Quashie’s spectacular winner, the ball rolling across the top of the penalty area, where the eventual Man of the Match flicked it up and unleashed a powerful volley, which beat the best efforts of Malick goalkeeper Maheim Affan, crashing high into the net.
QRC head-coach Jones thought the only difference between the teams was Quashie’s spectacular winner, but credited his players for the fight in the second half in which they finished the stronger team.
“Nathan Quashie scored a beautiful goal on the volley. It was something we practised,” said Jones, adding, “Throughout the season we get the inconsistency from the players. But this afternoon I have to say kudos for the way that we won the game at the end.”
Yesterday’s results:
North Zone semi-finals
Queen’s Royal College 2 vs Malick Secondary 1
Fatima College 8 vs East Mucurapo Secondary 0
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Fellas, meh Alma mater keep surprising me.
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Chaguanas North, Carapichaima East reach Central final.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Chaguanas North Secondary and Carapichaima East Secondary will contest the Central Zone final of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League Inter-Col at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on November 21 from 3.30 pm.
This is after both teams registered contrasting semifinal wins at the same venue, on Monday.
In the opening semifinal, Chaguanas North ran out comfortable 7-0 victors against Presentation College of Chaguanas led by two goals each from Jaqwan Benjamin, and Nathan George, while Lee-Van David, Aaron Raymond, and Zaiden James added one each.
Carapichaimas East also made light work of Championship Division winners, Miracle Ministries with a triumph 6-1 spanking inspired by a hattrick from Kaedon Thomas-Robertson and one apiece from Josiah Hypolite, Ethan Trotman, and Tyrese David.
Today, the East and Tobago Zone semifinals will take place at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, and Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, respectively.
At Malabar, San Juan North faces long-time rival St Augustine at 1.30 pm, followed by Trinity College East and Championship Division winners Arima North, two hours later with the winners to meet on Tuesday, November 22 at the same venue from 4 pm.
At Bacolet, from 3 pm, Speyside comes up against Signal Hill in the opener while Tobago league champion Bishop's High battles Mason Hall in a repeat of their zonal league decider from 5 pm.
Yesterday's results
Central Zone semifinals
Chaguanas North 7 (Jaqwan Benjamin 2, Nathan George 2, Lee-Van David, Aaron Raymond, Zaiden James) vs Presentation (Chaguanas) 0
Carapichaima East (Josiah Hypolite, Kaedon Thomas-Robertson 3, Ethan Trotman, Tyrese David) vs Miracle Ministries 1
Semifinal matches
Today
East Zone (At Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)
San Juan North vs St Augustine, 1.30 pm
Trinity East vs Arima North, 3.30 pm
Tobago Zone (Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet)
Speyside vs Signal Hill, 3 pm
Mason Hall Sec vs Bishop's High, 5 pm
Wednesday
South Zone (Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva)
St Benedict's vs Moruga, 1.30 pm
Presentation (San F'do) vs Naparima, 3.30 pm
RELATED NEWS
Chaguanas North vs Carapichaima East in Central Intercol final.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).
CHAGUANAS NORTH and Carapichaima East will square off in the Coca-Cola Boys Intercol Zonal final, next Monday, at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, after they each registered lopsided victories in their semi-final matches on Monday.
Chaguanas North trounced Presentation Chaguanas 7-0 and Carapichaima East breezed past Miracle Ministries 6-1, in their respective semis.
Presentation Chaguanas, once the powerhouses in the Central Zone, during the 2000s, are a shadow of their former self and, in a nationally and regionally televised game, they offered literally no resistance to a rampaging Chaguanas North outfit.
It took Chaguanas North until the 20th minute to open the scoring, when their captain Lee-Vann David sent a header over the reach of goalkeeper Dillon Balkaran, after a corner was not cleared by the defence.
Jakwan Benjamin netted the second item three minutes later, with a low right-footed shot from 25 metres out. Arron Raymond, who was free as a bird in the penalty box, collected a pass from Christian Richards and drilled home a shot past the flat-footed Balkaran.
A minute into the second half, Chaguanas North registered their fourth goal when Nathan George skipped past the pair of Ramone Sawh and Kriston Sookdeo and poked home a left-footed shot past the advancing keeper.
Benjamin got his second goal two minutes later, with a right-footed shot beyond the reach of the diving keeper. George made it 6-0 in the 56th, after he wrong-footed Kevin Samaroo and finished from close range.
Substitute Zaiden James wrapped up the scoring in the 68th, slotting home from ten metres out after collecting a pass from Benjamin.
Kaedon Robertson netted a hat-trick as Carapichaima East brushed aside Miracle Ministries in the latter game of the double-header.
Josiah Hypolite broke the deadlock in the ninth minute, with a low freekick which crept past the wall and under the meek dive of goalie Yolandro Brereton.
On the half-hour mark, Robertson unleashed a right-footed shot which was too hot to handle for Brereton.
Ethan Trotman made it 3-0 eight minutes later, with a header, from a Hypolite cross, which was poorly handled by Brereton.
In the 43rd, Tyrese David got his name on the scoresheet, as he chested a long ball, turned on his marker and finished with a powerful right-footed effort.
Robertson wrapped up his treble in the second half – in the 57th he met a cross from Hypolite and neatly tucked home his left-footed shot and, in the 75th, he hit home a rebound after substitute goalie Kieron Guy (who replaced an injured Brereton in the 62nd), tipped a defensive clearance from Miqel Samuel onto the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Jaden French got Miracle Ministries’ consolation, with a right-footed shot from inside the penalty box.
The Intercol Zonal semi-finals will continue on Tuesday, in the East Zone, at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, with Trinity East facing St Augustine from 1.30 pm and San Juan North opposing Arima two hours later.
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San Juan, Trinity advance to East Intercol final
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
San Juan North Secondary advanced to the East Zone Coca-Cola Intercol final on Tuesday from the penalty spot, 7-6, over Championship Division campaigners Arima North at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima.
They will now meet Trinity College East, another Premier Division team that prevailed over St Augustine 3-0 in the earlier match of a doubleheader. The Arouca lads got goals from Khaleem Prince, Jeremiah Frank-Williams and Jaheim Faustin to clear the way for a showdown for the title against San Juan North next Wednesday at the same venue from 3.30 pm.
In Tobago, Signal Hill upset Speyside High 2-1 to set up a final contest with Mason Hall, which defeated Bishops High School.
Arima North, unbeaten throughout their campaign to date, was hoping for an upset against one of the giants of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), and under coach Lyndon Andrews, they made a brave start with an attempt to play open football.
However, San Juan flexed its muscles with the opener in the 12th minute, courtesy of a quickly taken free-kick in the centre of the Arima half. Skilful San Juan midfielder Lindell Sween caught Arima goalie Isaiah Diaz napping with a thunderous drive from some 25 yards out that bounced awkwardly in front of him before flying into the back of the net.
The goal appeared to have been the start of early San Juan's dominance, despite Arima's battling effort. Still, with Arima midfielder Jemaul Ashing attempting to spur his team on, Sween nearly pushed his team further ahead from another long-range shot that cannoned off the crossbar before bouncing to safety in the 28th minute.
Larry Noel, the scorer of more than a dozen of the San Juan North's goals this season, was kept at bay for most of the half until Sween released him into the Arima danger area but he could not find his goal-scoring touch, firing the ball just wide of the opened goal in the 39th minute.
The teams went to the half-time interval with Premier Division powerhouse San Juan leading by a solitary item and upon the resumption, Arima North received renewed energy that led to the equaliser in the 55th minute.
Ashing in the centre of the park, picked out Malachi Noreiga on the right side, who then delivered perfectly for the unmarked Ricardo Jones to turn the ball into the net for a 1-1 scoreline.
San Juan, appearing to have lost the sting which saw them qualify for the semifinal of the Tiger Tanks Premier Division play-off last month, restored their advantage courtesy of a build-up between Sween and Kedell Jones, that eventually landed at the feet of an unmarked Noel in the Arima area. But this time, Noel took his time and placed the ball beyond the advancing Diaz into the Arima goal for a 2-1 margin in the 71st minute.
However, it did not spell the end for the "Dial Dynamos", as the Arima team is called. A through-ball aimed Ashing, was cleared by defender Joshua Lewis, but only as far as substitute Devin Seales, who composed himself and slotted the ball into an empty net in the 77th minute for a 2-2 tie.
The match was then settled from the penalty spot where both teams were tied at 5-5 after the first five kicks, before Arima's Nicholas Torres scuffed his shot in sudden-death, to enable Kent Guy to score the winner.
In the sister isle, meanwhile, Signal Hill and Mason Hall will contest the final after respective victories. Premier Division contender Speyside was edged 2-1 by Signal Hill, while Mason Hall and Bishop's High got double strikes from Rickeldi Williams and Aaron James, respectively, in a 2-2 tie before Mason Hall prevailed 4-3 from the penalty spots.
In the South Zone on Wednesday, Tiger Tanks Premier Division champion St Benedict's College will go after their second title this afternoon when they take on Moruga in the first match of a doubleheader at 1.30 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva. In the other match from 3.30 pm, Presentation College, San Fernando, Tiger Tanks Cup winner at the beginning of the season, will come up against Naparima College.
Results
East Zone
Trinity College East 3 (Khaleem Prince 22nd, Jeremiah Frank-Williams 39th, Jaheim Faustin 69th) vs St Augustine 0
San Juan North 2 (Lindell Sween 12th, Larry Noel 71st) vs Arima North (Ricardo Jones 55th, Devin Seales 77th). San Juan won 7-6 on penalties.
Tobago Zone
Signal Hill Sec 2 (D'Reem Taylor, Khyllon Des Vignes) vs Speyside High 1 (Jaheim Trimm 25th)
Bishop's High 2 (Aaron James 2) vs Mason Hall Sec 2 (Rickeldi Williams 2). Mason Hall won 4-3 on penalties.
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Benedict’s, Pres Sando set up Battle of the Lions in South intercol final
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)
AFTER two long years since the last competition, the Coca-Cola Intercol's South Zone semifinals returned in roaring fashion as two feisty prides of Lions devoured their helpless prey at the Ato Boldon, Couva, on Wednesday evening.
The La Romaine Lions – St Benedict’s College – and the Pres Lions – Presentation College (San Fernando) – both advanced to the South Zone Intercol final after defeating Moruga Secondary and Naparima College 10-0 and 1-0, respectively.
In the first game of the afternoon, the current Tiger Tanks Premiership champions, St Benedict’s College, mauled the boys from the depths of the southland without mercy.
Leading by example, captain Tarik Lee opened the scoring in the 13th minute as he cheekily rolled the ball past the Moruga goalkeeper, and viscously banged the ball into the empty net.
Nine minutes later, the La Romaine Lions doubled their lead as Lee attempted a shot towards goal, which the goalkeeper saved, but the ball ricocheted onto Moruga defender, Justin Ochoa, and flew in between the posts.
It only took 16 seconds after the break for St Benedict’s to net a third. Mercurial striker, Nicholas Bobcombe, muscled his way through the Moruga defence and clinically placed the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper.
Derrel Garcia made it 4-0 to the Lions in the 50th minute when he received a one-two pass from teammate Josiah Ochoa, and he rifled the ball into the top right corner.
Ochoa made it 5-0 just two minutes after when he headed in a cross delivered by Bobcombe from the right flank. Lee scored his second in the 58th minute via a smart left-footed finish from 10 yards out to make it 6-0.
Ochoa headed in St Benedict’s seventh of the afternoon from a right-sided corner kick in the 72nd minute. He then turned provider seven minutes later as he played a well-weighted through-ball to Jaden Grant, who coolly slotted home to make it 8-0.
The Lions scored yet again from a corner kick in the 80th min as Rayshawn Crichlow found himself in open space and tapped the ball in from six yards out for St Benedict’s ninth goal.
Eight minutes from full time, Bobcombe capitalised on a defensive mistake from the Moruga backline to make it a resounding ten goals to nil, as the La Romaine Lions comfortably marched on to their first South Zone Intercol final since 2014.
The second semifinal showcased the San Fernando Derby between bitter rivals Presentation College and Naparima College. It was a fixture that proved to be tight as both teams struggled to break each other down.
Naparima’s Omari Campbell was close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute when he received an excellent pass from Kanye Francis and fired a shot towards goal, but Presentation goalkeeper, Kanye Lazarus, pulled off a brilliant save – one of many – to deny the Naparima striker.
In a feisty game that seemed like a chess match, the match-winner came in first-half stoppage time as Presentation captain, Dantaye Gilbert, powerfully headed the ball into the back of the net from a right-sided corner kick.
Expressing their discontent after the goal, the Naparima players believed that the corner kick should not have been given in the first place, as it seemed like the ball was last played by the Presentation attacker.
To add to the controversy, assistant referee Yarin Gosine initially signalled for a goal kick. However, referee Kerwin Colley overruled his colleague and awarded Presentation the corner kick.
The teams went into the break with Presentation leading 1-0.
Referee Colley was in the midst of the storm once again in the 59th minute when he waved away a penalty appeal by the Naparima players after Nathaniel O’Garro was impeded by Presentation’s Cody Cooper in the penalty area. Television replays suggested that Naparima had a solid case as Cooper was seemingly guilty of fouling the Naparima number nine.
Colley denied Naparima another penalty in the 71st minute when he declared no foul against Joel Maitland-Wilson on Kanye Francis in the penalty area. Maitland-Watson attempted a challenge where his boot made contact with Francis’ shin, and felled the Naparima attacker. However, the challenge was deemed fair enough to play on as Francis seemed to have already been falling.
Despite heavy Naparima pressure, Presentation, the current Intercol champions, held off their resilient rivals to give themselves an opportunity to defend their South Zone title in next week’s championship match.
In a rage-filled post-match interview, Naparima coach, Travis Mulraine stated, “The team fell short because of the referee. The referee decided the game and he didn’t allow the players to decide the game.”
“Of course, we didn’t finish our chances, but referees should never make mistakes that cost a team the game.”
He continued, “They (the referees) are only human, but their mistakes must not influence the outcome of the game – and that is what happened today.”
In his post-match interview, the winning coach, Shawn Cooper, expressed, “I told you all (the media), that late October coming into November, you will start to see the best of this young team; we are starting to go in that direction.”
“It will be a large mountain to climb against St Benedict’s, (which shows that) the south zone is the most difficult zone to qualify from. We have to regroup, do a lot of work (to prepare for the final).”
The two Lions will meet for the second time this season on November 25 to compete for the coveted crown. In the previous fixture, St Benedict’s defeated their rivals 5-3 in the Premiership semifinals earlier this season.
The Coca-Cola Intercol South Zone final will be played at the Ato Boldon, kicking off at 3.30pm.
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Friday, I hope my Alma Mater all the best. Ah Boom Alack, Ah Boom Alack. Who are WE. We are the Boys from QRC. No No No Fatima No! QRC We Want ah (friggin) Goal!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.
Honestly, this year Fatima has the better team by far.
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Friday, I hope my Alma Mater all the best. Ah Boom Alack, Ah Boom Alack. Who are WE. We are the Boys from QRC. No No No Fatima No! QRC We Want ah (friggin) Goal!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.
Honestly, this year Fatima has the better team by far.
Salt !
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Fatima blasts nervous QRC 5-0 for North Intercol title.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
A plethora of defensive blunders by the QRC defence, coupled with an unquenchable thirst by the Fatima attackers, gifted the latter the North Zone Intercol title on Friday 5-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo in Port-of-Spain.
The Royalians, expected to be no match for their more superior opponents, appeared to have been unsurprisingly eager to hand the title to their Mucurapo Road counterparts, courtesy of basic blunders in their defence for a team in the Premier Division of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League.
The game was just two minutes old when Fatima took the lead. Christian Bailey raced on to a lifted pass on the right flank and whipped the ball in for the unmarked Michael Chaves. However, a mix-up between goalkeeper Christiano Austin and defender Phillip Gray, gifted an almost surprised Chaves the ball to steer into an empty net for the 1-0 Fatima advantage.
Thereafter, it was all Fatima, dominating all departments of the game. In the 15th minute, Bailey was again the architect of his team's second goal. He picked out Chaim Williams lurking at the back post with a lifted pass and the latter, under no pressure from the QRC defence, calmly slipped the ball under the legs of the advancing Austin at his first post for a 2-0 lead.
By then the game had been dead and buried, as the Royalians struggle continued. Their attempt to convert defence into attack in the 24th minute cost them dearly. Phillip, on the right side of QRC's defence, was then robbed of the ball by Bailey as he lazily approached a back pass.
Bailey then raced into the QRC penalty area and slipped the ball past the hapless Austin for a 3-0 advantage.
The Royalians, credited for twice winning after going behind against Tranquility and Malick recently, thought they could have had a repeat when a one-two down the left flank saw Kaylon Tuckett centre for the oncoming Nathan Quashie. But with all the time in the world, Quashie failed to control the ball as he hit it high over the crossbar.
Four minutes from the half-time interval, Chaves added his second goal of the game. Austin, from the goal kick, lashed it to Zakari King, who in return sent the ball back to him. Austin then handed the ball to Chaves under pressure, and the talented Chaves just had to hit the ball into the empty net for the 4-0 lead, as they went to the break.
Coach Kenwyne Jones employed a more defensive strategy in the second half and it helped QRC stem the flow of goals from the constant pursuit of the Fatima men.
However, the Royalians could not prevent the fifth goal in time added on, when Austin went low to keep out Bailey's shot but pushed it into the path of Alijah Nunes to complete the rout.
Afterwards, Fatima coach Hutson Charles said they are aiming at the national Intercol title and they will be ready to take on anybody they come up against.
Results
Fatima 5 (Michael Chaves 2nd, 41st, Chaim Williams 15th, Christian Bailey 24th, Alijah Nunes 90+2) vs QRC 0
RELATED NEWS
Fatima thump QRC for North Intercol title
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
THE agony of a second-place finish in the Secondary Schools Football League premiership tournament was used by head coach Hutson Charles to spur on his Fatima team ahead of the North Zone Intercol final on Friday. It seemed to work as Fatima defeated Queen’s Royal College (QRC) 5-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
Fatima lost to St Benedict’s College 3-1 in the final of the premiership league competition on October 26 at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Charles knows the North Zone Intercol title is not as illustrious as the premiership crown but is satisfied his team got their hands on silverware.
“I just showed them the second-place medal. (It was) just a reminder…I told them we don’t want to get this type of feeling again. Today is a different vibe. These guys went out there and played their heart out and they deserve it.”
Fatima was out the blocks quickly as Michael Chaves gave them the lead in the second minute. Defender Philip Gray and QRC goalkeeper Christiano Austin got in each other’s way trying to make a clearance, and the ball fell kindly to Chavez who scored from a few yards out.
The QRC goalie continued to show signs that it would be a rough outing for him as in 14th minute as he misjudged a shot from distance that hit the post.
A minute later it was 2-0 as Chaim Williams chested the ball in the box and with Austin running out to narrow the angle, Williams slotted home.
QRC struggled to create quality chances on goal, unlike their opponents.
In the 25th minute, Fatima captain Christian Bailey made it 3-0. He intercepted a QRC pass, which caught their defence out of position, and ran into the box to slot past Austin.
In the 29th minute, QRC had some solid build-up play before the ball fell to Musaddiq Mohammed, but his shot was blocked. QRC had their moments, but their final shot let them down repeatedly.
In the 41st minute, Austin made another blunder. After receiving a pass from one of his defenders, Austin tried to dribble his way out of the box but Chavez stole the ball and completed his brace and made it 4-0 at half-time.
Chaves continued to shine for Fatima after the break, dribbling goalbound from half-line, but his shot went wide in the 61st minute. Fatima continued to dominate possession with QRC trying to hit on the counter attack. Both teams had strong support with students, parents and alumni in attendance.
It was the Fatima contingent who went home smiling as Alijah Nunes rounded off the scoring in the 92nd minute, tapping home a rebound to make it 5-0.
“I am elated, I am happy,” Charles said. “Happy just for the fact it has been a while since Fatima College, the senior team, has not won a trophy. For the boys to bring it home today it is very good.”
Charles said they had a plan for QRC coming into the contest. “We watched QRC play a couple times and we devised a plan, and that plan worked to perfection tonight.”
Charles said QRC prefer playing from the back line, but believes their defenders are not that composed on the ball, so Fatima pressured the defenders which led to errors by the Royalians.
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Chaguanas North win Central Intercol as 'Caps' stripped.
T&T Newsday Reports.
CHAGUANAS North Secondary School have been awarded the Coca Cola Intercol Central Zone title after Carapichaima East Secondary were stripped of their title for fielding an ineligible player in the final on November 21.
The player in question is "Caps" goalkeeper Nicholai Rivers, who saved a penalty in the school’s 7-6 victory via kicks from the penalty mark in last week’s championship match.
Rivers, who passed for Chaguanas North Secondary in 2015, attended that school up until the 2020/2021 academic year.
In his final year, he was enrolled as a sixth-form student. However, he was marked absent for all of his term exams and did not show up at school for the 2021/2022 academic year. His appearance on the field for "Caps" raised eyebrows.
According to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) regulations, a player must have at least one A Level pass for a form six transfer repeat. Rivers did not meet the competition’s requirements.
A complaint was filed by Chaguanas North.
Following a committee meeting, SSFL’s assistant secretary, Gerald Elliott, released a statement on November 26 saying, “The registration of the student did not reflect that the boy was a lower-six transfer and therefore the committee was not able to pick it up.
“(The) penalty for (the) infringement (will be the) suspension of (the) school from further competition in the division for the remainder of the season. Therefore, the school will lose the Intercol match and (the) game (will be) awarded to Chaguanas North Secondary with three points and three goals.”
Carapichaima East were given 72 hours to appeal the decision.
Carapichaima also faces possible relegation from the SSFL Premiership.
St Augustine, who ended the season without a single point, finished bottom of group A in the Premiership while Carapichaima sat second-from-bottom alongside Pleasantville with four points each. However, the south team edged ahead of Caps owing to to a greater goal-difference.
This season’s league format sees the last-placed teams from both groups automatically relegated and the second-to-last teams battle each other in a playoff to claim a spot to stay in the competition.
Carapichaima’s stripped title and suspension from all SSFL competitions can open a door for both St Augustine and Pleasantville to avoid relegation.
However, a decision is yet to be made by the SSFL regarding this situation.
As things stand, Chaguanas North are the 2022 Intercol Central Zone champions and will face the Premiership and South Zone champions, St Benedict’s College, in the national quarterfinal on Monday.
That fixture will be held at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, and is scheduled to kick off at 3.30pm.
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Check out this Jamaica secondary school semi final. Some quality goals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB4_2OTd10c&ab_channel=SportsMaxTV
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Signal Hill wear Tobago InterCol crown
T&T Express
November 23, 2022
SIGNAL HILL SECONDARY (Tobago Zone), Carapichaima East Secondary (Central Zone) and Fatima College (North Zone) have already been crowned Coca-Cola SSFL Zonal InterCol champions.
Joining that trio today will be either be Trinity College East or San Juan North Secondary, who meet in the East Zone final at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, from 3.30 p.m.
Signal Hill booked their place in the National InterCol series after a 4-3 shoot-out victory over Mason Hall Secondary, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, yesterday.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the Central Zone final was won by Carapichaima East Secondary 6-5 -- via decisive kicks from the penalty spot-- over Chaguanas North Secondary, following a 2-2 tie after 90 minutes, with all goals coming in the opening half.
Yesterday, Signal Hill took an early lead, but were under pressure for long periods in the second half and conceded a late goal. Signal Hill goalkeeper Kareem Warner produced a ‘man of the match’ performance, by making two saves in the subsequent shoot-out, having previously also kept an attacking Mason Hall at bay during the regulation period.
Having been tested in the early stages, Signal Hill forged ahead in the 23rd minute with Judea Phillip scoring directly from a deep free-kick, after benefitting from an error by Mason Hall custodian Naquan Walker, who misjudged the flight.
Following a relatively even first half, Mason Hall turned up the pressure in the second session, but were thwarted by keeper Warner. However, ten minutes from the end of regulation time, Mason Hall were level at 1-1 after a free-kick which was delivered from an identical position from where Signal Hill had scored earlier.
Keeper Warner hesitated in going for Omari Daniel’s long punt, thus leaving Yaswah Muammed free to collect and square a pass to Requilme Williams, who rolled the ball into an unguarded net, bringing Mason Hall level at 1-1.
InterCol results:
(Yesterday)
(Tobago Zone final)
Signal Hill Secondary 1 vs Mason Hall Secondary 1
Signal Hill won 4-3 on kicks from the penalty spot.
(Monday)
(Central Zone Final)
Chaguanas North Secondary 2 vs Carapichaima East Secondary 2
‘Caps’ won 6-5 on kicks from the penalty spot.
(Today)
East Zone: Trinity College East vs San Juan North, 3.30 p.m. @ Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar
(Friday)
South Zone: St Benedict’s College vs Presentation College (Sando), 3.30 p.m. @ Ato Boldon Stadium
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New kings in East Zone, Trinity edge champs San Juan in final
T&T Express
November 24, 2022
Trinity College East won their first-ever Secondary Schools Football League East Zone Coca Cola InterCol title yesterday, following an upset 1-0 win over the favourites San Juan North Secondary at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.
On a day when the sports world was still reverberating over Japan’s shock 2-1 win over Germany at the FIFA World Cup and an identical loss for Argentina against Saudi Arabia two days earlier, Trinity East created a shake-up of their own and in so doing booked a national InterCol quarter-final spot against Fatima College, to be played on Monday.
The East final was largely uninspiring, without goal-mouth activity for the most part and only came alive in the 69th minute when Trinity East scored. Jaheim Faustin’s goal was a combination of both grit and a calm finish.
San Juan centre-back Joshua Lewis let a routine back pass slip under his feet, thus allowing the speedy Faustin to get to the ball. Desperate, Lewis impeded Faustin, who quickly bounced back up off the turf and hit a low shot past goalkeeper Xavion Haynes for the only goal of the match.
Having lost just once previously, San Juan played probably their worst match of the season, with neither of the school’s stars, striker Larry Noel nor midfielder Lindell Sween, rising to the occasion. Sween probably had the only memorable first half moment, with a long, curling free-kick which forced Trinity East keeper Brandon Dalrymple to turn the ball aside.
Having gone behind, San Juan only finally awoke in the final quarter-hour, pressing intently. However, having defended well throughout the match, Trinity East withstood everything their opponents threw at them and ended the final with an historic first zonal title for the school.
RESULTS:
East Zone:
Trinity College East 1 (Jaheim Faustin 69th) San Juan North Secondary 0
UPCOMING ZONAL FINALS:
Tomorrow
South Zone: St Benedict’s College vs Presentation College (Sando), 3.30 p.m., Ato Boldon Stadium
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St Benedict's clinch South Intercol crown
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)
November 26, 2022
THE South Zone of the Coca-Cola Intercol competition has a new champion, after St Benedict’s College defeated Presentation College (San Fernando) 4-3 via kicks from the penalty mark, to end a tense affair at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Friday afternoon.
St Benedict's College, the SSFL Premiership champions, are now in the hunt for the national Intercol crown – their third title of the season.
Going into the match, Presentation College were enjoying a three-year reign – owing to the pandemic – as defending South Zone and national Intercol champions.
The "Battle of the Lions" was hyped as both sides had high-scoring games in the previous rounds. However, the two prides cancelled each other out.
In a match of few highlights, the game ended 0-0 at the end of regulation time.
Prior to the final whistle, though, Presentation goalkeeper, Kanye Lazarus, kept up his excellent form in the competition as he pulled off a string of impressive saves to keep the score level.
Presentation had the game’s best chance in the 54th minute when Dantaye Gilbert squared the ball into the penalty area but Levi Jones wildly skewed his shot wide from point-blank range with St Benedict’s goalkeeper, Ja-ar Buckmire, stranded.
In the latter stage of the game, St Benedict’s applied heavy pressure upon Presentation’s defence through Jeremiah Niles, Nicholas Bobcombe and Derrel Garcia. However, Lazarus consistently made himself big on every occasion to deny the flamboyant attackers in green.
After four minutes of stoppage time, referee Kwinsi Williams blew his whistle and sent the teams to the decide the final from the penalty mark.
St Benedict’s Nesean Alexander successfully opened the shootout, blasting the ball into the bottom-left corner. Captain Dantaye Gilbert then saw his penalty saved by Buckmire as Presentation went into the next round of kicks at a disadvantage.
In similar fashion, Tarik Lee was denied by Lazarus and Maitland-Wilson capitalised on Lee’s miss to make it 1-1 after two kicks.
Josiah Ochoa put St Benedict’s back in front before Levi Jones kept the score level at 2-2.
The La Romaine Lions then retained their lead via Keanu Morean but Duhrell Young confidently silenced the green and yellow celebrations with a clinical finish past Buckmire.
With one kick remaining and the scores tied at 3-3, Ephraim Brown stepped up for the La Romaine Lions and calmly converted his penalty to put immense pressure on their fierce rivals.
Striker Caleb Boyce, who was one of Presentation’s best players this season, took the responsibility for the fifth kick.
However, Buckmire anticipated correctly and saved Boyce’s kick to crown St Benedict’s as the new South Zone champions.
Deservedly, the St Benedict’s goalkeeper was named Man of the Match by SportsMax and Coca-Cola for his excellent performance both in regular time and in penalty kicks.
In his post-match interview, the shot-stopper said, “The game was a well-fought game, to be honest. It was very intense; very anti-climactic. I feel very excited! Thank God for the win and we’re looking to move forward from here now.”
Speaking about the penalty shootout, he said that he was “very confident” because of his time on the training ground.
“I normally save about three penalties in every practice, it wasn’t a mental struggle for me.
"I was very comfortable and was able to show what I can do.”
Winning coach, Randolph Boyce, was elated in his post-match comments, “It feels great. The feeling is wonderful. I’m glad for the players – they’ve been working hard all season; putting in the work.”
“The (Presentation) coach did some tactical adjustments. They played a low block and very compact, so it was difficult to unlock those doors today. But we kept playing.”
He added, “If football continues like this, it could only be good for Trinidad and Tobago.”
St Benedict’s will now go on to play Central Zone champions, Carapichaima East Secondary, in the national Intercol semifinals on November 28.
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Madison Campbell fires Signal Hill to Tobago Intercol title
T&T Newsday
Signal Hill Secondary beat Bishop's High 1-0 on Sunday in the Coca Cola girls Intercol Tobago final at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet.
The refereeing was stern in the extremely wet conditions, and the teams were predominantly reliant on long balls to threaten their opposition, in the tightly contested affair.
The drenched surface favoured Signal Hill, as their superior physical presence was evident on both ends of the field.
Signal Hill's defenders easily nullified Bishop’s strikers who were constantly bumped off the ball.
The first half ended goalless and it took a special moment to break the deadlock.
A right-sided corner from Madison Campbell, in the 61st minute, left her boots and sailed into the roof of the net, giving the goalkeeper no chance.
Campbell’s goal proved to be the match winner, and presented a double celebration for Signal Hill, as the boys had earlier celebrated their intercol title.
Signal Hill’s coach Ray Mitchell said it was satisfactory performance and credited the extra work on set plays as a key factor in the result.
“We were constantly practising free-kicks, corners and penalties, because our plan was to wear them down from set plays.
With respect to the playing conditions Mitchell added, “We were comfortable with the conditions. Our training ground has been heavy for a long period due to rain – the stadium ground is actually better – so it was normal for us.”
The Bishop's supporters did have their moment to savour, as the boys rebounded from their opening 2-1 loss to St Mary’s College in the Tiger Tank Big 5, to settle a 3-2 win over Siparia West Secondary, in the second match of the doubleheader.
Siparia struck first with a firm shot from a counterattack rebounded off the goal keeper, and Brandon Ramgarid was in the right spot to tap home in the 18th minute.
The set-back for Bishop's only lasted 11 minutes, as Malik Wilson capitalised on a quick free-kick, which caught the Siparia team off-guard, and made them pay in the 39th minute.
The two minutes added-on time at the end of the first half was fruitful for Bishop's, as Aaron James gave them the lead just before the whistle.
Akel Vesprey partially silenced the rhythm section of partisan home support with Siparia’s equaliser on 66 minutes.
Malik Wilson turned out to be the toast for Bishop's on the day, as his second goal in the 70th minute secured the victory for the Tobago Secondary Schools Football League champions.
Bishop's sit third on the standings and will next play Miracle Ministries in Trinidad on Wednesday and Arima North in Tobago on Sunday.
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Holy Name Convent completes North Girls SSFL double
T&T Guardian
Holy Name Convent, Port-of-Spain, completed the double in the Tiger Tanks Secondary School Girls Football League’s North Zone when they whipped long-time rival St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, 3-1 in the Coca-Cola zonal Intercol final at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair on Wednesday.
Team captain Jessica Harrigin scored the team’s first two goals to close the first half with a 2-0 advantage. In the second half, Emily Vincent reduced St Joseph’s deficit before substitute Emily Nanton restored the lead to secure victory.
Last Thursday, in the semifinals, Holy Name Convent edged Tranquillity Government Secondary 2-1 at St Joseph’s Convent Ground, Federation Park, St Clair, while St Joseph Convent hammered Bishop’s Anstey High School 7-3 at Diego Martin Central Secondary Ground.
Today, San Juan North Secondary and Five Rivers Secondary will meet in the East Zone Intercol final at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, on Thursday from 3.30 pm after contrasting semifinal wins yesterday.
In the semifinals on Tuesday, Five Rivers, led by two goals from Luann Craig, and one each from Trishell Charles and Janella Walcott, strolled to a 4-0 triumph over St Augustine Secondary, while at Trincity, San Juan North Secondary edged past host Bishop Anstey East High, 2-1.
And in the other final card for today, the Central Zone decider, Miracle Ministries, 14-0 victors over Chaguanas North Secondary in their semifinal, comes against Holy Faith Convent (Couva), who trashed Carapichaima East Secondary 10-0 in their final-four encounter at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, from 3 pm.
The South Zone final was decided without a ball being kicked with Pleasantville Secondary being awarded a default over Fyzabad Secondary, who opted to forfeit the decider due to school commitments.
The semifinals were also decided without a ball being kicked with Pleasantville and Fyzabad being handed wins against Moruga Secondary, and Fyzabad Anglican, respectively, by default.
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Grant, Webb braces put St Benedict’s into National InterCol semis
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
St Benedict’s College got double strikes from Malacai Webb and Jeremiah Grant to cruise into the semifinals of the Coca-Cola National InterCol play-offs on Wednesday with a convincing 6-0 triumph over Chaguanas North Secondary at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo.
The win means they will now face Signal Hill Secondary in the second match of a doubleheader at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 5 pm, while Fatima College will be up against Trinity College East in the opening match from 3 pm.
Chaguanas North, coming into the quarterfinals of the InterCol as a replacement for Carapichaima East Secondary which played an ineligible player, met one-way traffic at Fatima Grounds, despite calls by coach Anson Raymond to close down St Benedict’s key attackers and play on the counterattack.
Instead, captain Tarik Lee, one of the dangerous St Benedict’s players made his presence felt when he collected a left side Jeremiah Niles centre unmarked in the Chaguanas penalty area and blasted it into the roof of the net and past the stranded goalkeeper for his team’s first goal early in the first half.
The goal came courtesy of Niles, operating down the Chaguanas right side.
The southerners, winners of the Tiger Tanks Premier Division League and South Zone InterCol titles could only get the lone item to take to the half-time interval after 45 minutes, and afterwards, there were no changes to the direction the traffic headed.
Nicholas Bobcombe this time was the provider of the second goal when he picked out Grant with a pin-point right side cross to head past goalkeeper Aidan Raymond in the 51st minute.
With little to no resistance coming from the central lads, St Benedict’s piled on the pressure by scoring their third goal. Niles again with another of his dangerous runs down the left flank was allowed to pick out Ephraim Brown at the far post to head past an out-of-position Raymond for the 3-0 advantage in the 70th minute.
Grant then got his second goal of the match with another of his trademark headers from Malacai Webb in the 75th.
And before the central men could regroup, Webb got his first item by slapping a low into the far post from the left side for a 5-0 lead in the 76th minute. And he (Webb) completed the rout with a header from Tyrique Lucas’s left-sided cross 10 minutes from the end.
The action continues today with the Girls East and Central Zones finals.
In the central zone - Miracle Ministries will take on Holy Faith Convent from 3 pm at St Mary’s College Grounds, while in the east zone final Five Rivers Secondary will be up against San Juan North Secondary at the same time at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima.
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CIC return to SSFL Premier Division
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
ST MARY’S COLLEGE (CIC) will return to the Premier Division of the Tiger Tanks Secondary School Football League in 2023, having picked up a third win in the Championship Division Big Five playoff on Wednesday.
Also in celebratory mood were Signal Hill Secondary, who won the Tobago Girls’ InterCol title after defeating Bishop’s High 1-0 on Sunday at the Dwight Yorke stadium, while Holy Name Convent are North Zone Girls’ champions after defeating St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain, 3-1 at St Mary’s College Ground Wednesday.
Newly-promoted CIC travelled to a bumpy Siparia Recreation Ground where they scored a 5-2 victory over Siparia West Secondary, the South Zone Championship Division winners, who are coached by former national defender Dexter Francis. St Mary’s got goals from Elijah Wong (23rd), Kyle Phillip (62nd & 77th), Josiah Connell (penalty, 45+2 ) and Harrison Parks (60th), while Israel Mascal (27th) and Kamali Peters (90+3) replied for Siparia West Secondary.
Elijah Wong opened the scoring from close-up after Siparia goalie Dimitrie Borneo failed to hold on a free-kick sent into the penalty area by CIC captain Harrison Parks. On a grass-bare surface, the home team Siparia were level at 1-1 just four minutes later when a deep free-kick picked out Israel Mascal who put the ball high in the net at the back post. With the teams looking set to go in level, Wong was brought down and St Mary’s awarded a penalty, which Josiah Connell was lucky to roll under the grasp of the goalkeeper.
St Mary’s dominated the second half, extending the lead to 3-1 through Parks’ 25-yard grounder, which somehow eluded Siparia’s goalkeeper, followed by Kyle Phillip’s brace. Phillips’ volley from close-up after a corner kick, was again not handled well by the Siparia defence. He then enterprisingly got between the defender and goalkeeper to put a low shot into Siparia’s net for the fifth goal. Peters reacted first to a free-kick and was able to pull a goal back for the home team deep into added-on time. Big Five action resumes Sunday.
Results:
GIRLS
TOBAGO FINAL
Signal Hill Secondary 1 Bishop’s High 0
NORTH FINAL
Holy Name Convent 3 St Joseph’s Convent 1
BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION BIG 5
(Wednesday)
• St Mary’s College 5 (Elijah Wong 23rd, Kyle Phillip 62nd & 77th, Josiah Connell, 45+2 penalty, Harrison Parks 60th) Siparia West Secondary 2 (Israel Mascal 27th, Kamali Peters 90+3)
• Bishop’s High School 2, Miracle Ministries PHS 0
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Five Rivers, Miracle Ministries cop Girls’ Intercol zonal titles
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
FIVE Rivers Secondary lifted the 2022 Coca-Cola Girls Intercol east zone title after trumping San Juan North 3-0 at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar on Thursday.
Two goals from striker Luann Craig, in the 20th and 52nd minutes, and another from Janella Walcott in the 74th, were good enough to shut out San Juan North and crown Five Rivers zonal champions.
Additionally, Miracle Ministries also hoisted the tournament’s central zone title after ousting Holy Faith Convent Couva 3-1 in Thursday’s final at Ato Boldon Stadium, Balmain, Couva.
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Fatima break St Benedict’s hearts in Intercol final
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)
THE Boys’ Secondary Schools football season has ended with a dramatic spectacle as a new winner of the National Coca-Cola Intercol competition was crowned. Fatima College, with grit and determination, edged Premiership champions St Benedict’s College 1-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Wednesday afternoon.
Both teams previously met in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership group stage and in the Premiership final – drawing 1-1 in the first game of the season before St Benedict’s defeated Fatima 3-1 to lift the first major trophy of the campaign.
Fatima's last appearance in the National Intercol final was in 2013, losing out to a powerful St Augustine team 4-1. For St Benedict’s, they last competed for the coveted trophy in 2014 but they suffered a 1-0 defeat to East Mucurapo.
This season has proven to be a fairytale for Fatima as they were a newly-promoted team from the SSFL Championship whose initial target was to survive relegation. But they exceeded all expectations finishing as Premiership runners-up, North Zone Intercol winners and now National Intercol winners.
In a "revenge" match against the La Romaine Lions, Fatima started the match strongly, putting pressure on their La Romaine opponents while keeping them at bay.
The boys from the north took the lead in the 12th minute when Joshua Mason capitalised on a crucial mistake by St Benedict’s goalkeeper, Ja-Ir Buckmire. The goalie intended to clear a back-pass from his team-mate, but miserably failed as his sliced kick was headed in between the posts by the Fatima striker.
The match was starved of chances as both teams cancelled each other out with tight, tactical football which resembled a chess match.
But Fatima went close to doubling their lead in the 53rd minute when Khiba Romany attempted an acrobatic bicycle kick which flew inches wide past the upright.
St Benedict’s had a chance to equalise five minutes later as Derrel Garcia viciously fired a free-kick on target that initially troubled Tristan Edwards in the Fatima goal. However, the goalkeeper quickly recovered to claim the ball before the prowling attackers could have pounced.
A defensive and disciplined Fatima unit continued to stifle the flamboyant St Benedict’s attackers who have been lighting up the league all season, and they held on to their slender lead to claim victory and lift the National Intercol trophy for the first time since 2005.
Fatima defender, Jaden Williams, was named Man of the Match for his excellent performance at the back. Amidst his team’s celebration, he delightfully expressed, “I’m very happy that the boys were able to stick it out and bring home the win. It’s our first National Intercol title since 2005, so it’s great to bring back something to the north.”
“My mindset, personally, was that we played them twice in the league – we drew in the first game and, due to unfortunate circumstances, we lost in the second game because we weren’t playing as a unit. We went back to drawing board and when we came back, we were able to beat them with our game plan.”
The winning coach, Hutson "Baba’ Charles" in extreme ecstasy said, “I said it before: I will be back (for the final) and I wanted Benedict’s. So my dream came true. I thought we played a beautiful game. We did our homework and you can surely see what happened (in the game).”
“(Our success was due to) belief. Before the season, the plan was just to survive (relegation) but I told them I am a winner – I love to win – and I think they went with that belief, and you can see the result (of it). For a team that got relegated, came back up and did this, it’s unbelievable!”
Naparima College remain the only school to win the treble (Premiership, Zonal Intercol and National Intercol) having achieved the feat twice (2015 and 2018).
Both Fatima and St Benedict’s will travel to Jamaica in January for the Caribbean High School Championships to face Jamaica College and Clarendon College, the top two schools in the country. The tournament will begin on January 13 and conclude on January 15 as the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) reignite the partnership and rivalry between TT and Jamaica.
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F-A-T-I-M-A!!!!!! ;D ;D :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
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Five Rivers silence Holy Name to seal Intercol finals spot.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
FIVE Rivers Secondary School silenced a vociferous Holy Name Convent crowd to advance to the final of the Coca-Cola Girls Intercol competition.
Holy Name had the majority of the support in the semi-final match played at the St Mary’s College Ground in St Clair on Thursday as the ground is just minutes away from Holy Name.
Five Rivers won on penalties 4-3 after the match ended in a 2-2 tie. Five Rivers made a shaky start in the shoot-out as only one of their first two kicks found the back of the net. However, Five Rivers converted their last three kicks to prevail with the victory and clinch a spot in Sunday’s final.
In regulation time, Holy Name captain Jessica Harragin gave her team the lead in the 22nd minute, but Lue Ann Craig got the equaliser for Five Rivers before half-time with a goal in the 34th minute.
Janella Walcott put Five Rivers in front early in the second half with a 46th-minute item. Five Rivers had chances to put the game to bed, but a 25-yard effort from Harragin with three minutes remaining meant the match had to be decided by penalty kicks.
Following the win Five Rivers coach Desiree Sargent, said, “I am overwhelmed. We trained so hard all week for this and these moments are what you live for. Thank God it bore fruit today.”
Asked if playing in front of a large Holy Name contingent was tough to cope with, Sargent said, “It does (affect you) somewhat, let’s be honest. You on another team’s ground and on unfamiliar territory. They took a while to settle and I am just thankful they were able to settle and get back into the game.” Holy Name had a rhythm section at the ground.
On what improvements she wants for the final, Sargent said, “I will just like to see a little more maturity, a little more discipline because at times we were kind of indisciplined, but it is expected at this level (because) you away from home and your supporters are not here. All in all, I am just thankful that we were able to cross the hurdle and they are in a final (for) the first time, so I am just so thrilled for that.”
Sargent was satisfied that her players held their nerves in the penalty shoot-out.
“You can practise penalties how much you want...at the end of the day you still have to put them away and it is a nerve-racking thing for anybody at any level, so thank God we were able to come out victorious in the penalty shoot-out.”
In the other semi-final played on Thursday, Signal Hill Secondary defeated Miracle Ministries 1-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
The final between Five Rivers and Signal Hill will be played at Ato Boldon Stadium at 3 pm on Sunday.
(https://newsday.co.tt/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/21968036-1024x872.jpg)
Holy Name Convent’s Isabella Ramdeen (R) controls the ball as Five Rivers Secondary’s Odella Wilson tries to defend during the SSFL Girls Intercol semi-final, on Thursday, at the St Mary’s Grounds, St Clair. - ROGER JACOB
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F-A-T-I-M-A!!!!!! ;D ;D :beermug: :beermug: :beermug:
Congrats VB👍🏿
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Both Fatima and St Benedict’s will travel to Jamaica in January for the Caribbean High School Championships to face Jamaica College and Clarendon College, the top two schools in the country. The tournament will begin on January 13 and conclude on January 15 as the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) and the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) reignite the partnership and rivalry between TT and Jamaica.
:beermug: Not the total solution, but I like the step.
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Up and down times, SSFL coaches reflect on season out of Covid
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express)
After two years of inactivity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Secondary Schools Football League action resumed in September and while the standard of play could have been better, some of the coaches in the league are confident it will improve significantly next year.
The Express spoke to coaches Randolph Boyce (St Benedict’s College), Hutson Charles (Fatima College), Jerry Moe (San Juan North Secondary) and Dwayne Davis (Trinity College East) coach and they all agreed that the standard of play was inconsistent with some teams doing well and others struggling badly.
Fatima College won the National InterCol title; St Benedict’s the National League title; San Juan North topped Group B in the Premier Division competition while Trinity East placed third.
“To be honest, some of the standard of play was high, some was medium and some was average and a lot of work needs to be done still,” Boyce told the Express.
“Coming back from Covid when players were inactive and development didn’t take place with a lot of kids, we saw (during the league) that some were hampered in terms of adjusting and adapting at a faster pace than other kids. So we are in a situation where we might need to go on a development drive,” he added.
Losing two seasons of schools football also forced teams to use younger players on their roster which Boyce said would have helped their development for next season but at the same time would have put them at a disadvantage in the current season.
“When you look at the league, some of the teams fielded U-16, U-15 and even U-14 players in certain instances and you have to remember that the league is an Under-20 league, so there would have been a big gap in some areas in some schools and that would have put them at a disadvantage in terms of the competitiveness against the other schools who would have had more mature and developed players.
“But definitely next year God willing, I hope to see a better developed league in terms of players, coaches and organisation and better planning and preparation time. This year some teams would have rushed down certain things and would have lost players as well and would have had to work with what they have. I am hoping to see a lot of improvement in a lot of areas.”
Charles agreed that some teams were better prepared than others leading to some lop-sided games in the top flight.
“I think when you look at the league, you can see only a handful of teams that were organised. The majority of the teams were not fully prepared hence the reason you would have seen some ridiculous score lines. I think I will probably blame it on the pandemic and the teams did not get time to prepare and some of them started late to prepare. The results some of those teams got were because their preparations were not up to par,” he said.
Next year he expects a more balanced competition.
“Now that the teams have started back playing, they will have enough time to prepare for next year, so I think we will see a more balanced level of play between teams and the competition will be a lot harder as well,” Charles explained.
Full schedule next season
The former national player and national team coach is also looking forward to a full schedule of Premier Division matches next season.
“I think the change in format back to the full league instead of the two groups will be the better way to go. With the two groups, teams could not afford to slip up because there really are not enough games to catch up, so I expect the games to be a lot more competitive next year,” he added.
As for Fatima’s performance this year, Charles described it as “remarkable” given the fact that they only came back into the top flight in 2019.
“It was an unbelievable season,” he said. “We got relegated and I brought them back up in 2019 and then the pandemic hit so what we did this year in terms of finishing second in the league and winning the North Zone and National InterCol, I think it has been a really remarkable season for Fatima College.” Meanwhile, Moe said although it was inconsistent, the standard of play was higher than he expected coming out of the pandemic.
“From that standpoint, a lot of the teams tried to play organised football and fellas on the teams tried to be disciplined on the field as much as possible ...The standard of play was better than I expected,” Moe added.
“In terms of San Juan North and a lot of the other teams, coming out of Covid, they would have had to reshuffle. There were a lot of young guys and you didn’t have the continuity from last year or the year before because there was no football. For everyone it was a new season and I think a lot of the teams adapted well, unfortunately some teams had to be demoted,” he pointed out.
In terms of next season, Moe is hoping to see a lot of improvement.
“I would hope the standard of play will improve next year because all the teams had a lot of 15-year-old and 16-year-old players on the roster and with the experience they would have gained this year, hopefully they will be in good stead and they will know what to expect next season and they will have a certain level of confidence knowing that they would have played this year. So I think we will see a better end product from the teams next season,” he explained.
The veteran coach added:“I have been looking at the qualifiers with Arima North and St Mary’s and the Tobago Zone, so the competition is going to be good with the new teams coming in. It makes for good competition.”
For Davis, the standard of play was “okay.”
He said one of the issues faced was the lack of proper grounds to train on, while the excessive rain didn’t help the situation.
However, Davis didn’t see anything out of the ordinary throughout the season despite a few players standing out in the early part of the competition.
“I think some of the teams were even because coming out of Covid some of the teams would not have been able to do the level of drafting that they would normally do because there was no football for two years,” he also noted.
“Next year, I expect to see some of the traditional teams go back to their drafting policies and strengthen up and that could work two ways, where it could raise the standards in some teams but it could also deplete others,” he added.
“What I would hope to see is some sort of restriction on the amount of transfers but I don’t think everyone may share that view.”
Davis also felt that this season, “the officiating was a bit inconsistent as well, so that is another area that can improve in terms of the use of technology to assist the referees,” Davis concluded.
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Arima, Bishop’s back in Premier Division
T&T Express
A 1-0 win over Siparia West Secondary has returned Arima North to the Premier Division of the Tiger Tanks Secondary Schools Football League for 2023. They will be joined by also promoted St Mary College (CIC) and Bishop’s High School, Tobago.
The three promoted teams will fill the space left by three teams demoted from the Premier Division. Moruga Secondary were automatically demoted having finished last in their group, while Carapichaima East Secondary are also demoted, having used an ineligible player throughout the season. The final team to take the drop will come from tomorrow’s Premier Division demotion clash between East Mucurapo Secondary and St Augustine Secondary, the “Green Machine”, taking place at St Mary’s College ground from 3.30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Championship Division Big 5 series ends today, with unbeaten leaders Arima and CIC meeting to decide the tournament winners. Both have nine points and identical +8 goal difference, but the North champions St Mary’s need just a draw, having scored more goals.
On Thursday, the Dial Dynamos needed just a point at the Manny Ramjohn stadium to clinch promotion, and got all three following a fortuitous goal which saw the ball go in off winger Devin Seales in the 23rd minute, after a Siparia defender attempted to clear the ball.
Initially, Arima midfielder Jemaul Ashing had put a powerful shot off the Siparia West crossbar, and in attempting to clear, a defender sent the ball in off a very close-up Seales. Siparia needed a win to also gain promotion, but their defeat ensured that Bishop’s will go up instead.
FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP
DIVISION BIG 5 MATCHES:
Sunday
Arima North Secondary vs St Mary’s College, Arima Old Road, 3.30 p.m.
RESULTS:
Arima North Secondary 1 Siparia West Secondary 0.
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Signal Hill crowned Girls Intercol champs
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
SIGNAL Hill Secondary School lifted the Coca-Cola Girls Intercol title on their third attempt in recent years with a 3-1 victory over Five Rivers Secondary School at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Sunday.
Signal Hill, who also played their semi-final match last week at Ato Boldon Stadium, made their trip to Trinidad worthwhile.
Signal Hill coach Ray Mitchell was proud of his team. He said, “It was in the making. This is the third time we made it to the final as Signal Hill Secondary, so the third one had to be lucky. In the beginning of the season it was a bit tough seeing the majority of the girls are Under-15 and they will be playing in the Under-15 final.” Mitchell said before the covid19 pandemic Signal Hill lost in two finals.
Mitchell said time was lost during covid19 and everything came to a standstill. “The covid left a void in women’s football (and) age group (football). They got left out because of covid, no practice, nothing. It is the Under-15s we have and we try our best to work with them. We did a great job (and) they worked hard.”
Mitchell said he saw the determination in his players following their semi-final victory last week. “A couple days after the semi-final I saw that they wanted this one. The training session was very high, the intensity was the highest I have ever seen in training.”
Mitchell thanked the Secondary Schools Football League and the TT Football Association for accommodating the team. Signal Hill stayed at the Home of Football over the past few days, which is on the same compound as the Ato Boldon Stadium.
“Thanks to SSFL…I want to say thanks to the Home of Football because without them (it would not have been possible). The accommodation is 100 per cent. It is designed to stay for football and to prepare for football.”
Mitchell said belief in themselves and belief in God helped Signal Hill lift the crown.
Signal Hill’s Madison Campbell got the first solid attempt on goal when her free kick from 30 yards went over the crossbar. In the first ten minutes, most of the play was in the centre of the field as the teams did not create clear chances on goal.
The match took a turn for the worse for Five Rivers as in the 15th minute Janella Walcott received a red card after handling the ball in the 18-yard box.
Alexandria Stewart converted the penalty to give Signal Hill the lead in the 16th minute.
Five Rivers did not get dejected following the red card as the match continued to be evenly contested. Trishell Charles came close for Five Rivers when her shot struck the crossbar.
The crowd was small but lively. Around the 30-minute mark, the Five Rivers supporters started shouting, “Five Rivers we want a goal” and “Let’s go Rivers, Let’s go.”
It seemed to inspire the team as Lu Ann Craig’s powerful shot found the back of the net in the 35th minute as Signal Hill goalkeeper Kenisha Taylor had no chance.
The Signal Hill contingent was not outdone, screaming, “Compre we want a goal.” Their request did not work immediately as the teams were tied 1-1 at half-time.
In the 49th minute, Twinkle Thomas gave Signal Hill the lead. A tame effort from outside the box beat Five Rivers custodian Mercedes Balthazar.
Balthazar redeemed herself with a couple of quality saves after the blunder.
Five Rivers started to struggle to come out of their own half as playing with ten started to take a toll. Craig continued to be one of the standout players for Five Rivers and had a chance to level the contest, but Taylor made the save at the near post.
In the 79th minute, Craig scored an own goal to put Signal Hill 3-1 up. In an attempt to head the ball clear following a corner kick she could only manage to score past Balthazar. The final whistle came shortly after as Signal Hill celebrated the title.
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‘Green Machine’ gone, East Mucurapo knock St Augustine out of Premier Division
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)
The “Green Machine” have shut down. For the first time in their 43-year history in the top flight of secondary schools football, St Augustine Secondary have been relegated and will not be playing in the Premier Division next season. But East Mucurapo Secondary will.
In a long and stressful afternoon for both schools, East Mucurapo, ‘Compre,’ rallied from behind twice to snatch a 3-2 victory in the Secondary Schools Football League relegation playoff yesterday.
At the final whistle on St Mary’s Ground, players on both sides dropped straight to the ground. In the St Augustine penalty area, goalkeeper Tyrese Sealy was stretched out, his face buried in the turf. There he remained, a lonely figure until a female supporter came to offer consolation.
The agony of the moment had consumed the youngster. And last night, he may have had nightmares about the three goals he conceded, two of which were put away by Maalik Jarvis.
“We always believe in the boys and we have seen the improvement,” and elated Mucurapo coach Dale Saunders said at the end. “We have Maalik Jarvis (who) now knows where the goal (is); he’s putting the ball in the net. Zion Harley who is dong a fantastic job and basically everybody understanding their role and function.”
Striker Jarvis took advantage of some straightforward opportunities gifted him by a St Augustine defence that just could not keep out the goals this season.
Keeper Sealy had a nervy time.
After his striker Jamell Cooper had got the better of the last Mucurapo defender and spanked a left-footer in off the crossbar against the run of play in the 34th minute, Sealy found himself in no man’s land five minutes later, following a right side cross which Jarvis had the simple task of heading into an empty net.
The teams went in level, at half-time.
Nine minutes after the break though, St Augustine with no wins in the league and just one in InterCol, found themselves ahead again through Elijah Gravesande, via the penalty spot after a foul by Al-Kaliipha Henry on a team-mate.
At that stage, it was a case of the Green Machine taking advantage of the few opportunities they had and Compre wasting most of theirs.
However, the match swung decisively the way of the boys in maroon in one three-minute spell, 14 minutes from full time.
A long ball from midfield to the centre of the penalty area was not dealt with decisively by the St Augustine defence and Jarvis was on spot again to stroke the ball under Sealy’s body.
Before the St Augustine keeper and his mates could process that setback, disaster struck.
Mucurapo won a free-kick which their captain Khidir Atiba lobbed straight to Sealy. It seemed a simple take for the custodian; but he failed to make a clean catch and the ball rebounded straight onto substitute Jemon Gulston who just tapped the ball into the net.
For the first time, Mucurapo were in front and the St Augustine boys just didn’t have a third goal in them.
The final whistle did not just bring the end to the match for Sealy and company, it also halted St Augustine’s four-decade long, trophy-winning presence in the top tier of schools football.
“It’s tough,” admitted their schoolteacher coach Tacuma Jones, who took over from Trevor Spicer this season. “The guys feel it; you can see it from their expressions.”
For the chanting Mucurapo players however, watched by former Compre star and current Fatima College coach Hutson Charles, this was a big test passed.
“A lot of pressure was on them,” noted coach Saunders, “but they had to mature early for this game and I think they have done a fine job.”
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Scarborough Secondary girls lift ‘Big 5’ trophy
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
TOBAGO teams have dominated the 2022 Secondary School Football League (SSFL) girls’ competition.
Yesterday, Scarborough Secondary won the Tiger Tanks SSFL National Girls ‘Big 5’ title when defeating highly-fancied Pleasantville Secondary 3-1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
On Sunday, another Tobago school, Signal Hill Secondary, won the Coca-Cola InterCol title with a similar 3-1 victory over Five Rivers Secondary.
Scarborough Sec came to Trinidad confident while cheered on by vociferous supporters, whom chanted: “Nobody ain’t beating we.” And so it proved. The Tobago lasses were comfortably ahead 2-0 at half-time, both goals coming from their star Tobago Chicas striker J’elisha Alexander in the 10th & 42nd minutes, while Kaleah Duke extended the lead to 3-0 in the 57th minute. Pleasantville got a consolation item in the dying stages through Nathalia Gosein in the 80th minute.
Blessed with blinding pace, Alexander blew past three defenders, racing goalward, and put a low shot past the goalkeeper to open the scoring. She was again clear of defenders and putting a low shot past the Pleasantville custodian for the second goal. Duke forced in the rebound from close-up for 3-0, after her initial shot was parried by the goalkeeper.
With only injury time left, Gosein got on the scoresheet with a close-up, side-foot strike, after a free-kick had sent the ball into the penalty area.
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Fatima dominate SSFL age groups
T&T Express
FATIMA COLLEGE have added the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) National Under-16 title to the National Under-14 crown which they won last month.
Having a great overall season, Fatima also contested the SSFL Senior Division final against St Benedict’s yesterday. Fatima also finished second to St Benedict’s in the Premier Division final, before defeating the same rivals for the boys’ National Coca Cola InterCol title. The only division Fatima did not contest was the Form One final. They lost out to North rivals CIC, who played Speyside High of Tobago at Calder Hall in Monday’s national final.
On Tuesday, Fatima dominated the National Under-16 final when defeating Tobago’s Scarborough Secondary (4-1). Levi Smith’s cross eluded goalkeeper Theo Bruce and ended in the back of the net for 1-0; Tom Deckle slid the ball in early in the second half from a ball played across the face of goal; and Smith got a second when his angled shot squeezed in at the near post, aided by a goalkeeper error. A fourth Fatima goal came when Scarborough defender Hassani Robley awkwardly redirected Michael Chavez goal-bound shot for the own-goal. Carl James (70th) got a consolation for Scarborough with a low shot from within the penalty area.
Fatima had shut out East Under-16 champions San Juan North 4-0 to win the Trinidad leg for the Under-16 crown, Fatima’s Jaheim Bailey voted the Most Valuable Player. At the semi-final stage, Fatima scored a 3-1 win over South champions Presentation College San Fernando, using several of the players, who also play with their senior team.
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KFC Goodwill International Schools Football tournament: St Benedict’s score 5-1 victory over Golden Grove Secondary
Guyana Times
Trinidad & Tobago schools football champions St Benedict’s College have received their first taste of Guyanese competition on Sunday, December 18, but have nevertheless opened their account in this KFC Goodwill International Schools Football tournament on a high note, by thumping Golden Grove Secondary 5-1.
Playing at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown, Jerell Griffith got the Trinidadian team off to a stellar start with a brace in the 16th and 24th minutes, and Jeremiah Ottaway netted his first goal in the 33rd minute, to push St. Benedict’s tally to 3-0.
Just before the half expired, Shamar Warton evinced hope in the Golden Grove camp by scoring a goal in the 44th minute. However, St. Benedict’s took possession of the game upon resumption of play, when Ottaway made it a 4-1 affair in the 59th minute and St. Benedict’s Raheem Nelson underscored his team’s dominance by scoring their fifth goal in the 67th minute. Thus the 5-1 win.
In the other game of the day, Suriname’s SVB Academy and Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) played to a draw – the second such for CWSS.
After near-misses on both ends for much of the first segment, Amani King of CWSS eventually found the back of the net in the 40th minute to put CWSS in the lead.
However, CWSS could hold on to the 1-goal lead for only so long, as Darrel Sijpenhof found the equalizer for SVB in entertaining fashion in the 60th minute of play.
Despite their individual best efforts, neither side could produce the game-winning goal, and these teams were forced to share points.
The round-robin stage of the KFC Goodwill tournament concluded on Monday evening. Results therefrom would be published in tomorrow’s edition of Guyana Times Sport Meanwhile, the tournament’s semifinal stage is expected to take flight on Wednesday, December 21, before the grand finale and third-place playoff are held on Friday, December 23, 2022.
All remaining games are likely to be played at the MoE Ground on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown.
The KFC Goodwill tournament is also supported by MVP Sports, Guyana Beverages Inc, Tiger Rentals, Trophy Stall; the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS); and the Ministry of Education (MoE).
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I love the idea that Intercol is being shown on YouTube. I was happy to see my friend's son playing for Fatima, and they had a very successful season. However, I am concerned about these teams' playing styles at a young age.
1) ball movement in the duration of the game was poor
2) some of the players on the field look clueless.
3) I watched the QRC game, in which KJ is the coach. I was unhappy.
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For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crR_ENMQmBw&t=5037s, my friend's son, looks very good (Bailey). KJ, the senior coach for the women's national team, needs to do better. It appears that he needs to show experience to the boys. He has been out of the country and played a high level of football. I know coaching is tough, but you need complete knowledge of training or teaching students.
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St Benedict's coach: KFC Goodwill Cup a 'cultural experience'.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
NOLAN BERNARD, coach of St Benedict’s College’s Under-16 football team, applauded his squad’s recent runners-up finish at the KFC Goodwill U-18 tournament in Guyana and hailed the trip as a “cultural experience” for the young footballers.
Despite the team losing 1-0 in the final on Friday against DC Caesar Fox Secondary School, Bernard said the journey to South America served as much more than a lesson in sport.
The "La Romaine Lions" U-16 team played against opposition from Guyana and neighbouring Suriname. They topped their group to advance out of the first round, did well to get past the knockout round but were unable to claim the overall title.
However, coach Bernard credited the experience shared by the bunch.
“It was a young group of boys from our school, predominantly U-16s. They, some of them from lower income and socio-economic households, got a chance to experience the first time having their passport and getting to fly. It was special for them.
“We played against two Amerindian teams from the interior (of Guyana). It was a cultural experience for all of us,” he said.
Bernard is one of the school’s physical education teachers.
“The boys were surprised to play against Amerindian teams. One team had to fly to get to the tournament while another had to drive 15 hours each day. It really was an eye-opening experience for them to witness different cultures,” he added.
This past season, St Benedict’s U-16 lost the south zone final against Presentation College San Fernando. However, their senior team won the Secondary Schools Football League title and finished as runners-up, to Fatima College, in the 2022 Coca Cola Intercol.
Bernard however, believes the senior team’s recent dominant run of form has inspired his younger players to work harder and recognise that anything is possible.
“The SSFL win was good for football in south and at the school. It was amazing for us to experience success at the senior level. I know they would have wanted to win the Intercol as well but that’s how football is.
“For the new season, we’re looking forward as we have a good crop of boys, a young team. About six of them couldn’t make the trip with us since they are currently in training with the national U-17 team.
“All in all, I’m sure the senior team and U-16 teams, this year, experienced something great and gained some knowledge. We look forward to a new season in both divisions,” he added.
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Alexander, Lee win top SSFL awards.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
STRIKERS J’Eleisha Alexander and Tarik Lee copped the 2022 Player of the Year awards when the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) held an award ceremony at Naparima College in San Fernando on Tuesday.
Both Alexander and Lee were prolific goal scorers in helping Scarborough Secondary and St Benedict’s College respectively to titles last year.
Alexander showed she could deliver when it mattered most as she scored for Scarborough in a 3-1 win over Signal Hill Secondary in the final of the Tobago zone girls SSFL championship division at Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
The Scarborough Secondary striker was one of the players named as the top five girls footballers of the season. Alexander was given the nod for the player of the year ahead of Jillianda Salandy (Miracle Ministries), Leia-Marie Balfour (Signal Hill), Orielle Martin (Bishop High School East) and Lu Ann Craig (Five Rivers).
Lee also did not let the bright lights intimidate him scoring a hat-trick to guide St Benedict’s to a 3-1 win in the final of the SSFL premiership league competition at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Jaheim Faustin (Trinity College East), Larry Noel (San Juan North Secondary), Tristan Edwards (Fatima) and Lee’s team-mate Josiah Ochoa were the other best players in the boys division.
The most outstanding performers were chosen in the All Star teams. Among those who attended the ceremony were SSFL president Merere Gonzales and representatives of SSFL title sponsor Tiger Tanks and the Ministry of Education.
The respective SSFL 2022 All Stars are:
(Boys)
Goalkeepers:
Brandon Dalrymple (Trinity College East), Ja-ir Buckmire (St Benedict’s College), Tristan Edwards (Fatima College);
Defenders:
Jesse Hospedales, Alijah Nunes (both Fatima College), Desailly Lewis (San Juan North Secondary), Joshua Demas, Lyshawn Morris (both St Benedict’s College);
Midfielders:
Aaron Raymond (Chaguanas North Secondary), Christian Bailey (Fatima College), Ephraim Brown, Josiah Ochoa (St Benedict’s College), Lindell Sween (San Juan North Secondary);
Forwards:
Jaheim Faustin (Trinity College East), Kanye Francis (Naparima College), Larry Noel (San Juan North Secondary), Michael Chaves (Fatima College), Tarik Lee (St Benedict’s College).
(Girls)
Goalkeepers:
Kimberlynn Rampersad (Miracle Ministries PHS), Mercedes Balthazar (Five Rivers Secondary), Shivelle Williams (Scarborough Secondary),
Defenders:
Calypso Ayoung (Holy Name Convent, POS), Dominique Scott (Signal Hill Secondary), Kanika Rodriguez (St Augustine Secondary), Jordanne Antoine (Miracle Ministries PHS), Shadea Andrews (Scarborough Secondary),
Midfielders:
Lu Ann Craig (Five Rivers Secondary), Twinkle Thomas, Madison Campbell (both Signal Hill Secondary), Nikita Gosine (Pleasantville Secondary), Trishell Charles (Five Rivers Secondary);
Forwards:
Jillianda Salandy (Miracle Ministries PHS), Janella Walcott (Five Rivers Secondary), J’Eleisha Alexander (Scarborough Secondary), Leia-Marie Balfour (Signal Hill Secondary), Orielle Martin (Bishop High School East).