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Sports => Football => Topic started by: Tallman on August 18, 2023, 09:47:51 AM
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SSFL kicks off with St Benedict’s, Fatima clash
T&T Guardian
The thought of a Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and even a Neymar Jr being among us in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) is not too far-fetched, said Lisa Morris-Julien, Junior Minister in the Ministry of Education.
Morris-Julien’s comment came at the launch of the SSFL season at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain on Thursday before a large appreciative crowd that comprised members of the SSFL executive, sponsors and several other dignitaries.
The league is set to kick off on September 8 with a clash of last year’s Coca-Cola and Premiership finalists St Benedict’s College and Fatima College at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 4 pm.
And to ensure that all get the opportunity to see the matches this season, either via television or via an App, SportsMax, the regional sports cable network announced through its chief executive officer (CEO) Nicholas Matthews that it has renewed its three-year contract with the schools’ league.
SportsMax is one of two sponsors renewing its contract with the SSFL, with the other being Coca-Cola, the title sponsor of the league InterCol play-offs.
This year the league will also boast of retaining longstanding sponsors Shell as well as the National Gas Company (NGC) who through its head of Communication and Brand Nicola Ghouralal, said they want to invest in human energy.
Ghouralal said her company’s sponsorship of the league is an indication that they believe in the youth.
In 2022, St Benedict’s defeated Fatima 3-1 to claim the Premier Division title, but the Fatima boys returned to gain sweet revenge in the National Coca-Cola InterCol final by winning 1-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The league represented the future of T&T on and off the field. Yesterday, Morris-Julien said, as a former footballer herself she knows of the efforts and benefits of the league and didn’t doubt the fact that a future star footballer can be in the league.
“The Secondary School Football League has a legacy of fierce competition and friendly rivalry. I grew up in a time with the Blue Thunder (El Dorado East) and the Green Machine (St Augustine Senior) and it has maintained a strong following from not only the students but also from the communities of these schools. To this day, everyone can say their favourite football team,” Morris-Julien said.
“In all areas of youth development, you know the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. The Secondary Schools Football League is indeed a village that the Ministry of Education is proud to be part of.”
Following on the heels of the Commonwealth Youth Games, which Morris-Julien said provided an opportunity for young athletes to showcase their talent, she noted also that the SSFL presents yet another opportunity for our young athletes to shine and show their skills in sports.
“I grew up with Stern John, Dwight Yorke, Jason Scotland, Kenwyne Jones, and it’s not impossible that one day, Messi, Ronaldo, and or Neymar could be among us today,” Morris Julien said.
“Sports as we know it, is not merely a physical activity but it’s a powerful tool for character building and discipline. It’s a platform that fosters lifelong skills that extends far beyond the playing field. Through sports, we learn the importance of dedication, we learn discipline, time management, and the pursuit of excellence.”
This year the league will feature some 6,000 players from 100 registered schools in 398 teams. And among these figures will be 10 teams from a new 13 and Under girls’ division that will come on stream, come September.
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SSFL kicks off: Benedict's, Fatima clash in NGC Cup
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
The 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season is starting in the same manner the 2022 edition ended, as St Benedict's College and Fatima College will meet in the NGC Cup match from 4 pm today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
The NGC Cup sees the winners of the league and intercol tournaments from the previous season meeting to kick-start the new campaign. Last season, St Benedict's and Fatima traded heavy punches, as Benedict's won the premier division with a 3-1 win over Fatima in the "Big 4" final, while the latter got their revenge by edging their southern counterparts 1-0 in the intercol final.
Both schools were also impressive in the other age groups, as Fatima won the national under-14 and under-16 titles, with St Benedict's getting the under-20 crown.
St Benedict's, who are also referred to as the "Golden Lions" or "La Romaine Lions," captured their first national league title since 1967 with their "Big 4" win last year. This season, coach Randolph Boyce hopes his team can bring the right "ingredients" to find the winning formula once more.
"Yes, we have our expectations. Repeating anything is a hard task to achieve but I still think it's achievable," Boyce told Newsday. "The way the school football is set up, you may not be able to have the ingredients all the time because it's a system where students always leave and you have to develop more students and bring more students."
"You might be able to achieve the task, but you may not have the same students to do the job."
In the 2022 season, Benedict's enjoyed an unbeaten run during the campaign, before being undone by a Joshua Mason goal in the intercol final. Then, Boyce's team boasted of national youth players such as Derrel Garcia, Jeremiah Niles, Josiah Ochoa and captain Tarik Lee, who won the 2022 SSFL Player of the Year award. For the upcoming season though, Boyce is staying tight-lipped on his squad composition.
"I don't want to say who left (the school) nah. I want to keep the fear in some of those schools," Boyce said. "Let the players and them run out and let the players see for themselves."
This season, the 16-team premier division reverts to its original format, with each team in the league playing each other for a total of 15 league matches.
"Last year, there was a shortened format and we just had two groups with about seven games each before you could reach a final," Boyce said. "Now, this format will be testing your consistency. Everybody is preparing and wants to do well, so you can't go into this tournament overconfident."
With their national intercol win in 2022, Fatima put their hands on the coveted knockout trophy for the first time in 17 years. Fatima's 2022 team also had good talent, with captain Christian Bailey, goalkeeper Tristan Edwards and defender Jaden Williams all representing TT at youth level.
For 2023, coach Hutson "Baba" Charles will have the aforementioned trio within the ranks, although the impressive full back pair of Jesse Hospedales and Alijah Nunes have left the school. "The season ahead is a long season," said Fatima manager Stephen Williams. "The (NGC Cup) is not the be-all and end-all. Of course, we want to be competitive, but it will be a feel-out game for how the season will be."
Both camps have downplayed the NGC Cup as being "just another game," but neither St Benedict's or Fatima will want to give an inch to their rival before the quest for league supremacy begins next week.
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Derrel Garcia's hat trick leads St Benedict's to NGC Super Cup
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
Three goals from Derrel Garcia and another from Daniel Jones handed St Benedict's College, the 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division champion, the opening National Gas Company (NGC) Super Cup title by beating arch-rivals Fatima College 4-3 on Satuerday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain.
"The La Romain Lions" as St Benedict's is popularly called by their fans, missed out on the Coca-Cola InterCol title last year when Fatima edged them 1-0.
But despite leading 3-0 at the halfway stage yesterday, the St Benedict's team got a major scare from the Mucurapo Road boys, who battled back desperately to reduce the scoreline to within a goal and even could have won it at the death.
Garcia, with just seven minutes gone on the clock, tested the Fatima goalkeeper from some 20 yards out with a thunderous shot that goalkeeper Tristan Edwards could only tip over the crossbar.
Then Fatima led in attack by their influential striker Michael Chaves, also went close to the opener after a through-ball put him on a one-on-one with the defence in the centre of the park. But Chaves, one of the Fatima marksmen from the previous year, could not get his effort on target in the 11th minute.
Jones, then fed a ball inside the Fatima penalty area, turned quickly away from his marker in the 14th minute before being steamrolled by defender Yohance Atherton, a challenge that referee Krystal Sobers could only point to the penalty spot for.
Garcia then stepped up and sent Edwards the wrong way for a 1-0 advantage.
Despite losing a couple of key players from their line-up last year, the La Romain Lions still roared ferociously with Garcia and Jones now leading the way with a number of talented players in their fold. And it showed with their second goal that pushed them ahead 2-0. Jones fed a lifted ball outside the box, produced a breathless first touch that only Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp was known for, and with the goal in front of him, the lanky striker unleashed a powerful shot that beat Edwards to his first post in the 45th minute.
A minute later, Garcia got his second item of the match in a similar fashion.
Again from a build-up on the right, Garcia was picked out with a through-ball that he raced on to, before hitting hard past Edwards for a 3-0 lead at the halfway stage.
Fatima appeared done and dusted as they walked off the field for the break, but upon their return, they were a different team. Christian Bailey robbed Daniel Hope of the ball on the right side and drove to the byline before pulling it back for Chaves to fire home for a 3-1 scoreline in the 50th minute.
Chaves then turned provider in the 68th minute, releasing Bailey down the right flank, to then quickly centre for Josiah Gobin to reduce the margin to one with a 3-2 lead.
The goal seemed to have tilted the match in Fatima's favour somewhat until Garcia scored his third goal to restore a two-goal cushion. The talented St Benedict's attacker was picked out in the midfield and he shook off a couple of players on his way to goal before unleashing a powerful grounder to beat Edwards in the 79th minute for a 4-3 margin.
His goal sparked wild celebrations among their fans in the stands but it was shortlived. Fatima College, in its very next raid on St Benedict's goal, reduced the score again.
This time substitute Luke Correia found himself at the end of a neat Fatima build-up and he hit the ball hard past goalkeeper Samuel Glasgow for a 4-3 result at the end.
After the match, Garcia was voted "Man of the Match", but more so, St Benedict's has now signalled a warning to their competitors in the Premier Division of the SSFL.
https://www.youtube.com/v/oXvhbjkanu0
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The player who piques my attention here is Daniel Jones. Garcia is now a known commodity.
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Daniel Jones goal was well taken. I wonder how old is he? This would be Garcia's break out season ..
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St Benedict’s travel to San Juan in opener.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Boosted by their 4-3 win over Fatima College in the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League 16-team Premier Division NGC Super Cup clash between the Premier Division ‘Big-Four’ champions and the National Inter-Col winners, St Benedict’s College will aim to kick start their title defence with a win away to another key rival, San Juan North Secondary from 3.30 pm on Wednesday.
In Saturday’s win over Fatima, Derrel Garcia scored a hat-trick for St Benedict’s who lifted their first National League crown last year since 1967 via a 3-1 win over Fatima led by a treble from former team captain Tarik Lee.
Last year in the league competition, which was contested via two groups, the Randolph Boyce-coached St Benedict’s College topped the eight-team Group A standings ahead of Fatima on goal difference after both teams finished with 19 points before they defeated Presentation College of San Fernando 5-3 in their ‘Big-Four’ semifinal. San Juan North Secondary, meanwhile, led by former striker Larry Noel emerged as Group B winners with six wins from seven matches for 19 points as well, before they narrowly lost out to Fatima College 1-0, the Group A runner-up in the semifinals, and will be keen to star the campaign on a positive note as well.
The Hutson “Barber” Charles-coached Fatima College who ended their 17-year-old National Inter-Col drought last year with a 1-0 win over St Benedict’s in the final and also won the North Zone Inter-Col will also face a stern test to kick off the season as they welcome zonal rivals St Anthony’s College for what is expected to be an equally as entertaining encounter at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road.
In other eye-catching matches, perennial champions and four-time winners Naparima College begins their quest to reclaim their title at home to Chaguanas North Secondary at Lewis Street, San Fernando while East Inter-Col champions Trinity East College entertains promoted former national champions East Mucurapo Secondary at Trinity, and another former national champion Arima North Secondary ‘Dial Dynamos’ welcome Presentation College of San Fernando to the Arima Municipal Stadium while Malick Secondary and Queen’s Royal College square off in a battle of former powerhouses at St Mary’s College (CIC) Ground, Serpentine Road.
Elsewhere, Pleasantville Secondary hosts St Mary’s College at Yolande Pompey Recreational Ground, Naparima Mayaro Road, and Speyside High and Bishop’s High meet in an all-Tobago match-up at Speyside Recreation Ground.
Wednesday (September 13) matches:
Fatima College vs St Anthony’s College, Fatima Ground, 3.30pm
Malick Secondary vs QRC, CI Ground, Serpentine Road, 3.30pm;
Arima North vs Presentation College (San F’do), Arima Municipal Stadium, 3.30pm;
Naparima College vs Chaguanas North, Lewis Street, 3.30pm;
Pleasantville vs St Mary’s College, Yolande Pompey Rec. Ground, Naparima Mayaro Road 3.30pm;
San Juan North vs St Benedict’s College, Bourg Mulatresse, 3.30pm;
Speyside High vs Bishop’s High, Speyside Rec. Ground, 3.30pm;
Trinity College East vs East Mucurapo Secondary, Trincity, 3.30pm.
RELATED NEWS
SSFL champs Benedict’s wary of San Juan threat
By Ronel Walcott (T&T Newsday).
REIGNING Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division champions St Benedict’s College will begin their title defence today, when they travel to San Juan North Secondary in Bourg Mulatresse, Santa Cruz, to kickstart the 2023 SSFL campaign.
On Saturday, Benedict’s started the season on a triumphant note as they defeated last season’s national intercol winners, Fatima College, in a 4-3 thriller at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, to lift the NGC Cup.
Looking towards the league season, Benedict’s coach Randolph Boyce says “nothing is guaranteed,” and he is expecting a tough matchup from San Juan, who won four straight east zone intercol titles from 2016 to 2019.
“You have to go and take whatever you want from this league,” Boyce told Newsday. “Any time you have to depend on another team for a result, you will go back home empty-handed.
“We want to win, of course. We hope that the football gods will be with us and we’ll have a nice run and be successful and try to win, if God sees it fit that way. Everything is in His hands.”
All 16 teams in the league will be in action today, with eight games scheduled for a 3.30 pm kick-off time in varying venues across TT.
San Juan’s clash with Benedict’s is arguably the most interesting game on paper, and San Juan coach Jerry Moe is expecting a stern test.
“It’s a tall order for the first game of the season to be against St Benedict’s, but we have to be up for it,” Moe said.
“We know St Benedict’s is a good team. We saw a bit of the game against Fatima on the weekend.
“We know they’re very dynamic and explosive going forward. They are a well-coached team so we expect a very tough game from them.”
In 2022, San Juan saw their winning streak (minus two years lost to covid19) in the east intercol come to an end, as Trinity College East (TCE) got a 1-0 win in their zonal final. On his goals for this campaign, Moe says he is looking to stay clear of the relegation zone after enduring a rough pre-season.
“Our objective this season, like most teams, will be to stay up in the premier division. And then whatever we get after, we will take it from there.”
Moe will be without his 2022 top-scorer Larry Noel, who has taken up a scholarship abroad.
However, TT under-17 attacker Lindell Sween has just entered form five at San Juan North, and his powerful left foot could be his school’s most dangerous weapon this season.
“We have a few new players who will be playing in front of that (Bourg Mulatresse) crowd for the first time,” Moe said. “I don’t know what to expect from them.”
Boyce also remains uncertain about the capabilities of his team’s first opponents this season.
“To me, that game is like a blind game because we haven’t seen San Juan for the season,” Boyce said.
“(San Juan) have got a glimpse of us and it will be a cagey affair because we have to go in and kinda feel them out.
“They have a history of being a team which always contests and reaches a final or wins a final. They are a team we cannot take lightly.”
At Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo, Fatima will be aiming to bounce back from their NGC Cup loss when they entertain fellow north powerhouse St Anthony’s College.
In addition to last year’s national intercol win, Fatima also copped the national under-14 and under-16 crowns and will fancy themselves as one of the title contenders.
In another north zone tussle, Malick Secondary will host Queen’s Royal College at St Mary’s Grounds in St Clair, with Malick seeking to avenge last season’s 2-1 north zone semi-final loss to the “Royalians.”
Four-time premier division champions Naparima College will try to get back to winning ways after going without a title last season, and they will begin their 2023 campaign by hosting reigning central zone intercol winners, Chaguanas North Secondary, at their Lewis Street, San Fernando home.
TCE copped their first east intercol title in 2022, and they will start their new season by hosting East Mucurapo Secondary at the school grounds in Trincity.
The trio of Arima North Secondary, St Mary’s College and Bishop’s High School (Tobago) have all returned to the premier division this season and will want to make their own impact.
Arima host Presentation College (San Fernando), St Mary’s travel to Pleasantville Secondary and Bishop’s meet Speyside Secondary in an all-Tobago affair.
Speyside football director Kerry Lynch has sounded a warning to Bishop’s ahead of their clash in Speyside, and he says his team will be working towards a top-five finish this season.
“I believe that we should have a very good showing (today) and for the season ahead,” Lynch said.
“I believe that we can make a top-five finish in the league this year. This year could be our best showing ever. I honestly believe so.
“We have the experience because this is our sixth year. This is just Bishop’s second season after five years out of the league. We have been in the league constantly so we have the experience. I believe we can put down a marker.”
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San Juan North upsets St Benedict’s upset 4-3
3 hat-tricks to kick off SSFL season
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
National Under-20 player Lindell Sween scored one and made two others as San Juan North Secondary stunned defending Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division ‘Big-Four’ champions St Benedict’s College 4-3 at San Juan North's Bourg Mulatresse Ground, San Juan, on Wednesday.
The Randolph Boyce-coach St Benedict’s went into the contest brimming with confidence following a 4-3 win over reigning National Inter-Col title-holder Fatima College in the 2023 SSFL NGC Super Cup clash at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain on Saturday.
However, it was the host San Juan North who took the lead as early as the fourth minute through Jaheem Danclair, via a tap-in from less than six yards out past goalkeeper Thane Devenish after being picked out by a right-sided centre from QRC-transfer Nathan James.
Against the run of play, St Benedict’s would get on level terms from the in-form Derrel Garcia, the scorer of a hat-trick on Saturday, when his right-footed grounder from just atop the 18-yard box off a rebound sneaked past the outstretched dive of goalkeeper Stephon Langaigne low to his right.
Nine minutes before the interval, Garcia then picked out Jaden Grant with a left-sided cross for an easy-headed finish past Langaigne for a 2-1 lead for the visitors.
However, two minutes before the interval, San Juan North would tie up the scores when Quashie ran onto a through ball from Sween for a lob finish over the advancing Devenish.
In the second half, Sween was again the architect of another San Juan North goal when his left-sided corner was met with a clever first-post header from Jadiel Joseph to restore his team's lead at 3-2 before the former scored a contender for the goal of the season, connecting with a strike on his weaker right foot which whisked past the desperate dive of Devenish, and into the top left-hand corner of the net to cap off a stellar display.
At the other end, St Benedict’s still harboured hopes of pulling out a point from the contest and managed to reduce the deficit in the 81st minute when substitute Daniel Jones glanced home a header off a free kick but in the end, San Juan North held on for the deserved win against the 'La Romaine Lions'.
Down at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, the Hutson “Barber” Charles-coached Fatima College, who ended their 17-year-old National Inter-Col drought last year with a 1-0 win over St Benedict’s in the final and also won the North Zone Inter-Col shrugged off their loss from Saturday with an emphatic 7-0 trashing of zonal rivals St Anthony’s College inspired by a hat-trick from Michael Chaves, while four-time league winners Naparima College mauled Chaguanas North Secondary 10-0 led by a hat-trick from Kanye Francis, the second of three on the day to kick start this year’s competition at Lewis Street, San Fernando.
At the Yolande Pompey Recreation Ground, Ryan Radellant scored the other hat-trick on the day as visitors St Mary’s College promoted as Championship Division winners, clobbered Pleasantville Secondary 8–0.
In the other matches, East Mucurapo Secondary got two goals from Clint Lutchman to edge past East Inter-Col champion Trinity East College 2-1 at Trincity, Malick Secondary whipped Queen’s Royal College 3-1 in a battle of former powerhouses at St Mary’s College (CIC) Ground, Serpentine Road.
Another former national champion Arima North Secondary ‘Dial Dynamos’ and Presentation College of San Fernando drew goalless at the Arima Municipal Stadium.
And in the late match over in Tobago at the Speyside Recreation Ground, Speyside High got the better of Bishop’s High 3-1 in an all-Tobago match-up with goals from N'Kosi Quashie twice from the penalty spot in the 40th, and 90+6, and Shyon George in the 56th cancelling out Damario Henry's 65th-minute reply. The second round of matches takes place on Saturday (September 16) nationwide.
Wednesday's results
Fatima College 7 (Michael Chaves 3, Aiden De Gannes, Kade Collier, Jaden Williams, Johnny Mason) vs St Anthony’s College 0
Malick Sec 3 (Oba Samuel 36th, Isaiah David 39th, Jordan Ferdinand 83rd) vs Queen's Royal College 1 (Micah Nelson 60th)
Arima North Sec 0 vs Presentation College 0
Naparima College 10 (Kanye Francis 3, Jabari Forbes, Akiel Vesprey, Tevin Pantor, Josiah Cooper, Jkwon Bailey, Xarion France, Nathaniel O’Garro pen) vs Chaguanas North Sec 0
St Mary’s College 8 (Ryan Radellant 3, Kyle Phillip 2, Elijah Wong 2, Alejandro Harper) vs Pleasantville Sec 0
San Juan North Sec 4 (Jaheem Danclair 4th, Nathan Quashie 43rd, Jadiel Joseph 65, Lindell Sween 74th) vs St Benedict’s College 3 (Derrel Garcia 19th, Jaden Grant 36th , Daniel Jones 81st)
East Mucurapo 2 (Clint Lutchman 2) vs Trinity East 1 (Khaleem Prince)
Speyside 3 (N'Kosi Quashie 40th pen, 90+6 pen, Shyon George 56th) vs Bishop’s High 1 (Damario Henry 65th)
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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: San Juan North Secondary 4-3 St. Benedict's College
https://www.youtube.com/v/MUAEN63A_Us
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Naparima College 10-0 Chaguanas North Secondary
https://www.youtube.com/v/QJdrh8nHBQo
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Carapichaima schools win big in SSFL championship
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
BOTH Carapichaima West and Carapichaima East Secondary Schools made strong starts in the Central Zone of the Boys Championship Division of the Secondary Schools Football League on Friday.
Carapichaima West defeated Couva East Secondary 3-0 in round one. Jaden Bartholemew scored twice and Matthais Quintin scored the other goal for Carapichaima West.
The other Carapichaima school stormed to victory as Carapichaima East romped to a 9-0 win over ASJA Boys, Charlieville.
Miracle Ministries also won in the Central zone getting past Presentation College, Chaguanas 3-1 at the latter's school ground.
The matches in the East zone were more competitive. St Augustine Secondary were 2-0 winners over El Dorado West Secondary and El Dorado East Secondary also recorded a 2-0 victory over Valencia Secondary. The contest between Five Rivers Secondary and Holy Cross College ended in a goalless draw.
In the South zone, Siparia West Secondary and Pt Fortin Secondary played to a 4-4 draw, St Madeleine Secondary were comfortable 4-1 winners over Moruga Secondary and the match between Princes Town West Secondary and ASJA Boys College, San Fernando was not played because of issues with the field at Princes Town West Secondary.
Scores from the North and Tobago zones were unavailable up to press time on Friday.
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Naps edge St Mary’s to stay perfect
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
NAPARIMA College completed their second consecutive victory of the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League season, when defeating St Mary’s College 3-2, but had to fight all the way under a scorching sun on a bumpy surface on Serpentine Road.
Naparima now join San Juan North Secondary, Fatima College and East Mucurapo Secondary as the only teams that have won their opening two matches in the new Premier Division season.
Yesterday’s action began slowly but heated up appreciably as the first half wore on. Naparima had early dominance, but it was St Mary’s having the best two opportunities, with captain Kyle Phillip not taking good opportunities on the break.
Having survived the early pressure, St Mary’s spectacularly took the lead in the 38th minute, with Ryan Radellant cutting in and curling a powerful shot to the far corner of the net for a 1-0 advantage.
Naparima would respond, and emphatically so, by scoring twice within the final five minutes of the opening half. Jaron Pascal matched Radellant for style and produced a similar quality goal when finding the far corner to level at 1-1, and soon after, Akiel Vesprey showed some good footwork and poked a low shot past goalkeeper Jabali Doyle, giving the visitors a 2-1 half-time lead.
St Mary’s came close early in the second half with Dusan Cooper planting his shot onto a post, following a good flank run and cross by Elijah Wong. Naparima took advantage of the reprieve by further extending their lead to 3-1 in the 57th minute. A hat-trick scorer against Chaguanas North, Kanye Francis came on as a substitute and scored by finishing off a one-two combination with team-mate Jabari Forbes.
And Francis could have gotten another from the penalty spot, after he was brought down in the 80th minute while in the act of shooting. But he hit straight at goalkeeper Jabali Doyle. Francis’ miss gave St Mary’s the chance to rally when Phillip blasted in the ball from Darius Humphrey’s long free-kick for 3-2 in the 84th minute, thus setting up a tense final stage.
“I though a draw might have been a better result, but we played pretty well,” stated CIC coach Michael Grayson afterwards.
“You have to give credit to CIC, they battled to the end,” stated victorious Naparima coach Travis Mulrain, who explained that overcoming complacency is one of his greatest challenges with Naparima.
“I think that this result is a blessing in disguise, because coming off a 10-0 victory, guys can get complacent. And I think this is my biggest challenge this year, to battle that complacency.”
Yesterday’s scores:
• St Benedict’s College 0 East Mucurapo Secondary 1 (Gerome Gulston)
• St Mary’s College 2 (Ryan Radellant, Kyle Phillip) Naparima College 3 (Jaron Pascal, Akiel Vesprey, Kanye Francis)
• San Juan North Secondary 5 (Jaheem Danclair, Lindell Sween, Nathan Quashie, Joshua Lewis (pen), o.g) Pleasantville Secondary 0
• Speyside Secondary 0 Fatima College 1 (Aidan De Gannes)
• Queen’s Royal College 1 (Stephan James) St Anthony’s 0
• Presentation College 1 (Adah Barclay) Malick Secondary 0
• Bishop’s High School 0 Chaguanas North Secondary 1 (Nekayse Moore)
• Arima North 1 (Jemaul Ashing) Trinity East 1 (Deisean Plaza)
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East Mucurapo keeps champs St Benedict’s winless.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Jemon Gulston scored the lone goal as East Mucurapo Secondary kept defending Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division ‘Big-Four’ champions St Benedict’s College without a point after two matches, going down 1-0 in their clash at the Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin on Saturday.
Gulston got the decisive item in the 84th minute as the Dale Saunders-coached East Mucurapo Secondary School improved to a maximum of six points after two matches.
East Mucurapo Secondary School defeated Trinity Collge East 2-1 in their season opener, while St Benedict’s College which is coached by Randolph Boyce and beaten 4-3 at San Juan North Secondary to start the season remained without a point.
Over in Tobago at the Speyside Recreation, Fatima College kept pace with its Mucurapo Road neighbours ahead of their clash on Wednesday, with a 1-0 win over host Speyside Secondary thanks to a second-half strike from Aiden De Gannes, his second goal in as many matches.
At Bourg Mulatresse Ground, San Juan, the quartet of Jaheem Danclair, Lindell Sween, captain Joshua Lewis (penalty), and Nathan Quashie were all on target as San Juan North Secondary won for the second straight match as well 5-0 over visiting Pleasantville Secondary, who also conceded an own goal.
At St Mary’s College Ground in St Clair, the host was made to pay for squandering several early chances in a 3-2 loss to former champions Naparima College, who now lead the 16-team standings on goal difference from San Juan North, Fatima, and East Mucurapo respectively.
The ‘Saints’ were almost gifted the lead in the seventh minute when Naparima goalkeeper Tyrece Romain mis-controlled a back pass from left back which ‘Saints’ striker Kyle Phillip was alert to, but as soon as he was about to fire on goal, Romain made a timely intervention on his attempt to redirect the effort for a corner.
However, in the 36th minute, the ‘Saints’ finally broke the deadlock when winger Ryan Radellant retrieved a right-sided cross on the far left of the 18-yard box before he wrong-footed two defenders and blasted a right-footed effort past Romain into the left side of the goal for a 1-0 lead.
That lead was short-lived though as defender Jaron Pascal drew the visitors level in the 42nd minute when he eluded two players outside the ‘D’ and skillfully placed a right-footed effort into the bottom left corner of the goal to tie up the score at 1-1.
And a minute into time added-on at the end of the half, Akiel Vesprey fired Naparima ahead for the first time in the contest weaving his way past his marker inside the 18-yard box and cleverly stabbing a right-footed shot past a flat-footed Jabali Doyle in goal for St Mary’s College.
Six minutes into the second half, the Saints almost drew level when Elijah Wong connected with a right-sided cross, but his one-time right-footed shot cannoned off the left post and back into play.
And Wong was made to rue that missed chance six minutes later when substitute Kanye Francis, the scorer of a hat-trick in his team’s opening day 10-0 trashing of Pleasantville Secondary, extended Naparima’s lead to 3-1 by finishing off a one-two move with Jabari Forbes.
Francis then won Naparima a penalty in the 78th minute when he was hacked down in the area leaving referee Crystal Sobers with no choice but to point to the spot, but with a chance to put the game beyond the ‘Saints’, the Naparima striker tried an ill-advised ‘panenka penalty’ which was easily collected by Doyle.
With seven minutes left in the match “Saints’ captain Phillip pulled his team to within one goal when he pounced on a failed headed clearance from a free kick with a one-time volley to beat Romain to set up an interesting final seven minutes of regulation.
At the other end of the field, Francis almost made amends for his missed effort, but his long-range effort was tipped over the bar by Doyle to keep his team in the contest, in the end, the Travis Mulraine-coached Naparima held on for the win, to add to its 10-0 trashing of Pleasantville.
In other matches, there were similar 1-0 wins for Queen’s Royal College, Chaguanas North Secondary, and Presentation College of San Fernando over St Anthony’s College, Bishop’s High School, and Malick Secondary respectively.
And in the late match at the University of T&T Ground, O’Meara Road, Arima, East Zone rivals, Arima North Secondary and reigning zonal Inter-Col champions Trinity College East battled to a 1-1 draw.
Saturday's Premier Division results:
CHAGUANAS NORTH 1 (Nekayse Moore 88th) vs BISHOP’S HIGH 0
FATIMA COLLEGE 1 (Aidan De Gannes) vs SPEYSIDE SEC 0
PRESENTATION COLLEGE 1 (Adah Barclay 37th) vs MALICK SEC 0
QUEEN’S ROYAL COLLEGE 1 (Stephon James 86th) vs ST ANTHONY’S COLLEGE 0
SAN JUAN NORTH SEC 5 (Jaheem Danclair, Lindell Sween, Joshua Lewis pen, Nathan Quashie, own goal) vs PLEASANTVILLE SEC 0
NAPARIMA COLLEGE 3 (Jaron Pascall 42nd, Akiel Vesprey 45+1, Kanye Francis 57th) vs ST MARY’S COLLEGE (Ryan Radellant 36th, Kyle Phillip 83rd)
EAST MUCURAPO SEC 1 (Jemon Gulston 84th) vs ST BENEDICT’S COLLEGE 0
ARIMA NORTH SEC 1 (Jemaul Ashing 1st) vs TRINITY EAST COLLEGE 1 (Kadeem Plaza 7th)
Latest SSFL Boys’ Premier Division standings
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1. Naparima College*2*2*0*0*13*2*6
2. Fatima College*2*2*0*0*9*0*6
3. San Juan North*2*2*0*0*9*3*6
4. East Mucurapo*2*2*0*0*3*1*6
5. Presentation*2*1*1*0*1*0*4
6. St Mary’s College*2*1*0*1*10*3*3
7. Malick*2*1*0*1*3*2*3
8. QRC*2*1*0*1*2*3*3
9. Chaguanas North*2*1*0*1*1*10*3
10. Bishop’s High*2*1*0*1*3*2*3
11. Arima North*2*0*2*0*1*1*2
12. Trinity East*2*0*1*1*2*3*1
13. St Benedict’s College*2*0*0*2*3*5*0
14. Speyside*2*0*0*2*1*4*0
15. St Anthony’s College*2*0*0*2*0*8*0
16. Pleasantville*2*0*0*2*0*13*0
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East Mucurapo, Fatima meet in SSFL.
By Ronel Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Neighbours East Mucurapo Secondary and Fatima College (both six points) will highlight the third round of matches in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division today, when they meet in a top-four clash at Fatima College Grounds, Mucurapo Road, from 3.30 pm.
Fatima, last year's national intercol champions, registered 7-0 and 1-0 wins versus St Anthony's College and Speyside Secondary to start the league campaign in perfect fashion, after going under to St Benedict's College in the season-opening NGC Cup.
Mucurapo just escaped relegation last season as they defeated St Augustine Secondary in a playoff match to stay in the premier division. This season though, Mucurapo have looked like a different team as they defeated Trinity College East (TCE) on the opening day of the season, before managing a surprise 1-0 win over Benedict's on Saturday.
Fatima, Mucurapo, Naparima College and San Juan North Secondary are all level on points, with Naparima heading the standings with a +11 goal differential. Fatima are second with a +8 goal difference, while San Juan (+6) and Mucurapo (+2) are third and fourth respectively.
South zone powerhouse Presentation College (San Fernando) face San Juan in an intriguing matchup at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, with the "Pres Lions" looking to stop TT under-17 players Lindell Sween, Nathan Quashie and a dangerous San Juan outfit.
Four-time premier division winners Naparima will go after a third straight league win when they meet fellow south team Pleasantville Secondary at their Lewis Street, San Fernando home.
Reigning premier division champions Benedict's will try to halt their two-game losing skid to start the season when they travel to Plymouth Recreation Ground in Tobago to tackle the newly promoted Bishop's High School (Tobago). Meantime, the premier division's other Tobago representative, Speyside, will journey to Westmoorings to face a St Anthony's team that has started the season with two straight losses.
East zone intercol holders TCE and their east compatriots Arima North Secondary will go after their first wins of the season when they face the north zone pair of Queen's Royal College and St Mary's College respectively.
Malick Secondary and Chaguanas North Secondary will both be searching for their second win of the season when they round off the action with their match at Park Street, Morvant.
Starting today – owing to humid weather conditions – all premier division matches will kick off at 4 pm, barring the televised games and fixtures involving the two Tobago schools.
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Unbeaten Fatima thump East Mucurapo 5-0 in SSFL
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
FATIMA College maintained their perfect start to the 2023 Secondary Schools Premier League (SSFL) premiership division after trouncing ten-man East Mucurapo 5-0 in the "Mucurapo derby" at the college grounds on Wednesday.
The 2022 Coca-Cola Intercol champions dominated with a second-half brace from substitute Justin Alcantara, and a goal each from man-of-the-match Michael Chaves, Tom Deckle and Christian Bailey.
The result also ended East Mucurapo’s two-match unbeaten run, which saw them only concede once during that period.
At the kickoff, East Mucurapo dominated the opening ten minutes. However, lightning strikes forced a temporary stoppage.
When play resumed, Chaves broke the deadlock after Aidan DeGannes wrestled the ball away from his marker and played a neat ball to Chaves, who controlled with his left foot and fired home with his right.
East Mucurapo showed composure after conceding early and had some fair chances to equalise. Fatima goalie Tristan Edwards stood firm throughout and also extended his clean sheet record to three matches.
East Mucurapo forward Jemon Gulston had the best chance for his team in the opening half as he beat his defender and tried to place his shot away from Edwards, but his effort was too tame.
Just before the end of the first period, East Mucurapo’s Clint Lutchman was red-carded for lashing out against opposing striker Bailey.
Seven minutes into the second half, Bailey presented Deckle with a timely cross inside the penalty box, and he made no mistake, shooting to the left corner past East Mucurapo’s Deshaun Alexander.
Not long after, Fatima went further ahead as De Gannes played the ball over Mucurapo’s defensive line which fell to a pressing Bailey. However, a surging Alexander tried to get it off him, didn’t make contact and Bailey fired into an open net.
In the 69th minute, substitute Alcantara hit a long-range effort from outside the penalty box which deflected off Alexander hands and went in. The replay showed the ball would have gone wide.
Into the 92nd, Alcantara got his name on the scoresheet once more, to seal an emphatic 5-0 triumph.
In other matches, reigning SSFL premier champions notched their first win with a 3-0 result over Bishop’s High in Tobago. St Anthony’s also earned their first three points with a 2-1 victory against Speyside.
Malick Secondary drubbed Chaguanas North 10-0, Naparima slammed nine past an unresponsive Pleasantville, Arima North spanked St Mary’s 8-1, San Juan North handed Presentation College San Fernando their second loss with a 2-1 win, and QRC edged past Trinity College 1-0.
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Naps, San Juan North, Fatima stay perfect in SSFL
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Former champion Naparima College, reigning National Inter-Col champion Fatima College, and San Juan North Secondary remained the teams with 100 percent winning records after Round Three matches in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division, on Wednesday.
At Lewis Street, San Fernando, the Travis Mulraine-coached three-time champions Naparima made it three wins on the trot in their quest to reclaim their title with a comfortable 9-0 win over fellow southerners Pleasantville Secondary.
For Naparima, who had to come from behind to beat St Mary's College away 3-2 in the previous round, Kevin Francois and Kanye Francis, each scored a pair of goals while Jaron Pascal, captain Tyrel Rajoon, Aaron Raymond and Israel Joseph added one apiece together with an own goal from the visitors.
At Mucurapo Road, Fatima came away with a 5-0 win against previously perfect East Mucurapo Secondary in the 'Mucurapo Road" derby with Michael Chaves, substitute Thomas Decle, Christian Bailey, and another substitute Justin Alcantara (two), all getting on the scoresheet.
Fatima opened the scoring after only eight minutes when Aidan De Gannes won a 50-50 challenge with a East Mucurapo defender and picked out an unmarked Chaves, who collected and with time and space rifled a right-footed effort into the far corner.
As the match went on, East Mucurapo came into their own, but their momentum was halted when referee Timothy Derry was forced to pause the contest for safety reasons due to lightning flashes in the 31st minute.
When the match resumed after a 20-minute break, East Mucurapo created the best chance through a counterattack with Clint Latchman picking out Jemon Gulston just inside the 18-yard box, but after eluding defender Yohance Atherton, his right-footed effort was brilliantly kept out by a save low down to his left by goalkeeper Tristan Edwards to preserve Fatima's lead.
However, East Mucurapo then suffered a blow when Latchman was issued a straight red card for violent conduct by referee Timothy Derry, leaving his team to play the remainder of the half, and the entire second 45 minutes with ten men while Fatima's Christian Dailey was shown a yellow from the same incident.
Seven minutes into the second half, Decle was picked out by a right-sided cross by Bailey, and from less than six yards out he doubled his team's advantage as they began to stamp their authority on the contest with the extra man.
Six minutes later, Bailey all but secured the three points for the home team when he slotted into an open net before Alcantara added items in the 68th and 90th minute, to put the icing on the commanding win with the scoreline not really a true reflection of the effort from the Dale Saunders-coached East Mucurapo.
Not too far away at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, the Jerry Moe-coached San Juan North also made three out of three in the win column thanks to a brace from Queen's Royal College (QRC) transfer Nathan Quashie, with a goal coming in each half against Presentation College of San Fernando.
At Park Street Recreation Ground, Morvant, former SSFL powerhouse Malick Secondary recorded the biggest win on the day, 10-0 over Chaguanas North Secondary with Ronaldinho Richards and J'Lon Matthews scoring braces while teammates Malachi Woodley, Ackeem James, Oba Samuel, Keston Richards, Zachary Joseph, and Jordan Ferdinand were also on target.
At St Mary's College ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, visitor Arima North produced the shock result of the day when they slammed fellow promoted team and Championship Division 2022 winners St Mary's College 8-1 inspired by a hat trick from Tyrell Stapleton and a double by Darion Marfan.
The trio of captain Jamaul Ashing, Theron O'Brien and Ability Hazel also found the target against the reeling 'Saints' who got a late consolation item from their skipper Kyle Phillip, in their second straight defeat.
Over in Tobago, defending Premier Division ‘Big-Four’ champions St Benedict’s finally picked up its first points of the season in a 3-0 win over Bishop's High School with Malachi Webb, Jaden Grant and Daniel Jones at the Plymouth Recreation Ground.
In other matches yesterday, St Anthony's got its first points of the campaign in a 2-1 home win over Speyside in Westmoorings and QRC won for the second straight contest, 1-0 away to Trinity College East with Tau Lamsee on target in Trincity. Matches resume on Saturday.
Wednesday's results:
St Benedict's 3 (Malachi Webb, Jade Grant, Daniel Jones) vs Bishop's High 0
Fatima 5 (Michael Chaves 8th, Thomas Decle 52nd, Christian Bailey 58th, Justin Alcantara 68th, 90th) vs East Mucurapo 0
Malick 10 (Ronaldinho Richards 2, J'Lon Matthews 2, Malachi Woodley, Ackeem James , Oba Samuel, Keston Richards, Zachary Joseph, Jordan Ferdinand) vs Chaguanas North Sec 0
Naparima 9 (Kevin Francois 2, Kanye Francis 2, Jaron Pascal, Tyrel Rajoon, Aaron Raymond, Israel Joseph, own goal) vs Pleasantville Sec 0
San Juan North 2 (Nathan Quashie 2) vs Presentation College 0
St Anthony's College 2 (Daniel Rose, Obadiah Eyeadelrosiyhia) vs Speyside 1 (Omar Daniel)
Arima North 8 (Tyrell Stapleton 3, Darion Marfan 2, Jamaul Ashing, Theron O'Brien, Ability Hazel) vs St Mary's 1 (Kyle Phillip)
QRC 1 (Tau Lamsee) vs Trinity College East 0
Current standings:
Positions*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1.Naparima College*3*3*0*0*22*2*9
2.Fatima College*3*3*0*0*14*0*9
3. San Juan North*3*3*0*0*11*3*9
4. East Mucurapo*3*2*0*1*3*6*6
5. Malick*3*2*0*1*13*2*6
6. QRC*3*2*0*1*3*3*6
7. Arima North*3*1*2*0*9*2*5
8. Presentation*3*1*1*1*1*2*4
9. St Benedict's College*3*1*0*2*6*5*3
10. Speyside Sec*3*1*0*2*4*4*3
11. St Mary's College*3*1*0*2*11*11*3
12. St Anthony's College*3*1*0*2*2*9*3
13. Chaguanas North*3*1*0*2*1*20*3
14. Trinity East*3*0*1*2*2*4*1
15. Bishop's High*3*0*0*3*1*7*0
16. Pleasantville*3*0*0*3*0*22*0
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Speyside upsets Malick 2-1.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Defending Coca-Cola National InterCol champion Fatima College, Naparima and San Juan North remained unbeaten, but Malick Secondary tasted defeat and dropped points again as the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League continued Saturday afternoon.
Entering as the firm favourites to win, the Malick players have only themselves to blame as they thoroughly outplayed their opponents but countless woeful and wasteful efforts in front of the opponent's goal – including a penalty in the 83rd minute which defender Ackeem James blasted over the crossbar, saw them slip from the unbeaten ranks.
The undefeated teams took full advantage and moved three points further ahead, with Naparima hammering East Mucurapo 7-0, as expected, San Juan North edging past Queen's Royal College 2-1 courtesy of goals from Jaheem Danclair in the 39th minute and Lindell Sween in the 75th, while Fatima got double strikes from Aidan De Gannes and Jonathan Mason in crushing Pleasantville Secondary 5-0 at their Mucurapo Road home ground.
At their Serpentine Road facility, Malick, who returned to top-flight SSFL football just last year, entered as heavy three or four-goal favourites and this prediction seemed on track when they opened the scoring after just seven minutes from Oba Samuel.
The expected rout seemed on as Malick dominated the proceeding for the remainder of the half, creating chances in abundance, but just could not convert to add to their lead and were stunned when it was the Tobago-based school who was next on the score sheet to level the game at 1-1, with Nkosi Quashie sending the goalkeeper the wrong way in converting from the spot after Omar Daniel was bundled over in the area.
Malick responded well and continued to create opportunities and it was only outstanding work by the Speyside custodian Makaya Taylor, who kept them at bay, with one particularly spectacular play seeing him high to his right to keep out a dipping left-side cross that seemed destined for goal. Their wastefulness was highlighted as even when the ball fell invitingly to Josante Duncan on top of the area, he flashed his shot well over the crossbar.
After the break, the Malick boys again created chances in bunches but were again wasteful as they all came to nothing with Samuel, the scorer of the opening goal, being especially guilty and squandering a golden chance midway in the half when the ball rolled nicely for him from a wonderful build-up, but he dragged his attempt wide of an open goal.
They were then given a massive lifeline in their quest for maximum points and to remain unbeaten when in the 83rd minute Samuel was brought down in the six-yard box and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. James caught the missing bug and blasted high over the bar.
Malick was made to pay dearly for several missed chances, with James who now appeared unsettled after the penalty miss, fumbled the ball into his own net from a Speyside attack in the 92nd minute, when a share of the points seemed on the cards.
Speyside manageress, Kristal Griffith, said her charges came with a plan to move up the standing by getting maximum points and was elated that they did it.
Saturday's Results
Malick 1 (Oba Samuel 7th) vs Speyside 2 (Nkosi Quashie 25th pen, own goal (90+2)
San Juan North 2 (Jaheem Danclair 39th, Lindell Sween 75th) vs QRC 1 (Micagh Nelson 83rd)
Presentation College 3 (own goal 61st, Vaughn Clement 83rd, 90th) vs Chaguanas North 0
Naparima 7 (own goal, akiel Vasprey 27th, 51st, Jabari Forbes 52nd, Tevin Pantor 62nd, Xarion France 79th, Nathaniel O'Garro 80th) vs East Mucurapo 0
Fatima College 5 (Aidan De Gannes 2, Jonathan Mason 2, Christian Bailey) vs Pleasantville 0
St Anthony's College 3 (Andell Fraser 2, Theo Cravador 1) vs CIC 0
St Benedict's College 1 vs Arima North 1
Current Standings:
Positions*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*Naparima College*4*4*0*0*29*2*12
2*Fatima College*4*4*0*0*18*0*12
3*San Juan North*4*4*0*0*13*4*12
4*Presentation*4*2*1*1*4*2*7
5*Malick*4*2*0*2*14*4*6
6*Arima North*4*1*3*0*10*2*6
7*Speyside Sec*4*2*0*2*6*5*6
8*QRC*4*2*0*2*4*5*6
9*St Anthony’s College*4*2*0*2*5*9*6
10*East Mucurapo*4*2*0*2*3*13*6
11*St Benedict’s College*4*1*1*2*7*6*4
12*St Mary’s College*4*1*0*3*11*14*3
13*Chaguanas North*4*1*0*3*1*23*3
14*Trinity East*3*0*1*2*2*4*1
15*Bishop’s High*3*0*0*3*1*7*0
16*Pleasantville*4*0*0*4*0*27*0
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Mason Hall files protest after losing to Scarborough.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Unbeaten Scarborough Secondary dropped two valuable points in a 1-1 tie with Signal Hills Secondary on Saturday at the Bertille St. Clair Playing Field when action in the Boys Championship Division of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) continued on Saturday afternoon.
The result though, did not prevent them from taking the top spot on the six-team standings after three rounds of matches.
Scarborough got their goal from Daviel Thomas, while Jermaine Morgan got the lone item for Signal Hill Secondary.
Scarborough is now on seven points after two wins and a drawn match. Signal Hill is in the second position after just a victory and two draws on five points. Meanwhile, Pentecostal Light and Life has secured the third-place position despite playing to a 1-1 tie with Roxborough Secondary at the Mt. Gomery Recreation. Ground.
Samuel Solomon was the scorer for Pentecostal Light and Light, but his goal was cancelled out by an item from Yohan Beckles. And at the Shaw Park Complex, which was carded to be the venue for the Mason Hall Secondary and Goodwood Secondary encounter, but it was not utilized, as the match was called off.
Mason Hall team manager Anthony Williams said the Disciplinary Committee will have to decide on the outcome of the match after Goodwood Secondary breached the rules by requesting a postponement on the day of the game.
The rule, Williams said, gives school teams 48 hours or two days before a request for a postponement of a game. Williams said his team was actually on the field of play when he got the news that Goodwood Secondary would not be able to play the match.
Mason Hall was scheduled to play just two matches to date, but both are before the SSFL disciplinary committee for final results.
According to Williams, in his team’s first match against Scarborough at the Moriah Rec Grounds, there was not a full complement of officials. Only the referee turned up and both schools agreed to provide a linesman each.
Williams, said, however, that because there were not sufficient officials at the match, his team decided to play under protest.
He also claimed in the match, his team got an equalizing goal late to tie the scores at 3-3, but the linesman ruled it offside.
Williams made it clear he is willing to provide video evidence that the goal scored was a good one.
“I am prepared to use both, the case of having insufficient officials or the goal that was ruled off-side to fight his case. If the SSFL is desirous of improving the standard of the League, then things must be done right,” Williams said.
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SSFL’s top three Naps, Fatima, San Juan remain perfect.
By Rondel Walcott (T&T Newsday).
THE Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division’s top three teams Naparima College, Fatima College and San Juan North Secondary maintained their perfect records on Saturday, as they all recorded their fourth consecutive wins to start the 2023 season.
Naparima, the four-time premier division winners, continued their impressive scoring run as they hammered East Mucurapo Secondary by a 7-nil margin in Moka, Maraval. Naparima got a double from Akiel Vesprey, with Jabari Forbes, Tevin Pantor, Xarion France and Nathaniel O’Garro scoring a goal apiece. Naparima head the 16-team table with a +27 goal differential. Fatima College are in second spot with a goal differential of +18. San Juan are third and have a goal differential of +9.
Fatima got their fourth straight shutout win as they thumped Pleasantville Secondary by a 5-0 margin at their Mucurapo Road compound in Mucurapo. Aidan DeGannes and 14-year-old Jonathan Mason scored two each and TT youth player Christian Bailey scored the other.
San Juan had a tougher matchup versus QRC at the latter school’s grounds on Serpentine Road in St Clair, but they were able to come away with a key 2-1 win.
Jaheem Danclar and TT under-17 standout Lindell Sween scored the goals for San Juan who have also defeated both Presentation College (San Fernando) and defending premier division champions St Benedict’s College in the young season.
Also on Serpentine Road, Tobago’s Speyside Secondary escaped from St Clair with their own 2-1 triumph, as they edged Malick Secondary via a late stoppage-time goal. Malick took the lead in only the seventh minute with a thumping right-footed blast by Oba Samuel, who pounced on some loose defending by Speyside captain Nkosi Quashie.
The lanky Quashie made amends for the visitors from the penalty spot, as he slotted past Omarion Worrel in the 25th minute. It was a scrappy affair that saw Malick creating better opportunities.
The north zone team had the chance to secure the three points in the 84th minute, as their lively attacker J’Lon Matthews was fouled in the area. However, their captain Ackeem James blazed his penalty over the bar and into the pavilion on Serpentine Road.
In the 90th minute, Speyside goalkeeper Makaya Taylor then made a brilliant save to stop opposing attacker Ronaldinho Richards from point-blank range.
Taylor’s save turned out to be as good as three points, as the Tobago school eked out a win in added time – albeit in fortuitous fashion.
Speyside’s Lenox Eastman swung a right-sided free-kick into the area and two Malick defenders got into each other’s way as they conspired to bundle the ball into the net. Eastman did his utmost to claim the goal, but the important fact was that Speyside notched their second win in four games and moved level on points with Malick (six points).
Elsewhere, both St Anthony’s College (six points) and Presentation (seven points) registered 3-0 wins – defeating St Mary’s College and Chaguanas North Secondary respectively. Chaguanas had a particularly rough day at the office, as they had a defender and their goalkeeper sent off in the game which was played in Edinburgh, Chaguanas.
Newly promoted Arima North Secondary (six points) continue to be a tough opposition to crack, as they salvaged a 1-1 draw away to St Benedict’s (four points) at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella. Substitute Tony Figuera did the trick for the Wayne Sheppard-coached Arima team who are still unbeaten after four matches.
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Virgil nets 5 in Miracle Ministries 16-0 win.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Aaqila Virgil scored a handful of goals as Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School romped to a 16-0 blow-out of Chaguanas West Secondary for their second straight win in the Secondary Schools Football League Girls Championship, Central Zone Division, on Monday.
Amiya Cumberbatch added to the goal rush with a beaver trick for Miracle Ministries in the lopsided contest which was played at Brickfield Recreation Ground, with Shre Dudley and Sydney Pollard scoring a brace each, while Kimberlyn Rampersad, Ayoka Mohammed, and Kyanna Isaac also found the back of the nets. With this win, they improved to a maximum of six points after also hammering Chaguanas North Secondary, 5-0 in their opener.
In Monday's other match, Chaguanas North Secondary rebounded from its first-day loss by edging past Carapichaima East Secondary 2-1.
Over in Tobago, national Inter-Col champions, Signal Hill Secondary, continued the goal avalanche blasting 12 unanswered goals past a helpless Speyside High School, with Serenity Charles and Naomi Waldrop both scoring beaver tricks at their Bertille St Clair ground. Leia-Marie Balfour chipped in with two goals, with the two other strikes coming off the boots of Shedea Andrews and Skye Thomas.
In the other match played on our sister isle, J’Eleisha Alexander, the reigning “Most Valuable Player”, made it eight goals in her last two matches with a double as she pushed defending national SSFL Girls Championship Division title holders, Scarborough Secondary, to a 3-1 win over Bishop's High with Kaleah Duke also being on target, Gyasi Lewis netted Bishop's High's lone reply.
Monday's results
Central Zone:
Miracle Ministries 16 (Aaqila Virgil 5, Amiya Cumberbatch 4, Shre Dudley 2, Sydney Pollard 2, Ayoka Mohammed, Kyanna Isaac, Kimberlyn Rampersad) vs Carapichaima West Sec 0
Chaguanas North Sec 2 vs Carapichaima East Sec 1
Tobago Zone:
Signal Hil Sec 12 (Naomi Waldrop 4, Serenity Charles 4, Leia-Marie Balfour 2, Shedea Andrews, Skye Thomas) vs Speyside High 0
Scarborough Sec 3 (J'Eleisha Alexander 2, Kaleah Duke) vs Bishop's High 1 (Gyasi Lewis)
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Surging Fatima tackle stuttering Benedict's in SSFL.
By Rondel Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Last year's Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division winners St Benedict's College and national intercol winners Fatima College will resume their rivalry on Wednesday when they clash in the fifth round of the 2023 season, from 4 pm at Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo.
In the 2022 "Big 4" premier division final, Benedict's got a 3-1 victory over Fatima to get their first national league title in over 50 years. In the inercol final, Fatima got the better of the southerners via a 1-0 margin. Benedict's then got a thrilling 4-3 win over Fatima at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo in the NGC Cup on September 9 to kickstart the 2023 season.
Fatima (12 points) have started the league season much better than their southern counterparts with victories in all four of their matches thus far. They only trail table-toppers Naparima College on the 16-team standings on goal difference.
Fatima have looked assured at the back since conceding four goals in the season-opening NGC match and have kept four consecutive clean sheets.
Benedict's (four points) have had a shaky start to the season and have registered just one win in their four matches.
Fatima will look to put in another solid defensive showing and keep Benedict's at bay.
At Lewis Street in San Fernando, the free-scoring Naparima will aim to maintain their spot atop the table when they host Malick Secondary. Naparima have scored a league-high 29 goals and also boast of the competition's top-scorer, Kanye Francis (six goals).
In the televised match from 3.30 pm, this season's two other unbeaten teams Arima North Secondary (six points) and San Juan North Secondary (12 points) will meet at the Arima Velodrome. Last year, the newly promoted Arima pushed San Juan to the limit in the east zone intercol semi-final, with the latter team prevailing 7-6 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw in regulation time at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar. At the Velodrome on Wednesday, both schools will put their unbeaten 2023 runs on the line.
Also from 3.30 m, Presentation College San Fernando (seven points) will try to make good on their journey to Tobago when they face Speyside Secondary (six points) at the Speyside Recreation Ground.
The premier division's other Tobago team, Bishop's High School (Tobago), will go after their first points of the season when they take on Queen's Royal College (six points) on Serpentine Road in St Clair. Also on Serpentine Road, north schools St Mary's College and East Mucurapo Secondary will meet at the former school's ground.
Elsewhere, Chaguanas North Secondary (three points) will host St Anthony's College (six points) in Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, and the cellar-placed Pleasantville Secondary will be seeking their first points of the season when they entertain Trinity College East (one point) at the Yolande Pompey Recreation Ground in Princes Town.
SSFL premier division standings:
Team GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1.Naparima 4*4*0*0*29*2*27*12
2.Fatima 4*4*0*0*18*0*18*12
3.San Juan North 4*4*0*0*13*4*9*12
4.Presentation Sando 4*2*1*1*4*2*2*7
5.Malick 4*2*0*2*14*4*10*6
6.Arima North 4*1*3*0*10*3*7*6
7.Speyside 4*2*0*2*6*5*1*6
8.QRC 4*2*0*2*4*5*-1*6
9.St Anthony's 4*2*0*2*5*9*-4*6
10.East Mucurapo 4*2*0*2*3*13*-10*6
11.St Benedict's 4*1*1*2*7*6*1*4
12.St Mary's 4*1*0*3*11*14*-3*3
13.Chaguanas North 4*1*0*3*1*23*-22*3
14.Trinity East 3*0*1*2*2*4*-2*1
15.Bishop's Tobago 3*0*0*3*1*7*-6*0
16.Pleasantville 4*0*0*4*0*27*-27*0
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Naps, San Juan on five-game win-streak in SSFL
By Rondel Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Four-time Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division champions Naparima College and San Juan North Secondary maintained their perfect starts to the 2023 season, as they both got their fifth straight wins on Wednesday.
Naparima defeated Malick Secondary by a 3-0 margin to maintain their lead atop the standings on goal difference.
San Juan moved up to second spot as they eked out a 1-0 win over Arima North Secondary at the Arima Velodrome, courtesy of a goal in first-half stoppage-time time by Jaheem Danclar.
Fatima College (13 points) remained unbeaten but they slipped a place to third spot, after playing to a goalless draw against reigning champions St Benedict’s College (five points) at the former school’s ground in Mucurapo. After a cautious start, both teams fashioned good chances throughout the 90 minutes, but their finishing left a lot to be desired. Benedict’s T&T under-17 forward Malachi Webb was arguably the most dangerous player on the evening, as his bustling and direct running often troubled the Fatima defenders. Whenever Webb breached the Fatima defence though, he found a worthy nemesis between the uprights - goalkeeper Tristan Edwards.
The hosts had chances of their own in front of goal. But when last year’s national Intercol champs got past Thane Devenish in the Benedict’s goal, the defenders came to the rescue.
On at least two occasions in the match, Benedict’s players made heroic clearances in the six-yard box to keep the scores goalless.
In the first half, Benedict’s playmaker Josiah Ochoa made a timely intervention when Aidan DeGannes looked destined to give the hosts the lead from close range. Then, in the 48th minute, Joshua Demas made the best defensive play of the game as he cleared off the line after Devenish flapped at a deep free kick from Fatima captain Jaden Williams.
The draw leaves Fatima two points off the top of the table. For Benedict’s though, it leaves the defending champions ten points off the pace currently being set by the high-flying Naparima.
Elsewhere, St Anthony’s College (nine points) recorded the biggest win of the round, as they hammered Chaguanas North Secondary by a 10-1 margin in Edinburgh, Chaguanas. Midfielder Aalon Wright-Wilson scored a hat-trick to lead the charge for the Westmoorings Tigers who now climb to fourth on the table.
On Serpentine Road in St Clair, Bishop’s High School (Tobago) got their first win of the season as they defeated Queen’s Royal College 1-0. Khaieem Lewis scored the winning goal for Bishop’s. Meantime, in Tobago, Speyside Secondary moved up to seven points after getting a creditable 1-1 draw with South powerhouse Presentation College San Fernando (eight points).
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Alexander bags hat-trick for Scarborough in SSFL girls division
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
National Under-20 player J'Eleisha Alexander continued her form for Scarborough Secondary in the Tobago zone of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) girls championship division with a hat-trick against Speyside High School, on Thursday.
Alexander's brilliance helped Scarborough defeat Speyside 7-1 at Speyside Recreation Ground. Also scoring for Scarborough were Kaleah Duke (two), Arianna Bacchus (one) and Toniyah Boucher (one).
At the Roxborough Secondary ground, the home team lost 8-0 to Signal Hill Secondary. Madison Campbell netted a brace for Signal Hill to lead the way, and scoring one goal each were Shadea Andrews, Leia-Marie Balfour, Dominique Scott, Kellecia Taylor, Serenity Charles and Naomi Waldrop.
In the other Tobago zone contest, Bishop's High School crushed Pentecostal Light and Life 6-0 with two goals apiece from Kimonique Spencer and Phileciah Wiltshire. Ty'Kaiya Dennis and Gyasi Lewis were also on target.
In the North zone, St Joseph's Convent, Port of Spain defeated Diego Martin Central Secondary 4-2, Bishop Anstey High School got past Malick Secondary 4-2 and Holy Name Convent hammered Tranquillity Secondary 6-0.
Pleasantville Secondary were ruthless against Princes Town West Secondary winning 28-0 in the South Zone, and Moruga Secondary edged St Joseph Convent, San Fernando 2-1.
In the East, St Augustine Secondary beat El Dorado East Secondary 1-0, Five Rivers Secondary eased past Barataria North Secondary 4-1 and Bishop's East High School edged San Juan North Secondary 2-1.
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Ste Madeleine, Miracle Ministries unbeaten in Championship Division
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Ste Madeleine Secondary and Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School maintained their perfect records in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) championship division to stay atop the south and central zones respectively.
In round five of the division on Friday, Ste Madeleine got a fifth straight win as they got by Siparia West Secondary by a 3-1 margin. Moruga Secondary (12 points) stayed hot on the heels of Ste Madeleine in the south, as they spanked Princes Town West Secondary by a 7-1 margin. Meantime, Point Fortin East Secondary (four points) got their first win of the 2023 campaign as they defeated ASJA Boys College (San Fernando) by a 4-2 margin. Both ASJA and Princes Town West are yet to register a point.
In the central zone, Miracle Ministries strengthened their push towards another "Big 5" championship run as they beat Couva East Secondary 5-1 to get their fifth consecutive win. Carapichaima West Secondary jumped to ten points in the central zone thanks to a massive 13-2 win over ASJA Boys Charlieville.
In the east zone, just three points separate the top three teams. St Augustine Secondary, who were relegated from the premier division last year, lead the table with 12 points from five matches. St Augustine got a valuable 3-2 win over Holy Cross College (four points) on Friday to maintain their two-point lead atop the table.
El Dorado East Secondary (ten points) and Valencia Secondary (nine) points consolidated the second and third spots on the east table with wins over Five Rivers Secondary and El Dorado West Secondary respectively.
In the north zone, Tranquility Secondary and Mucurapo West Secondary played to a 2-2 draw. Belmont Secondary got the better of Diego Martin Central 4-2. Meanwhile, Blanchisseuse Secondary were able to get a big 2-0 win on the road away to Trinity College (Moka) in Moka, Maraval.
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Ten-man Fatima stun San Juan North 5-2 to move to the top of the league
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
TEN-MAN Fatima College moved to the top of the standings in the Secondary Schools Football League premiership division with a 5-2 win in round six over San Juan North Secondary School at the latter’s school ground on Saturday.
Fatima, third before Saturday’s matches, are now first with 13 points. San Juan North dropped from second to third in the table and Naparima College, the leaders before matchday six, are now second after losing to Arima North Secondary 1-0.
Fatima were down to ten men after captain Jaden Williams was sent off after receiving a red card with about 30 minutes left on the clock. The match seemed headed for a draw as with five minutes left the match was tied 2-2.
However, Fatima did not settle for a draw despite being a man down, scoring three goals in the last few minutes. Jonathan Mason found the back of the net in the 87th minute to give Fatima the lead, before he scored again in stoppage time. Rounding off the scoring for Fatima was Michael Chaves, seven minutes into added on time.
Fatima manager Stephen Williams said the plan was not to hold on for a draw after being reduced to ten men.
“We definitely went up there to get three points today and it was by any means necessary, so with ten men it just fuelled the fire even more. That definitely was not the plan (to hold on for a draw). We made some tactical changes, we did not deviate too much from our formation and we still played with our attackers.” Williams commended Mason for his late-game heroics.
“The fighting spirit was there. We went with our college song – Fearless and True. They went up there with the mindset to get three points and the red card did not set them back from the goal.”
It was heartbreak for San Juan as many players were seen crying after the match.Earlier in the contest, national youth player Lindell Sween gave San Juan the lead in the 23rd minute. Jaheem Danclar scored an own goal for San Juan in the 26th minute to make it 1-1, before Aidan De Gannes gave Fatima their first lead of the match in the 33rd minute. Nathan Quashie continued his prolific season, converting in the 45th minute as the match was all square 2-2 at half-time.
Speyside High School got past the struggling Pleasantville Secondary 3-1 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium training field. Lenox Eastman, Riquelme Phillips and Nkosi Quashie were on target for Speyside and finding his name on the score sheet for Pleasantville was Kelon Williams.
In Trincity, Trinity College East came from a goal down to defeat Malick Secondary 2-1 after a goalless first half. In a North zone match at St Mary’s College ground, the home team got past Queen’s Royal College 4-3.
In other results, East Mucurapo defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 3-0, Presentation College San Fernando crushed Bishop’s High School 4-0 and defending champions St Benedict’s College edged St Anthony’s College 1-0.
Round seven will be played on Wednesday.
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Gosine bangs in 11 more in Plesantville girls 20-0 triumph
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
National Under-17 and U-15 striker Nikita Gosine made it an astonishing 25 goals in her last two matches when he scored 11 times to lead Pleasantville Secondary to a 20-0 thrashing of Palo Seco Secondary in their latest Secondary Schools Football League Girls South Zone Championship Division match on Sunday.
Winners over Princes Town Secondary 28--0 on Thursday last with Gosine scoring 14 goals, the Pleasantville girls showed little mercy on host Palo Seco with the other Gosine sister, Natalia adding a hat trick while Taye-Ann Wylie scored twice, and the quartet of Joe-nelle Jones, Amanda Nanan, Zahara Mitchell, and Giovanna Sherwood one each.
St Joseph Convent of San Fernando also enjoyed a relatively fun day as they ran out 7-0 winners over Princes Town West Secondary led by a five-goal burst from Alexis-Raye Lalchan and one each from Amara Bhagan, and Tishan Siu.
Over in the Tobago Zone, National SSFL Girls League champions Scarborough Secondary powered by reigning “Most Valuable Player’ J’Eleisha Alexander’s six goals clobbered Pentecostal Light & Life 10-0 at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex Ground.
Alexander’s fellow national teammate Talia Martin helped herself to a hat trick in the win for Scarborough with Kieneal Dillon, the other scorer.
And in the other match on the sister-isle Roxborough Secondary defeated Speyside Secondary 5-1 with Shernaiah Alfred scoring three goals, and Lory Clarke a double, while J’nya Gray got the lone reply for the losers.
In the Central Zone, Miracle Ministries continued their impressive start by blasting Chaguanas North Secondary 9-0 with Amiya Cumberbatch netting a treble.
The duo of Aaqila Virgil, and Sydney Gordon banged in two goals each for Miracle Ministries with Kimberlyn Rampersad, and Gabriella Lezama adding solitary items against the hapless Chaguanas South line-up, which was playing their first match of the season after defaulting their previous encounters.
Elsewhere in Central, Holy Faith Convent (Couva) got two goals from Zaria Cassia, and further strikes from Mercedeze Harewood, and Dana Pacheco in a 4-0 beating of Carapichaima East Secondary, while Chaguanas West Secondary got a lone item from Xandreah Ramsingh to edge Carapichaima West Secondary 1-0.
Orielle Martin was unstoppable as she netted a beaver trick to lead Bishop’s Anstey East past Barataria South Secondary 4-1 while San Juan North won by a similar margin against El Dorado East Secondary via items from Kalesia Balcon, Myeisha Cox, Taya Williams, and Afiya Jacob, and in the other clash, Five River Secondary thumped St Augustine Secondary 6-0.
In the North Zone, St Joseph Convent (PoS) got a goal each from Kaitlyn Darwent, Scarlett Cole, and Mikaela Yearwood in a 3-0 win over rivals Bishop’s Anstey (PoS); Holy Name Convent (PoS) had Calypso Ayoung (penalty), Chaya Vincent, Ava Nicholas, and Isabella Ramdeen in a 4-1 defeat of Malick Secondary who got its consolation strike from Hakeemar Goodridge, and Diego Martin Central Secondary won by default from Tranquillity Secondary.
Sunday’s results
South Zone
Pleasantville Sec 20 (Nikita Gosine 11, Natalia Gosine 3, Taye-Ann Wylie 2, Joe-nelle Jones, Amanda Nanan, Zahara Mitchell, Giovanna Sherwood) vs Palo Seco Sec 0
St Joseph Convent (San F’’do) 7 (Alexis-Raye Lalchan 5, Amara Bhagan, Tishan Siu) vs Princes Town West Sec 0
Tobago Zone
Scarborough Sec 10 ( J’Eleisha Alexander 6, Talia Martin 3, Kieneal Dillon) vs Pentecostal Light & Life 0
Roxborough Sec 5 (shernaiah Alfred 3, Lory Clarke 2) vs Speyside Sec 1 (J’nya Gray)
East Zone
Five Rivers Sec 6 vs St Augustine Sec 0
San Juan North Sec 4 (Kalesia Balcon, Myeisha Cox, Taya Williams, Afiya Jacob) vs El Dorado East Sec 1
Bishop’s Anstey East (Orielle Martin 4) vs Barataria South Sec 1
Central Zone
Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High 9 (Amiya Cumberbatch 3, Aaqila Virgil 2, Sydney Gordon 2, Kimberlyn Rampersad, Gabriella Lezama) vs Chaguanas South 0
Holy Faith Convent (Couva) 4 (Zaria Cassia 2, Mercedeze Harewood, Dana Pacheco) vs Carapichaima East Sec 0
Chaguanas West Sec 1 (Xandreah Ramsingh) vs Carapichaima West Sec 0
North Zone
St Joseph Convent (PoS) 3 (Kaitlyn Darwent, Scarlett Cole, Mikaela Yearwood) vs Bishop’s Anstey (PoS) 0
Holy Name Convent (PoS) 4 (Calypso Ayoung pen, Chaya Vincent, Ava Nicholas, Isabella Ramdeen) vs Malick Sec 1 (Hakeemar Goodridge)
Diego Martin Central Sec 3 vs Tranquillity Sec 0 - by default
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San Juan North takes charge...as Pres ends Fatima unbeaten start
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Nathan Quashie continued to win over the hearts of his new school, San Juan North Secondary, by netting another decisive item in their 2-1 win over visitors Trinity College East to move top of the 16-team Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys' Premier Division, on Wednesday.
With previous leader and unbeaten team Fatima College suffering a 1-0 loss at its Mucurapo Road home venue to former champions Presentation College of San Fernando to end its runs at six matches, the Jerry Moe-coached San Juan North now leads the table with 18 points from seven matches after rebounding from a 5-2 home loss to Fatima, with the latter now second on 16 points.
At the San Juan North Secondary ground in Bourg Mulatresse, Jaheem Danclair rediscovered his scoring touch by netting San Juan North's opener, his fifth goal of the season.
However, Trinity East, coming off its first win of the season, 2-1 over Malick Secondary would even things up before the half-time whistle thanks to Jonathan Emrith, his first of the season.
But in an evenly-matched second half, Quashie, who transferred from Queen's Royal College (QRC) prior to the start of the season netted the decisive item in the 63rd with his seventh item of the campaign to secure all three points.
Down at Mucurapo Road, Fatima's brief stint at the top of the standings ended after one round after a second-half goal from Levi Jones proved decisive for Presentation with the latter improving to 14 points in fourth spot, one behind four-time league winner Naparima College, who was handed a second straight loss after starting the season with five straights wins, in a 3-2 loss to defending champion, St Benedict's College who trailed 2-0 early on.
At Lewis Street, San Fernando, Naparima went ahead in the 25th minute when defender Josiah Cooper's downward header at the far post from a Jkwon Bailey free-kick beat goalkeeper Thane Devenish.
Eight minutes later, the prolific Kanye Francis latched onto a loose ball at the top of the 18-yard box to fire past Devenish on his near post for a 2-0 advantage for the host.
But two minutes before the interval, St Benedict's boosted their chances of a second-half comeback when Jeremiah Niles slammed home a right-sided centre from Malacai Webb past goalkeeper Tyrece Romain.
Both teams created a few chances on the resumption, but it was the visitors who took theirs with a free-kick from Keanu Morean glancing off the head of Naparima's Tevin Pantor which eluded his own goalkeeper Romain into the far corner to tie up the score at 2-2 in the 68th.
In the 76th minute, some sloppy defending by substitute Antonio Hill, who failed to clear a long ball from Anthony Williams, saw the ball dropping at the feet of Webb, who fired into the net on the second attempt after his first shot on target was blocked by Romain.
The win, the second on the trot for the 'La Romain Lions', the defending SSFL Premier Division champions extended their unbeaten run to five matches after starting the season with two straight defeats to move to 11 points in the 11th spot, one point behind the trio of St Anthony's College, Arima North Secondary, and St Mary's College who were all in winners row, while Speyside Secondary is fifth with 13 points.
In the other matches, Speyside battled past visitor East Mucurapo 2-1; St Anthony's crushed Pleasantville Secondary 6-1; Arima North edged Malick Secondary 2-1, QRC punished Chaguanas North 6-0, and St Mary's overcame host Bishop's High, 3-2.
Wednesday's results
St Mary's 3 (Ryan Radellant 2, Elijah Wong) vs Bishop's High 2 (Malik Wilson 2)
Presentation 1 (Levi Jones 63rd) vs Fatima College 0
Arima North 2 (Tyrelle Stapleton 19th. Tyler Ayers 45th) vs Malick 1 (Keston Richards 89th)
St Benedict's College 3 (Jeremiah Niles 43rd, Keanu Morean 68th, Malacai Webb 76th ) vs Naparima 2 (Josiah Cooper 25th, Kanye Francis 33rd)
QRC 6 (Tau Lamsee 2, Tehsaun Franklyn, Stephon James, Kerry Baptiste Jr, Mussadiq Mohammed) vs Chaguanas North 0
San Juan North 2 (Jaheem Danclair, Nathan Quashie) vs Trinity East 1 (Jonathan Emrith)
Speyside 2 (Omar Daniel 25th, Riquelmen Phillips 87th) vs East Mucurapo 1 (Jaden Mc Shine 90+4)
St Anthony's 6 (Mordecai Ford 2, Jean-Marc Thomas, Theo Cravador, Russel Francois, Andell Fraser) vs Pleasantville 1 (Kelon Williams)
Current standings
Position*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*San Juan North*7*6*0*1*18*10*18
2*Fatima*7*5*1*1*23*3*16
3*Naparima*7*5*0*2*34*6*15
4*Presentation*7*4*2*1*10*3*14
5*Speyside*7*4*1*2*12*8*13
6*St Anthony’s*7*4*0*3*21*12*12
7*Arima North*7*3*3*1*13*5*12
8*St Mary’s*7*4*0*3*21*21*12
9*St Benedict’s*7*3*2*2*11*8*11
10*QRC*7*3*0*4*13*10*9
11*East Mucurapo*7*3*0*4*9*18*9
12*Malick*7*2*0*5*16*11*6
13*Trinity East*6*1*2*3*7*9*5
14*Bishop’s High*6*1*0*5*4*14*3
15*Chaguanas North*7*1*0*6*2*42*3
16*Pleasantville*7*0*1*6*4*38*1
SSFL Premier Division top scorers:
8 - Kyle Phillip (St Mary's), Ryan Radellant (St Mary's)
7 - Kanye Francis (Naparima), Nathan Quashie (San Juan North)
5 - Jonathan Mason, Aidan De Gannes, Michael Chaves (Fatima), Jaheem Danclair (San Juan North), Andell Fraser (St Anthony's), Stephon James (QRC)
4 - Akiel Vesprey (Naparima), Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Clint Latchman (East Mucurapo), Vaughn Clement (Presentation), Kelon Williams (Pleasantville), Tyrell Stapleton (Arima North), Theo Cravador (St Anthony's)
3 - Oba Samuel (Malick), N’kosi Quahsie (Speyside), Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Jonathan Mason (Fatima), Jean-Marc Thomas, Aalon Wilson-Wright, Mordecai Ford (St Anthony's), Jaron Pascall, Tevin Pantor (Naparima), Adah Barclay (Presentation), Elijah Wong (St Mary's), Tau Lamsee
2 - Justin Alcantar, Christian Bailey (Fatima), Ronaldinho Richards, J’Lon Matthews, Jordan Ferdinand, Keston Richards (Malick), Kevin Francois, Jabari Forbes, Jkwon Bailey, Xarion France, Josiah Cooper, Nathaniel O'Garro (Naparima), Darion Marfan, Jemaul Ashing (Arima North), Jaden Grant, Daniel Jones, Malacai Webb (St Benedict’s), Micah Nelson (QRC), (St Anthony's), Lenox Eastman, Omar Daniel, Riquelme Phillip (Speyside), Malik Wilson (Bishop's High), Jaden Mc Shine (East Mucurapo)
1 - Nekayse Moore, Negaste Moore (Chaguanas North), Abeyomi George (Presentation), Teshaun Franklyn, Kerry Baptiste Jr, Mussadiq Mohammed (QRC), Jeremiah Niles, Keanu Morean, Derrel Garcia, Ethan Trotman, Josiah Ochoa (St Bendict’s), Thomas Decle, Kade Collier, Jaden Williams (Fatima), Malachi Woodley, Ackeem James, Isaiah David, Zachary Joseph, Tyrese Manswell (Malick), Tyrel Rajoon, Aaron Raymond, Israel Joseph, (Naparima), Daniel Rose, Obadiah Eyeadelrosiyhia, Russel Francois (St Anthony’s), Omar Daniel, Shyon George, N'Kosi Quashie, Riquelme Phillips (Speyside), Tyler Ayers, Theron O’Brien, Ability Hazel, Tony Figuera, Stephano Christopher (Arima North), Alejandro Harper, Abdil-Junior Abdul-Hakeem (St Mary’s), Jadiel Joseph, Joshua Lewis (San Juan North), Kadeem Plaza, Khaleem Prince, Hasheem Hill, Seretse Browne, Jeremiah Frank-Williams, Josiah Figaro, Jonathan Emrith (Trinity East), Damario Henry, Khaieem Lewis (Bishop’s High), Malachi Henry, Malik Xavier, Jemon Gulston (East Mucurapo), Levi Jones (Presentation)
Own goal : 6.
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San Juan North rise to top of SSFL, Fatima, Naps lose.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
THE top two teams on the Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) premiership table were unseated after round seven matches on Wednesday as both Fatima College and Naparima College suffered losses, while San Juan North climbed into pole position following a 2-1 victory over Trinity College East.
Fatima (16pts), who led the standings before kickoff, were downed 1-0 by visitors Presentation College San Fernando, courtesy of a 63rd-minute Levi Jones strike.
At Lewis Street Grounds in San Fernando, defending SSFL premiership champions and tenth-placed St Benedict’s College, rallied back from a two-goal deficit to shut out second-ranked “Naps” 3-2.
After a stop-start opening few minutes, Naps went ahead in the 25th via Josiah Cooper, who headed past La Romaine Lions’ custodian Thane Devenish, to send them 1-0 up.
Five minutes later, St Benedict’s had a chance to equalise but midfielder Josiah Ochoa shot overbar.
They were punished for the missed opportunity soon after as Naps’ forward Kanye Francis’s first touch beat his defender and allowed him to turn his body and rifle a right-footed shot into the left corner, to double their lead.
However, St Benedict’s halved their deficit just before the break as Jeremiah Niles latched on to a free ball at the back post and shot past Naparima goalkeeper Tyrese Romain.
It remained 2-1 at half-time. At the resumption, St Benedict’s showed more intent as Malacai Webb and Keanu Morean continued to threaten Naps’ slim advantage.
In the 66th, the 2022 winners thought they found the equalizer when Morean pounced on a mishandled ball by Romain, and scored. However, it was ruled offside, but these near misses ignited confidence. Two minutes later, they were rewarded for their efforts, this time from a free kick. Morean’s goal-bound shot might have been saved by Romain but a slight touch of the ball in the wall shifted its trajectory a bit and beat Naps’ custodian to level the score.
From then on, Naps never looked the part and St Benedict’s continued to press for a winner. A long ball from Anthony Williams was not properly cleared by Naparima’s back line, and it fell to Webb’s feet, who shot straight to Romain.
Romain was unable to gather the ball properly and a persistent Webb pounced on the loose ball and found the back of the net. The match-winning goal silenced the home fans but the visitors erupted.
Now on the back foot, Naps tried to claw back into it but their southern counterparts would not have it. The result meant that San Juan North moved into first position with 18pts while Fatima (16pts) and Naps (15pts) round off the top three.
Pres’ victory also saw them maintain fourth (14pts) position ahead of Saturday’s “South Clasico” against rivals Naps.
In other matches, Speyside (13pts) also held on to fifth position with a 2-1 victory over East Mucurapo. The Tobago team opened the scoring in the 35th minute from Omar Daniel and added another in the 87th, courtesy of Riquelme Phillips. But, East Mucurapo pulled one back in the 94th via Jadon McShine.
Arima North kept their sixth place with a 2-1 triumph against Malick Secondary.
St Anthony’s drubbed cellar-placed Pleasantville 6-1, St Mary’s squeezed past Bishop’s Tobago 3-2 while QRC thumped Chaguanas North 6-0.
Round eight kicks off on Saturday.
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Naps coach upset: 'Some players feel they too big'
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
A furious Naparima College head coach Travis Mulraine knocked his squad’s senior players for “tactical disobedience,” which he believes was a decisive factor in their 3-2 loss to southern rivals St Benedict’s at home at Lewis Street in San Fernando on Wednesday.
“Naps” gave up a two-goal lead and a chance to go top of the Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) premiership table as the La Romaine Lions roared back to notch an important away win.
Despite Naps’ Josiah Cooper and Kanye Francis putting the hosts ahead in the first half, St Benedict’s Jeremiah Niles halved their deficit before the break.
At the resumption, the Lions looked a better unit, and goals from Keanu Morean and Malachi Webb turned the game on its head.
The result saw Naps (15 points) slip to third (previously second) and helped St Benedict’s (11pts) climb one spot up to ninth after round seven. The latter are defending champions.
Additionally, Fatima College’s (16pts) 1-0 loss to Presentation College San Fernando saw them drop to second, while San Juan North’s 2-1 win over Trinity East propelled them into pole position. The new league leaders have 18 points.
After Wednesday’s match at Lewis Street, Mulraine was disappointed with the result and said he may shuffle his players for Saturday’s anticipated “southern clasico” against city rivals Presentation College.
“This game boiled down to tactical disobedience. I envy coaches who have players who are trusting in their philosophy and following instructions as best they could.
“We have guys who, some of them played in the T&T Premier Football League premiership, and I think that they think they may be too big for this level of football. I think going forward, we would have to go with the younger guys and try to teach them to play the right way,” he said in a post-match interview.
Looking ahead at Saturday’s big match, Mulraine hopes they can return to winning ways.
“We have to take it one game at a time. It wasn’t a good result. We cannot do anything about it.
"We just have to move forward, plan for the next game and see how best we can go forward.”
St Benedict’s coach Randolph Boyce was all smiles during his post-match recap.
Even though the title-holders haven’t had the best start to the 2023 season, Boyce said a second-half change made the difference on the day.
“The first half, we were a little bit cagey. We defended solid in the first half.
"But I realised we had to make a technical adjustment in the way we attacked and had to be more brave going forward. That paid off for us in the second period.”
They face fifth-placed Speyside (13pts) on Saturday in round eight.
And with just six points separating current leaders San Juan North and eighth-ranked St Mary’s College, Boyce believes there’s still all to play for in pursuit of a potential second straight crown.
“One game at a time. In this league, it doesn’t matter where you are on the table, it looks like this year, it (champions) could be anybody. We had to bring them back down to earth, get ourselves organised and look at preparation for the Saturday game.”
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Moruga, St Augustine continue SSFL promotion push
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Moruga Secondary and St Augustine Secondary continued their push for promotion back to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) boys' premier division on Friday with both teams registering healthy wins in their respective south and east zones.
Both Moruga and St Augustine were relegated from the premier division in the 2022 season. However, both teams have shown their intent to be back in the top flight for 2024 and currently head their championship standings.
Moruga (21 points) got a seventh win from as many matches, as they defeated ASJA Boys' College 3-0. Jaheim Jackson, Keieal Morales and Che Teesdale scored for Moruga, who maintained a six-point lead over second-placed team Ste Madeleine Secondary.
Ste Madeleine were also big winners on Friday – romping to a 5-1 triumph over Point Fortin East Secondary. Meanwhile, Siparia West Secondary (ten points) had the biggest win in the south zone as they hammered the cellar-placed Princes Town West Secondary 9-0.
The "Green Machine" of St Augustine (18 points) opened up a four-point lead in the east, as they got a thumping 6-0 win over Five Rivers Secondary at the former school's compound. The second-placed El Dorado East Secondary (14 points) dropped two crucial points at home, as they played to a goalless draw with their struggling neighbours El Dorado West Secondary (three points) in an "El Do" derby. Valencia Secondary (12 points) overcame Holy Cross College (five points) by a 3-1 margin in the other east zone fixture.
In the north zone, Blanchisseuse Secondary showed little remorse, as they ran up the scoreline in a 13-1 demolition of Belmont Secondary. Trinity College (Moka) edged Mucurapo West Secondary 2-0 and Tranquility Secondary defeated Diego Martin Central by a similar 2-0 margin.
In Tobago's boys' championship action on Tuesday, Signal Hill Secondary School (14 points) jumped to the top of the standings after a comprehensive 7-0 win over Pentecostal Light and Life. Scarborough Secondary (13 points) slipped to second spot following a 4-2 loss to Mason Hall Secondary (ten points). The two teams at the foot of the table – Roxborough Secondary and Goodwood Secondary – played to a 1-1 draw.
Meantime, action in Tobago's girls' championship heated up on Thursday, as Scarborough (19 points) opened up a five-point lead on their nearest competitors after blanking Mason Hall 3-0. TT youth forward J'eleisha Alexander starred for Scarborough as she netted a brace. Kaleah Duke scored the other goal for the zonal leaders. Signal Hill (14 points) and Bishop's High School (13 points) played to a goalless draw in a battle of second versus third.
In the east, Five Rivers (ten points) are leading the way among the girls owing to to a superior goal differential of +16. They secured a 7-0 win over El Dorado East.
Bishop's Anstey East (ten points) are hot on Five Rivers' heels as they earned a 7-1 win over St Augustine. Third-placed San Juan North Secondary (nine points) spanked table-proppers Barataria North Secondary 7-0.
In the north, St Joseph's Convent (Port of Spain) got the biggest margin of victory as they defeated Malick Secondary 10-0. Bishop's Anstey (PoS) beat Tranquility 4-1. Diego Martin Central and Holy Name Convent played to a gripping 3-3 draw.
Championship action resumes this weekend, with matches being played in Tobago.
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Sween's hat-trick leads San Juan North to 6-0 demolition of Bishop's High
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
A hat-trick from Lindell Sween guided San Juan North Secondary School to a 6-0 demolition of Bishop's High School of Tobago in the Premier Division of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL), on Saturday.
Playing in front of his home crowd in Bourg Mulatresse, Sween took his tally to eight for the season and kept his team at the top of the standings with 21 points from eight matches.
San Juan North, despite early possession, almost went behind in the 28th minute though as Bishop's captain Kerron Arthur raced on to a left-side centre, and from the top of the area, he failed to get the ball on target, as the ball sailed high over the crossbar.
San Juan North's lone loss last week did not affect their confidence or their play yesterday. And from a neat buildup down the right, they really should have gotten the opener in the 37th minute. Nathan Quashie who terrorised the Bishop's defence all afternoon long, delivered a pin-point cross for the unmarked Jaheem Danclar in front of a gaping goal, but he somehow headed wide of the target.
A minute later, they would not be denied. From an almost identical display, Jadiel Joseph, this time taunted the Bishop's defence on the right side before picking out the unmarked Danclar to turn the ball into the net for the 1-0 lead.
The goal lifted the confidence of the home team and they tightened the screws on their opponents in the following moments. However, it was on the stroke of half-time that Sween got his first goal. Danclar failed to collect a ball that was directed to him from the right side and Sween, who was lurking behind him, took a cheeky first touch before blasting the ball past goalkeeper Kristeon Mc Eachnie in the Bishop's goal.
It was Sween's sixth goal of the season that took the teams to the halfway interval.
There were no real changes to the play when the teams returned to the pitch. In fact, San Juan North extended its advantage to 3-0 when Quashie skilfully curled the ball from a free kick past Mc Eachnie with just three minutes gone in the second half.
Still, however, the San Juan North men were far from the finish, as Sween scored two goals in the space of three minutes to take the tally to 5-0. First, he benefited from a defensive blunder on top of the Bishop's High area that allowed him to hurdle over a defender and hit the ball low and hard past Mc Eachnie in the 83rd minute for a 4-0 advantage.
Then Sween two minutes later galloped on to a toe-poked pass from Joshua Lewis and calmly hit the ball past the Bishop's High custodian for his hat-trick and his team's fifth goal for which he punched the atmosphere during his celebration.
With Bishop's High providing little to no resistance, Joseph hammered the final item home when he was picked out free on the left side of the goal area and he drilled it low past Mc Eachnie for the 6-0 victory.
RESULTS
San Juan North 6 (Lindel Sween 45th, 83rd, 85th, Jaheem Danclar 38th, Nathan Quashie 48th, Jadiel Joseph 91st) vs Bishop's High 0
St Anthony's 2 (Jean Marc Thomas 30th, Andell Fraser 78th) vs East Mucurapo 0
Benedict’s 5 ( Daniel Jones 4, Nathan George) vs Speyside 0
Chaguanas North 1 ( Justin Lewis) vs Fatima 4 ( Caden Trestrail 2, Luke Correia, Aidan De Gannes)
Presentation 2 (Vaughn Clement 2) vs QRC 0
Malick 5 (Oba Samuel 38th, Keston Richards 10th, Tyrese Manswell 27th, Jalon Matthews 53rd, Jordan Ferdinand 35th) vs CIC 2
Pleasantville 0 vs Arima 1 (Criston Gomez 16th)
Naparaima 2 (Tevin Pantor, Jarod Pascal) vs Trinity East 1
STANDINGS:
Position*Team*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*San Juan North*8*7*0*1*24*10*21
2*Fatima*8*6*1*1*27*4*19
3*Naparima*8*6*0*2*36*7*18
4*Presentation*8*5*2*1*12*3*17
5*St Anthony’s*8*5*0*3*23*12*15
6*Arima North*8*4*3*1*14*5*15
7*St Benedict’s*8*4*2*2*16*8*14
8*Speyside*8*4*1*3*12*13*13
9*St Mary’s*8*4*0*4*23*26*12
10*QRC*8*3*0*5*13*12*9
11*East Mucurapo*8*3*0*5*9*20*9
12*Malick*8*3*0*5*21*13*9
13*Trinity East*7*1*2*4*8*11*5
14*Bishop’s High*7*1*0*6*4*20*3
15*Chaguanas North*8*1*0*7*3*46*3
16*Pleasantville*8*0*1*7*4*39*1
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Ste Madeleine hammer Princes Town West 17-0 in SSFL championship
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
Ste Madeleine Secondary delivered an emphatic 17-0 thrashing of Princes Town West Secondary when the Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) south zone boys’ championship continued on Tuesday.
The one-sided affair saw Ste Madeleine notch three crucial away points which kept them in second place on the standings, six points adrift of zonal leaders Moruga Secondary.
Moruga Secondary travelled to Point Fortin East Secondary to slam seven past the hosts and maintain their stance atop the table.
In the only other south contest on Tuesday, Siparia West defeated ASJA Boys’ College 3-1 at home in Irwin Park.
North zone matches saw Blanchisseuse Secondary defeat Mucurapo West 3-1 while Belmont Secondary and Tranquillity Secondary took a point each after scoring three goals each.
In the east, second-ranked Valencia Secondary lessened their gap to four points off the top, as they drubbed Five Rivers Secondary 7-1. Valencia’s victory was an important one since zonal leaders St Augustine played to a stalemate against El Dorado East.
Additionally, Holy Cross College climbed into fourth position after eking out a 2-1 triumph over cellar-placed El Dorado West.
Up to press time on Tuesday, results from central and Tobago zone were not yet available.
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San Juan North faces tricky Speyside trip.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
San Juan North Secondary School, led by influential duo Lindell Sween and Nathan Quashie, will be hoping to maintain or even stretch their lead at the top of the 16-team Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys’ Premier Division when they travel to Speyside Secondary Wednesday for a 3.30 pm clash at Speyside Recreation ground in Tobago.
San Juan North, under the supervision of long-serving coach Jerry Moe, goes into the match with 21 points from eight matches, two more than national Inter-Col champion Fatima College while four-time former winners Naparima College sits third with 18 points, one ahead of another former champion Presentation College of San Fernando. St Anthony's College and Arima North Secondary are next with 15 points, one ahead of defending champion St Benedict's College with Speyside, a further point back in the eighth position.
So far this season, San Juan North has rattled off three wins from as many matches on the road, 2-0 over Presentation, 2-1 at Queen's Royal College and 1-0 over Arima North and buoyed by their 6-0 thrashing of Bishop's High School on Saturday at their San Juan home ground, will travel to the sister-isle brimming with confidence.
On the other hand, Speyside has proved to be tricky opposition at home, having secured victories against Bishop's High (3-1) and East Mucurapo Secondary (2-1) while holding Presentation to a 1-1 draw, with a 1-0 loss to Fatima their lone blemish, and will be eager to slow the title march of the visitors today.
In other key matches, Fatima makes the short journey to Maraval Road to face Queen's Royal College (QRC) while Naparima entertains Bishop's High at Lewis Street, San Fernando; St Benedict's hosts Presentation at Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin, and St Anthony's is at home to Malick Secondary in Westmoorings.
In the other matches, Arima North and East Mucurapo meet at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Trinity College East and St Mary's College square off at Trincity, and cellar-placed duo Pleasantville and Chaguanas North do battle at Yolande Pompey recreation ground in Princes Town.
Today's matches:
St Benedict’s vs Presentation (San Fernando), Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin 4 pm
St Anthony’s vs Malick Secondary, St Anthony's College ground, Westmoorings, 4 pm
Naparima vs Bishop’s High, Lewis Street, San Fernando, 4 pm
Fatima vs QRC, Fatima College ground, Mucurapo Road, 3.30 pm
Pleasantville vs Chaguanas North, Manny Ramjohn Stadium Training Field, 4 pm
Speyside High vs San Juan North, Speyside recreation ground, 3.30 pm.
Arima North vs East Mucurapo, Arima Municipal Stadium, 4 pm
Trinity East vs St Mary’s, Trincity, 4pm
Current standings:
Position Team P W D L F A Pts
1 San Juan North 8 7 0 1 24 10 21
2 Fatima 8 6 1 1 27 4 19
3 Naparima 8 6 0 2 36 7 18
4 Presentation 8 5 2 1 12 3 17
5 St Anthony’s 8 5 0 3 23 12 15
6 Arima North 8 4 3 1 14 5 15
7 St Benedict’s 8 4 2 2 16 8 14
8 Speyside 8 4 1 3 12 13 13
9 St Mary’s 8 4 0 4 23 26 12
10 Malick 8 3 0 5 21 13 9
11 QRC 8 3 0 5 13 12 9
12 East Mucurapo 8 3 0 5 9 20 9
13 Trinity East 7 1 2 4 8 11 5
14 Bishop’s High 7 1 0 6 4 20 3
15 Chaguanas North 8 1 0 7 3 46 3
16 Pleasantville 8 0 1 7 4 39 1
SSFL Premier Division top scorers:
9 - Ryan Radellant (St Mary's)
8 - Kyle Phillip (St Mary’s), Nathan Quashie (San Juan North)
7 - Kanye Francis (Naparima), Lindell Sween (San Juan North)
6 - Jaheem Danclair (San Juan North), Andell Fraser (St Anthony's), Aiden De Gannes (Fatima), Vaughn Clement (Presentation), Daniel Jones (St Benedict's)
5 - Jonathan Mason, Aidan De Gannes, Michael Chaves (Fatima), Stephon James (QRC)
4 - Akiel Vesprey, Jaron Pascall, Tevin Pantor (Naparima), Clint Latchman (East Mucurapo), Kelon Williams (Pleasantville), Tyrell Stapleton (Arima North), Theo Cravador, Jean-Marc Thomas (St Anthony’s), Oba Samuel (Malick)
3 - J’Lon Matthews, Jordan Ferdinand, Keston Richards (Malick), N’kosi Quahsie (Speyside), Jonathan Mason (Fatima), Aalon Wilson-Wright, Mordecai Ford (St Anthony’s), Adah Barclay (Presentation), Elijah Wong (St Mary’s), Tau Lamsee
2 - Justin Alcantar, Christian Bailey, Caden Trestrail (Fatima), Ronaldinho Richards, Tyrese Manswell (Malick), Kevin Francois, Jabari Forbes, Jkwon Bailey, Xarion France, Josiah Cooper, Nathaniel O’Garro (Naparima), Darion Marfan, Jemaul Ashing (Arima North), Jaden Grant, Malacai Webb (St Benedict’s), Micah Nelson (QRC), (St Anthony’s), Lenox Eastman, Omar Daniel, Riquelme Phillip (Speyside), Malik Wilson (Bishop’s High), Jaden Mc Shine (East Mucurapo), Jadiel Joseph (San Juan North)
1 - Nekayse Moore, Negaste Moore, Justin Lewis (Chaguanas North), Abeyomi George (Presentation), Teshaun Franklyn, Kerry Baptiste Jr, Mussadiq Mohammed (QRC), Jeremiah Niles, Keanu Morean, Derrel Garcia, Ethan Trotman, Josiah Ochoa, Nathan George (St Bendict’s), Thomas Decle, Kade Collier, Jaden Williams, Luke Correia (Fatima), Malachi Woodley, Ackeem James, Isaiah David, Zachary Joseph (Malick), Tyrel Rajoon, Aaron Raymond, Israel Joseph, (Naparima), Daniel Rose, Obadiah Eyeadelrosiyhia, Russel Francois (St Anthony’s), Omar Daniel, Shyon George, N’Kosi Quashie, Riquelme Phillips (Speyside), Tyler Ayers, Theron O’Brien, Ability Hazel, Tony Figuera, Stephano Christopher, Criston Gomez (Arima North), Marley Callender, Alejandro Harper, Abdil-Junior Abdul-Hakeem (St Mary’s), Joshua Lewis (San Juan North), Kadeem Plaza, Khaleem Prince, Hasheem Hill, Seretse Browne, Jeremiah Frank-Williams, Josiah Figaro, Jonathan Emrith, Dexter Croal (Trinity East), Damario Henry, Khaieem Lewis (Bishop’s High), Malachi Henry, Malik Xavier, Jemon Gulston (East Mucurapo), Levi Jones (Presentation)
Own goal : 6.
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Seventh Heaven: Fatima’s De Gannes bags hat-trick in 7-1 dismantling of QRC
T&T Express
In as a one-sided derby as could be expected, Queen’s Royal College only barely showed up as they were hammered 7-1 by traditional rivals Fatima College in their Premier Division clash, yesterday, in Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) action.
At Mucurapo Road, the Royalians appeared to be making a fist of it with the score at one-all midway through the first half. But arising out of some quick counter attacks, and goals from Aidan De Gannes and Michael Chaves, Fatima were quickly up 3-1 and in control at the interval.
Christian Bailey then set up Levi Smith before also netting himself, both items coming early in the second half, thus extending the hosts advantage to 5-1 and, in effect, snuffing out whatever hopes QRC coach, Kenwyne Jones, may have been harbouring of a second-half comeback.
“It started quite decently,” said the former Soca Warriors captain. “I think a bit of inconsistency in defending cost us, individual mistakes, and from there it was downhill.” Fatima were quickly out of the blocks with Bailey opening the scoring in the fourth minute.
Errors from Fatima custodian Triston Edwards and defender Matthew Barrington resulted in Stephon James banging the ball high in the net to get the Royalians back in the contest for 1-1 in the 24th minute.
It seemed to rattle Fatima briefly, handing QRC a few half-chances. But Fatima were soon back in the driver’s seat, benefiting from poor defensive tracking and coverage, when twice scoring late in the first half.
A run down the flank by Smith, before serving in a cross saw De Gannes strike the ball off the underside of the crossbar for 2-1 in the 38th minute. Striker Chaves then got on the scoresheet for 3-1 in the 42nd minute -- going on a mazy solo run to slip past two defenders before rounding QRC goalkeeper Jaheim Affan, for an easy conversion into an open goal.
Early second-half goals, both within a minute of each other, quickly saw Fatima buttress their advantage.
Smith scored at the back post in the 52nd minute, after good work and passing by Bailey on the flank for 4-1.
A team which defends as badly individually and as a collective as QRC should not be playing with the ball near their penalty area.
The ball was won and following an interchange of passes amongst several Fatima players, Bailey glided around the keeper to score his second, making the score 5-1 in the 53rd.
Man-of-the-match De Gannes scored the last two goals, roofing the ball high in the net from close up for 6-1. And from a similar position, he struck low across the goalkeeper for 7-1 to complete his own hat-trick.
Fatima next host Arima North Secondary, who are expected to provide a much sterner test, on Saturday.
“Our aim is to win the league and this is a hurdle we had to cross,” said a victorious Fatima coach Hutson Charles. “To win the league we have to win all the matches, one game at a time.”
However, for Jones, focus shifts to limiting QRC’s defensive errors come Saturday’s home game against a more on-par East Mucurapo.
“We have to quickly forget about today. Yes, it was a bit demoralising, but at the same time we have to get ready for the game on Saturday. We have to do better as a team and try to cut out some of those mistakes that we have been making,” Jones surmised.
Meanwhile, Fatima (22 points) remain second in the standings, two points adrift of leaders San Juan North (24 points) while Naparima College (21 points) remain in close pursuit.
Both San Juan and “Naps” recorded 4-0 victories over Tobago-based teams, Speyside Secondary and Bishop’s High, respectively.
In other SSFL action, defending champions St Benedict’s College defeated southern rivals Presentation College (San Fernando) 3-0. Both teams now sit on 17 points, but with “Benedict’s” edging fourth-place courtesy a better goal difference.
YESTERDAY’S RESULTS:
San Juan North Secondary 4 vs Speyside Secondary 0
Fatima College 7 vs Queen’s Royal College 1
Naparima College 4 vs Bishop’s High School 0
St Benedict’s College 3 vs Presentation College (Sando) 0
Arima North Secondary 0 vs East Mucurapo Secondary 0
Pleasantville Secondary 2 vs Chaguanas North Secondary 0
St Anthony’s College 2 vs Malick Secondary 2
Trinity College East 3 vs St. Mary’s College 0
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San Juan North thump Speyside 4-0, Fatima rout QRC 7-1
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
SAN JUAN North Secondary (24 points) maintained their two-point lead in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division on Wednesday, as they got a convincing 4-0 win versus Speyside Secondary (13 points) in a visit to Speyside, Tobago.
San Juan standout and T&T youth attacker Lindell Sween was among the scorers for the team that made the journey from Bourg Mulatresse. San Juan striker Jaheem Danclar also found the back of the net for the visitors, who also got a thumping win over the other Tobago school — Bishop’s High — on the previous match day.
There was no reprieve for the relegation-threatened Bishop’s (three points) following their heavy 6-0 loss to San Juan on the weekend, as they were beaten 4-0 by four-time premier division champions Naparima College (21 points) in San Fernando.
Naparima consolidated third spot in the 16-team standings with their win and their performance was powered by Tevin Pantor who scored a hat-trick to take his season’s tally to nine goals — the joint-highest in the league.
There were also hat-tricks recorded at Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo and at the Trinity College East school compound in Trincity. In Mucurapo, Aidan DeGannes netted a silky treble to take his goal tally to nine as the second-placed Fatima (22 points) stormed to a resounding 7-1 win over Queen’s Royal College (QRC) in a rematch of last season’s north zone intercol final.
In that 2022 final, Fatima sauntered to the Intercol crown with a 5-0 triumph. On Wednesday on Mucurapo Road, the Hutson Baba-coached Fatima outfit continued their dominance over QRC with a thoroughly pleasing display of football.
Christian Bailey also netted twice for Fatima, whose T&T under-17 attacker Michael Chaves arguably scored the goal of the season with a thrilling solo run to give his team a 3-1 lead in the 42nd minute. In the second half, the hosts banged in four more goals to complete the riot.
In Trincity, the hosts Trinity (eight points) got only their second win of the season as a Khaleem Prince hat-trick fired them to a 3-0 win over St Mary’s College (12 points).
At the Arima Velodrome, Arima North Secondary (16 points) and East Mucurapo Secondary (ten points) played to a goalless draw.
Both teams lacked quality in the final third when it mattered and were unable to clinch the three points in the end.
In the 89th minute, Mucurapo’s burly midfielder Atiba Khidr looked to be threatening the goal with a booming long-range shot, but his effort whistled just wide of Isaiah Diaz’s post.
In Westmoorings, St Anthony’s College (16 points) and their north zone rivals Malick Secondary (ten points) also could not be separated as they played to a 2-2 draw. Jean-Marc Thomas completed a double to give St Anthony’s a 2-1 lead, but Malick were able to grab an equalising item to come away with a share of the spoils.
At the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, defending champions St Benedict’s College (17 points) jumped from seventh spot to fourth as they got a 3-0 win over Presentation College San Fernando (also 17 points). T&T youth attacker Malachi Webb grabbed a double to inspire Benedict’s in a rematch of last year’s south zone intercol final.
In a relegation battle at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Pleasantville Secondary (four points) were able to move from the foot of the table as they defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 2-0 to get their first win of the campaign.
Kelon Williams scored from the penalty mark for Pleasantville to notch his fifth goal of the season.
With the loss, Chaguanas are now last on the standings and have conceded a whopping 48 goals in nine matches.
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Naps aim to topple SSFL leaders San Juan.
By Ronell Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Table-toppers San Juan North Secondary (24 points) and the third-placed Naparima College (21 points) will meet in a pivotal Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division top-three clash from 3.45 pm on Saturday at the San Juan school's ground in Bourg Mulatresse.
With just six matches left for both teams in the 2023 league season, a lot will be on the line when the two SSFL powerhouses square off, as the top three teams are separated by just three points.
San Juan have lost just one match this season – a 5-2 loss at home versus Fatima College – and are coming off resounding wins over the premier division's two Tobago schools, Bishop's and Speyside Secondary.
San Juan have scored ten goals in their last two matches without conceding at the other end, and will look to the in-form Lindell Sween, who has scored a team-high eight goals.
Naparima, four-time premier division champions, are fresh from a convincing victory of their own, as they spanked Bishop's 4-0 in San Fernando on Wednesday. Tevin Pantor scored a hat-trick in that game for "Naps" to take his season's tally to nine goals – the joint-highest in the division. On Saturday, outspoken Naparima coach Travis Mulraine will look to Pantor for inspiration as the visitors aim to topple the league-leaders in their backyard.
In the televised encounter at Serpentine Road in St Clair, Queen's Royal College (QRC) will do their best to bounce back from the 7-1 thumping they received from Fatima on Wednesday when they entertain fellow north-zone school East Mucurapo Secondary at QRC Grounds from 3.30 pm.
A stone's throw away, at St Mary's Grounds on Serpentine Road, the hosts St Mary's College will meet the visiting Speyside Secondary in another 3.30 pm kickoff.
Both teams will aim to bounce back from midweek losses, as St Mary's were whipped 3-0 by Trinity College East and Speyside were beaten 4-0 by San Juan.
At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium training field in Marabella, Pleasantville Secondary will entertain Malick Secondary as they seek to add to their solitary win. Pleasantville defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 2-0 on Wednesday to move from the foot of the 16-team table to 14th spot.
Meanwhile, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, the fifth-placed Presentation College San Fernando (17 points) will host 13th-placed Trinity East. Presentation slipped from fourth spot on Wednesday after succumbing 3-0 to defending champions St Benedict's College.
At Fatima College Grounds in Mucurapo, the second-placed Fatima (22 points) will tackle the seventh-placed Arima North Secondary (16 points). The reigning national intercol champions Fatima slammed seven goals past QRC on Wednesday, and will have an eye on taking San Juan's spot atop the standings when the "Dial Dynamos" of Arima journey to Mucurapo.
At the Edinburgh 500 Recreation Grounds in Chaguanas, the cellar-placed Chaguanas North will have a tough task on their hands when they play host to the fourth-placed Benedict's, who finally seem to be finding their form after a sloppy start to their premier-division title defence. Benedict's (17 points) moved up three spots on the table with their impressive win over Presentation in the last round.
Rounding off the action at the Plymouth Recreation Grounds in Tobago, the relegation-threatened Bishop's will face the sixth-placed St Anthony's College (16 points).
SSFL premier division standings:
Team GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1.San Juan North 9*8*0*1*28*10*18*24
2.Fatima 9*7*1*1*34*5*29*22
3.Naparima 9*7*0*2*40*7*33*21
4.St Benedict's 9*5*2*2*19*8*11*17
5.Presentation Sando 9*5*2*2*12*6*6*17
6.St Anthony's 9*5*1*3*25*14*11*16
7.Arima North 9*4*4*1*14*5*9*16
8.Speyside 9*4*1*4*12*17*-5*13
9.St Mary's 9*4*0*5*23*29*-6*12
10.Malick 9*3*1*5*23*15*8*10
11.East Mucurapo 9*3*1*5*9*20*-11*10
12.QRC 9*3*0*6*14*19*-5*9
13.Trinity East 8*2*2*4*11*11*0*8
14.Pleasantville 9*1*1*7*6*39*-33*4
15.Bishop's Tobago 8*1*0*7*4*24*-20*3
16.Chaguanas North 9*1*0*8*3*48*-45*3
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Fatima regains control of SSFL; as Naps hold San Juan North in goalless stalemate.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Fatima College overcame a stubborn test from Arima North Secondary to register a 2-0 win which proved enough to regain the lead in the race for the 16-team Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys’ Premier Division on goal-difference from San Juan North Secondary when round 10 concluded of matches on Saturday.
At Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, Aiden De Gannes handed Fatima a 1-0 lead at the interval with his joint-league-best tenth goal of the season before Michael Chaves added the second item in the second half, his seventh of the campaign to secure the three points for the reigning national Inter-Col champions to move to 25 points from ten matches, the same as previous leaders San Juan North Secondary.
Playing at home, at the former Bourg Mulatresse Ground, San Juan North Secondary found a tough defense installed by the visitors and four-time champions Naparima College.
With five rounds of matches left to play, Fatima enjoys a healthy goal difference of plus-31 to San Juan North’s plus-18 while Naparima is three points back with 22 and closely followed by southerners, defending champions St Benedict’s College and Presentation College of San Fernando, and St Anthony’s College with 20, 20 and 19 points respectively.
At Edingburgh 500 Ground, Malacai Webb made it five goals in two matches and eight for the season when he fired in a hat-trick to lead St Benedict’s past Chaguanas North Secondary 6-0.
Jaden Grant added a pair of goals in the win while Josiah Ochoa got the other for the Randolph Boyce team, the reigning title-holders who continued their resurgence after a 0-2 start.
At the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Presentation College of San Fernando got a goal each from Vaughn Clement, Kaielle Elliot, and Duhrell Young, converted a penalty to blank Trinity East College 3-0, while over in Tobago, the visitors St Anthony’s College got a goal each from Amari Dunbar, Aalon Wilson-Wright and Mordecai Ford to record a 3-0 victory against host Bishop’s High School at the Plymouth Recreation Ground.
In the other matches, Oba Samuel banged in a beaver trick to carry his tally to ten as Malick Secondary trampled Pleasantville Secondary 6-0, Queen’s Royal College and East Mucurapo Secondary drew 2-2, and St Mary’s College and Speyside played out a goalless draw.
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St Augustine clinch SSFL East Championship.
T&T Newsday Reports.
St Augustine Secondary School defeated Holy Cross College 1-0 on Tuesday to clinch the East Zone of the Secondary Schools Football League Boys Championship, at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
A second-half strike from Zion Dannett was the difference in the game for the "Green Machine" who are on an unassailable 22 points after nine games. With one round to go, El Dorado East Secondary, the nearest challenger, are on 18 points.
In other results, El Dorado East hammered Five Rivers Secondary 4-0 while neighbours El Dorado West drew 2-2 with Valencia Secondary.
In the North Zone, a double from Hashim Portillo earned Diego Martin Central a 2-1 win over Belmont Secondary. Also, Mucurapo West defeated Tranquillity Secondary 2-1. Blanchisseuse Secondary and Trinity College played to a goalless draw.
In the South Zone, Moruga Secondary trounced Princes Town West 9-0. Also, Point Fortin East shut out ASJA Boys College 2-0 and Ste Madeleine edged Siparia West 3-2.
In the Central Zone, Carapichaima East whipped Presentation College 4-1. Jaden Joseph got the consolation for Presentation.
The final round of matches will kick off on Friday.
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Chaves brace pushes Fatima 3 points clear of San Juan.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Michael Chaves scored a pair of goals as defending National Inter-Col champions Fatima College overcame an early deficit to beat Malick Secondary 4-2 and open a three-point lead at the top of the 16-team Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys’ Premier Division at St Mary’s College Ground, St Clair on Wednesdayw.
Going into matches, the Hutson Charles-coached Fatima College, and San Juan North under the guidance of long-serving coach Jerry More both shared the lead with 25 points from ten matches.
However, while Fatima was able to overcome their early setback, such was not the case for San Juan North as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to St Anthony’s College at Westmoorings.
At Serpentine Road, Malachi Woodley fired Malick ahead in the tricky contest inside the first 15 minutes, but Fatima then drew level through Chaves to leave both teams level at the half.
On the resumption, the trio of Chaves, Caden Trestrial, and Yohance Artherton all netted to guarantee all three points for Fatima to climb to 28 points and four matches left to play before Woodley added a late second item to his and Malick’s tally.
The victory lifted Fatima College to 28 points and matches left to play against Bishop’s High School, Trinity East College, Naparima, and St Mary’s College while San Juan North which was undone by a second-half Aalon Wilson-Wright strike for St Anthony’s stayed on 25 points and will meet Malick, St Mary’s College, East Mucurapo, and Chaguanas North in their final four matches to close out the season.
Down South in two key match-ups, Presentation College of San Fernando saw midfielder Duhrell Young sky a 23rd-minute penalty in an entertaining goalless draw with fellow title-chasers and host Naparima College at Lewis Street, San Fernando, while a short distance away, St Benedict’s College led by a second hat trick of the season from Malacai Webb, now with a league-best 11 goals clobbered the faltering struggling St Mary’s College 5-0 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
The two results saw St Benedict’s College climb to 23 points on the standings, the same as Naparima who enjoy a healthier goal difference while St Anthony’s courtesy of their win at home sits fifth with 22 points, one more than Presentation College.
In the other matches today, East Mucurapo Secondary thumped Bishop’s High School 4-1 at Fatima College Ground; Queen’s Royal College thrashed Pleasantville Secondary 7-1 at QRC Ground, Maraval Road, Arima North Secondary trounced host Speyside 4-0 at Speyside Recreation Ground, and Trinity College East also won 4-0 at home to Chaguanas North Secondary at Trincity.
RELATED NEWS
Fatima stay top of SSFL, Naps/Pres in goal-less draw.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
FATIMA College maintained their position atop the Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) premiership division after securing a 4-2 victory over Malick Secondary on Wednesday when round 11 kicked off at Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo.
The win for Fatima, combined with favourable results from other matches, carried them to 28pts and increased the point gap between their closest rivals San Juan North Secondary and Naparima College.
Second-ranked San Juan North (25pts) lost their second match of the campaign as St Anthony’s snagged a 1-0 home victory. Despite their loss, San Juan North remain second-best in the standings.
Meanwhile, at Lewis Street Grounds in San Fernando, crosstown rivals Naparima College and Presentation College San Fernando shared the spoils with a 0-0 result.
Both teams cancelled each other out in the “southern Clasico” and Presentation’s Duhrell Young would be kicking himself, after spurning a golden chance to take the lead in the first half, courtesy a penalty kick. Young’s stuttered run-up failed and he fired over bar. The opening minutes of the first period were nervy as players tried to acclimatise to the slippery surface, in front of thousands of spectators.
The outfield contributed to Young’s penalty in the 22nd minute as “Naps” defender Antonio Hills slipped while facing charging forward Vaughn Clement. His late kick for the ball hit Clement on the pads, just inside the penalty area.
However, Young wasted his chance and shot high to the relief of Naps goalkeeper Tyrece Romain.
Two minutes later, Pres had another chance to take the lead as a long throw-in bounced in front of goal to Maliq Brathwaite, who could only tap the ball to the right, to which Romain got a hand to, and pushed out of danger.
There was little free-flowing football in the opening half despite Naps’ Tevin Panthor’s several attempts to break the Presentation back line.
In the final minutes of the first 45, Panthor’s teammate Jkwon Bailey had his long-range effort saved by Pres custodian Kanye Lazarus. Soon after, Pres’ Adah Barclay also attempted to find the back of the net from outside the box, but Romain kept tidy.
Into the second period, Naps looked better on the ball. And despite an array of attempts to get the go-ahead goal, Naparima forwards Panthor, Arron Raymond and Akeil Vesprey couldn’t break the deadlock. Both teams showed a lack of aggression in the final third.
Likewise, Naps’ defence also stood firm as eventual player of the match Josiah Cooper Jelani Calliste, Antonio Hills and Tyrel Alexander held their ground against a persistent Pres.
Into the 82nd minute, a Naps corner saw a leaping Cooper rise above his opponents and make contact with the ball. But the wet conditions saw it skid off his head, and go wide.
On the break, res’ Brathwaite put in a nice cross down the right, to the far post, but Clement could not get his head on to it.
Into time added on, Cooper again bested all in the air from another corner. This time, his headed shot was on target and moving towards the top corner, only for Lazarus to get his hands to it and force another corner.
Here, Cooper again got a touch and the ball bubbled uncontrollably in front of goal, only to be cleared, with the final whistle to follow.
The result affects both teams’ chances of lifting this year’s title since Naps (22pts) remains in third place while Pres (21pts) slipped one spot down to sixth; both with five matches remaining.
Fourth place St Benedict’s (23pts) swept CIC 5-0 (13pts) and held their position. St Anthony’s (22pts) win over San Juan North saw them climb past Pres into fifth.
In other matches, Arima North (19pts) defeated Speyside (14pts) 4-0, East Mucurapo (14pts) beat Bishops Tobago (three pts) 4-1, QRC (13pts) thumped Pleasantville Secondary (four pts) 7-1 while Trinity East (11pts) got past Chaguanas North (three pts) 4-0.
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Pleasantville scores 28 in Girls SSFL again
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Jada Shepherd banged in nine goals as Pleasantville Secondary registered their second 28-0 margin of victory this season in the South Zone of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Girls Championship Division at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Training Field, Marabella on Thursday.
Having crushed Princes Town West 28-0 on Sunday, October 1 led by 14 goals from national youth team player Nikita Gosine, Pleasantville repeated the same score line in their mauling of Palo Seco Secondary with Gosine (N) adding six goals, Taye-Ann Wylie scoring four, Natalia Gosine three, and the pair of Maya Wong, and Amanda Nanan chipped in with two goals each.
Pleasantville who have scored 91 goals without conceding also got strikes from Giovanna Sherwood, and Kaeley Martin in their fifth win from as many matches to lead the five-team standings with a maximum of 15 points, three ahead of St Joseph Convent (San Fernando) who have played a match more.
St Joseph Convent (San Fernando) kept the pressure on Pleasantville in the race for the title with a 14-0 hammering of Princes Town West with the prolific Arie Bhagan also scoring nine goals, and her sister, Amara Bhagan a hat trick in the one-sided contest with Alexis-Raye Lalchan, and Tishan Siu, the other scorers.
In the East Zone, Myeisha Cox netted the lone goal as San Juan North Secondary secured a vital 1-0 win against El Dorado East Secondary to move to 18 points from eight matches and two left to play, while leaders Five Rivers Secondary have played seven matches and lead with 19 points after their encounter against St Augustine Secondary was postponed.
In the other match played in the East Zone, national player Orielle Martin continued her rich goalscoring form with another hat trick, in the 39th, 75th, and 78th minute to inspire Bishop’s Anstey East to a 5-3 defeat of Barataria North Secondary.
Kayley Noray had opened the scoring for Bishop’s East in the 17th minute while Emilly Harrilal also netted in the 50th to cancel out Shaquilla Daniel’s brace for Barataria North in the 42nd, and 52nd minutes after Alicia Roberts had briefly tied up the score at 1-1 in the 30th.
Over in Tobago, reigning national Inter-Col champion Signal Hill moved to the top of the table on goal difference ahead of reigning national Girls League champions Scarborough Secondary.
This after Signal Hill blanked Speyside Secondary 2-0 with a goal each from Kellecia Taylor, and Naomi Waldrop while Scarborough Secondary was held to a 1-1 draw by Bishop’s High with Kieneal Dillon and Ty’Kaiya Dennis the goal scorers for their respective teams.
Both Signal Hill, and Scarborough Secondary have 23 points, but while Signal Hill has played ten matches, Scarborough has contested one fewer.
In the North, St Joseph’s Convent (PoS) stayed on course to claim the crown after a 3-1 whipping of Bishops Anstey led by a brace from Scarlett Cole to push their points tally to 22 and three matches left, while Bishops has 20, and two matches left including a final day encounter with the leaders.
Bethany Phillip added the third item for St Joseph’s Convent, now with points at the top of the zonal standings clear of the closet challenger.
In the other zonal matches, Malick Secondary outclassed Holy Name Convent 4-1 while Diego Martin Central and Tranquillity Secondary battled to an entertaining 3-3 draw in the other.
In the Central Zone, Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School thrashed Chaguanas South Secondary 9-0 led by Aaqila Virgil’s beaver trick.
The duo of Kyanna Isaac, and Jewel Benjamin scored two goals each for Miracle Ministries, and Amiya Cumberbatch, one in the win over Chaguanas South.
Elsewhere, Holy Faith Convent (Couva) got all five goals from Dana Pacheco in their 5-0 defeat of Carapichaima East Secondary, while Chaguanas North trounced Carapichaima West Secondary 3-0 with Shaunelle De Four scoring twice, and Naomi Bruce, once.
Thursday October 19 results
Tobago
Bishop’s High School 1 (Ty’Kaiya Dennis) vs Scarborough Sec 1 (Kieneal Dillon)
Signal Hill Sec 2 (Kellecia Taylor, Naomi Waldrop) vs Speyside High 0
Roxborough Sec vs Mason Hall Sec - No referee showed up for the game
East
Five Rivers Sec vs St Augustine Sec - postponed
San Juan North 1 (Myeisha Cox) vs El Dorado East 0
Bishop Anstey East 5 (Orielle Martin 39th, 75th, 78th, Kayley Noray 17th, Emilly Harrilal 50th) vs Barataria North 3 (Shaquilla Daniel 42nd, 52nd, Alicia Roberts 30th)
Central
Miracle Ministries 9 (Aaqila Virgil 4, Kyanna Isaac 2, Jewel Benjamin 2, Amiya Cumberbatch) vs Chaguanas South 0
Holy Faith Convent 5 (Dana Pacheco 5) vs Carapichaima East 0
Chaguanas North 3 (Shaunelle De Four 2, Naomi Bruce) vs Carapichaima West 0
North
St Joseph’s Convent 3 (Scarlett Cole 2, Bethany Phillip) vs Bishop’s Anstey 1 (Joanna Kennedy)
Malick Sec 4 (Hackeemar Goodridge, Jalecia John, Glenecia Humphrey, Destiny Williams) vs Holy Name Convent 1 (Eva Nicholas)
Diego Martin Central 3 (Kyla Taylor 2, Mariah Williams) vs Tranquillity Sec 3 (Anastasia O’Brien 2, Jada Cupid)
South
St Joseph’s Convent 14 (Arie Bhagan 9, Amara Bhagan 3, Alexis-Raye Lalchan, Tishan Siu) vs Princes Town West 0
Pleasantville Sec 28 (Jada Shepherd 9, Nikita Gosine, Taye-Ann Wylie 4, Maya Wong 2, Amanda Nanan 2, Giovanna Sherwood, Kaeley Martin) vs Palo Seco Sec 0
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Pres Sando forgo SSFL title hopes
Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
SEAN Cooper, coach of Presentation College San Fernando, believes their race for the Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) premiership division title is over.
Cooper made these remarks following his team’s 0-0 draw against crosstown rivals Naparima College in round 11 action on Wednesday.
However, “Pres” had the best chance to find the back of the net in the first half, but striker Durrell Young fired his penalty over the bar.
The result saw “Pres” slip from fifth to sixth, on 21 points, with five matches remaining.
When asked in the post-match interview on the possibility of his team making a late comeback and contending for the title, Cooper thinks the league will be decided between the table’s top two teams, Fatima College (28pts) and San Juan North Secondary (25pts).
“Well I think after we spilled the penalty, it was even-steven,” he said.
On their of being title contenders, Cooper added, “No I don’t think so. It’s an easy street going forward with Fatima and San Juan North. I don’t think they have any games in hand to trouble them. So it’s their league to lose. This game was a derby so we expected a close one.”
Naparima though, are third (23 pts). Coach Travis Mulraine, in his post-match comments still believes his team has a fighting chance to potentially put their hands on this year’s silverware.
“Besides the missed penalty, it was a very even game; a lot of ebbs and flows. I think it was an epic battle fitting of a Naps/Pres derby.
“We have to look forward. We can’t do anything about this game and just hope to win the rest of our games and hope results go our way.”
“Naps” failed to score in their past two matches, against San Juan North and Pres. Mulraine praised his defensive back-line but wants more from his strikers and attacking midfielders.
On the two-game goal drought, he added, “It is a concern because we were scoring goals and conceding. We worked a bit defensively, now we’re getting the clean sheets, but we’re not converting up front. So we just have to keep working on the training field.”
Also staying within contention in fourth place are defending SSFL premier champions St Benedict’s (23pts) and fifth-ranked St Anthony’s College (22pts).
Matches continue on Saturday.
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Roger that: Blanchisseuse clinch SSFL Championship Big 5 spot
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
A hat-trick from Roger Kirk on Friday secured Blanchisseuse Secondary's spot in this year's Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Championship Division "Big 5" playoffs.
Blanchisseuse (26 points) got a 4-1 win over Diego Martin Central to clinch the North Zone Championship crown, staving off the threat of Trinity College Moka (25 points) by a solitary point on the final day.
Trinity got a 3-0 victory in their final game of the league campaign against Tranquillity Secondary, but it was not enough to wrest the north crown from the firm grip of the unbeaten Blanchisseuse team.
In the "Big 5" playoffs, the five zonal winners will be competing for three spots to gain promotion for the 2024 SSFL premier division season. The other four teams confirmed as zonal winners are St Augustine Secondary (East), Signal Hill Secondary (Tobago), Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School (Central) and Moruga Secondary (South).
In the South zone, Moruga (30 points) finished the season with a perfect record as they rattled off a tenth straight win on Friday, getting a 3-1 victory over Siparia West Secondary. Second-placed team Ste Madeleine Secondary (24 points) ended their league campaign with an exciting 3-2 win over ASJA Boys College (San Fernando) at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella. Khalil Perez, Adriel Asseviero and Tyrell Dyeth scored for Ste Madeleine.
In the Central zone, Miracle Ministries celebrated their own zonal feat as they defeated Carapichaima West Secondary by a 5-3 margin in a thriller. Jabari Rodriguez scored a hat-trick for Miracle Ministries. Judah Chinapoo and Kyle Holder got the other goals for the boys from Couva. Miracle Ministries contested the "Big 5" playoffs last year after winning the Central zone, but they were unable to seal promotion to the premier division. This year, they will aim to go one step further.
At the University of TT (UTT) O'Meara Campus, captain Tyrese Andrews and his St Augustine team were able to lift the zonal trophy as they played to a 2-2 draw with Valencia Secondary. Elijah Baptiste and Jahmarley Caleb scored the goals for the "Green Machine," who are aiming to make a swift return to the premier division after being relegated last season. St Augustine (23 points) clinched the East crown on Tuesday after a 1-0 win over Holy Cross College.
Tobago's Signal Hill also booked their "Big 5" place on Tuesday, as they got a thumping 5-0 win over Roxborough Secondary to pull away from the reach of Scarborough Secondary and the chasing pack to lift the Tobago title.
The start date for the "Big 5" is still to be finalised by the SSFL.
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Parks triple keeps Pleasantville at bay in 8-5 battle.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Fatima College is on the verge of capturing the Premier Division title of the Secondary Schools Football League after yesterday’s impressive 3-0 victory over Bishop’s High School in Tobago yesterday.
The result sent the Fatima men to 31 points with three more rounds of matches to go. Second is San Juan North Secondary who dropped two points in a 1-1 tie with Malick Secondary for a total of 26 points while St Benedict’s also moved to 26 points by beating Queen’s Royal College at home 4-2.
Fatima will now have to lose at least two matches to surrender the title to any team.
Meanwhile, a hat-trick from Brandon Parks, coupled with braces from Maalik Jarvis and Nieem Taylor stood out as East Mucurapo Secondary battled past Pleasantville Secondary 8-5 in the Premier Division yesterday at Trinity College Ground in Moka.
Coach Dale Saunders’ prediction of a ten-goal victory seemed to have borne early fruits as Nieem Taylor fired them into the lead after just two minutes. But the pair of Jarvis and Parks almost built camps in the Pleasantville goal area all afternoon long.
Taylor, the scorer of the opening goal, was pushed to the ground in the ninth minute, as East Mucurapo sought a cushion for Taylor’s first goal. And from the freekick, Taylor with a thumping shot that goalkeeper Khylon Clark could only parry into his six-yard box, for Park to muscle his marker off the ball before hitting into the empty net for a 2-0 advantage.
Later, Jarvis then got his name on the scoresheet when he was upended on his way to the Pleasantville goal in the tenth minute. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Jarvis picked himself up to send Clark the wrong way for a 3-0 lead.
Still, with a dominant display from the start, East Mucurapo was far from finished as they sought more goals. Parks was the target in the 19th minute when Al-Kalipha Henry made tracks down the left flank and centred for the oncoming Park to hit home.
Pleasantville, promoted from last season’s play-off, struggled to find the form that earned them that promotion. And it showed with a weak right side that East Mucurapo exploited all afternoon long.
Goal number five came as Kamali Henry was fed a ball down the left flank and he turned past his marker before hitting it hard and low past the bewildered Clark in the Pleasantville goal.
In the 34th minute, East Mucurapo sealed a six-goal advantage heading to the half-way break.
For a second time, Henry (Al-Kalipha) takes the Pleasantville defence for a run down the left flank and centred for a sliding Parks to meet and hit into an empty net for a 6-0 lead.
A Pleasantville win seemed like a mere matter of formality, but East Mucurapo surprised all with a display of true grit that brought them within a three-goal margin at the end.
Pleasantville, not only increased their resistance but battled tooth and nail in a true display of determination. But first, Taylor got a clear sight at goal, and he drilled the ball low past Clark from some 20 yards out in the 50th minute.
A minute later, Jarvis got his hat-trick as he galloped onto a neatly threaded ball from Parks and he beat the goalkeeper with a fierce shot that rattled into the Pleasantville nets.
With that goal, the home team was just two goals away from their prediction until Pleasantville almost pulled a surprise upset that would have gone down in SSFL history. Led by a double from Kelon Williams, the visitors caused hearts to race before the referee could sound his whistle to signal the end.
RELATED NEWS
Fatima extend SSFL lead, San Juan slip as St Benedict's move to second.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
A late brace from Fatima College’s Michael Chaves gave them a stern 3-0 victory over Bishop’s High School at the College Grounds in Mucurapo when round 12 of the Secondary Schools’ Football League premiership division kicked off on Saturday.
The contest remained goalless until the 74th minute when Fatima’s Joshua Mason broke the deadlock. Four minutes later, Chaves sent them further ahead, and added another four minutes from regulation time, to seal a comfortable win.
The result for Fatima saw them maintain their view atop of the standings on 31 points, which comprises ten wins, one draw and one loss, from 12 matches.
However, a potentially detrimental 1-1 result between hosts San Juan North (26pts) and Malick Secondary (14pts) at Bourg Mulatresse saw the former slip from second to third.
This outcome helped defending SSFL premier champions St Benedict’s climb into second spot as they defeated Queen’s Royal College 4-2 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
The win for the La Romaine Lions sent them to 26pts, but into second place owing to a superior goal difference.
The battle for top spot rages on on Wednesday, with only three match days remaining in this year’s competition.
Meanwhile, at Trinity College Grounds in Moka, a whopping 13 goals were scored in East Mucurapo’s 8-5 victory over Pleasantville.
In other matches, Naparima College dropped points for a third consecutive match as they drew 2-2 to Speyside away in Tobago.
The hosts went ahead in the 16th minute through skipper Nkosi Quashie. The visitors equalised later on in the first half, 38th’, courtesy striker Tevin Panthor and it remained 1-1 at the break.
When play resumed, both sides pressed for the go-ahead goal. Speyside were rewarded for their efforts in the 85th, through Riquelme Phillips, which put them 2-1 up. With five minutes of regulation time and extra time to go, the home team may have thought they would seal the three points. But a persistent Naparima outfit answered back in the 90th minute as Israel Joseph salvaged a point for the travelling team.
Meanwhile, 13 goals were scored in East Mucurapo’s 8-5 win over Pleasantville at Bourg Mulatresse. From as early in as the second minute, East Mucurapo went ahead after a fine strike from Nieem Taylor. Seven minutes later, Taylor put in a free kick from the left, which was parried away by Pleasantville goalie Khylon Clark, but fell to the feet of Brandon Parks, who made no mistake to send them 2-0 up.
It got worse for the South team soon after as defender Jelani Roberts fouled Taylor in the penalty box to give away a direct kick. Khidr Atiba successfully converted to put East Mucurapo further ahead in the 11th minute.
In the 19th, Jarvis burst down the left and easily put the ball across to Parks, who slotted home another. Pleasantville’s chances were few and far between as Henry found the back of the net once more, with a brilliant individual run in the 28th. Parks then got a hat-trick after another good run by Henry, who picked up another assist, to take them to 6-0. The goal fest continued in the second period as Taylor scored a long-range effort in the 49th, and then got his hat-trick three minutes later (8-0).
Undeterred, Plesantville staged a late fightback as Kiev Robinson launched a far, high shot past East Mucurapo custodian Dayshaun Alexander to make it 8-1 in the 53rd.
Minutes later, Pleasantville number ten Kelon Williams netted a quick brace to make it 8-3. And in the 84th, another spectacular run from Williams saw him assist Robinson to halve the deficit.
And into time added on, Pleasantville added another as Joshuel Simon fired home from distance; 8-5 it ended.
In other matches, Trinity East (14pts) beat St Anthony’s College (22pts).
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Five Rivers inch closer to SSFL East Zone girls title
By Andrew Gioannetti (T&T Newsday)
MIDFIELDER Luann Craig scored a hat-trick, while Jada Herbert and Jenicia Parks bagged two goals each as Five Rivers Secondary moved within a point of securing the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Girls East Zone Championship on Sunday.
Five Rivers hosted El Dorado East Secondary and cruised to another emphatic 9-0 win, on their home turf at Prime Minister’s Park, Five Rivers.
The league leaders and runaway leading goalscorers took nearly 20 minutes to get off the mark, with Herbert scoring her first. The goals came flying in after as Herbert doubled up ten minutes later.
Craig then took control of the scoring, bagging three within the space of nine minutes, between the 32nd to 40th minutes — two before the end of the first half, and the other immediately after the restart.
Parks scored her two efforts in the second half, with Janella Walcott and Amelia Bowman also adding one goal each to their names at the latter stages.
Five Rivers meet their nearest challengers San Juan North Secondary in Bourg Mulatresse on Thursday. Anything but a loss will likely see Five Rivers secure the title. They will also face a struggling St Augustine in their other rescheduled fixture on Sunday.
San Juan North remained in the hunt, albeit with a slim chance of catching Five Rivers, after an 8-0 victory against Barataria. Bishop Anstey East also remained with the slimmest of chances to claim the league title after beating St Augustine 10-1.
Sunday’s results brought an end to the second and final round of league matches in the East, Central and North Zones.
There are still outstanding matches in the Tobago Zone. The Big Five competition will follow the conclusion of the regular league.
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Arima North edge Hillview in U16 Intercol semifinal thriller
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday)
Arima North Secondary edged Hillview College 7-6 on penalties on Monday, in a thrilling Secondary Schools Football League Under-16 East Zone Intercol semifinal, at San Juan North Secondary ground, Bourg Mulatresse.
Hillview captain Matthias Mootilal had the chance to knockout Arima, with his team ahead 4-3 in the shootout, but his effort was saved by goalkeeper Mathais Cruickshank. The miss proved costly as Arima scored their next kick to send it into sudden-death. After a nerve-racking ten kicks each, Arima North held their nerve to spark wild celebrations among their supporters.
Earlier, Arima North struck first courtesy a free kick from Criston Gomes – a lead they held to the interval.
But Hillview came roaring back in the second half with a strike from Kemarley Pierre to make it 1-1.
However, Hillview shot themselves in the foot as Ixiah Julien netted an own-goal to give Arima the edge once more.
There was another twist in the tail as Hillview were awarded a penalty which Christian Corraspe converted.
With penalties needed to decide the winner, Cruickshank emerged the hero saving three shots from Hillview to send his team into the final.
They will face another Arima team, Holy Cross College, who got past St George's College 4-1 in the other semifinal. The East Intercol final will be held on Monday.
Hillview earned their spot in the semis after topping Group C, which included neighbours Tunapuna Government Secondary, St Augustine Secondary, North Gate College and St Joseph's College.
Arima won Group B while St George's College took Group A and Holy Cross College clinched Group D.
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Fatima one win away from SSFL crown
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Fatima College (34 points) moved to within a victory of claiming the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division title after getting a resounding 4-0 win over Trinity College East at Fatima Grounds in Mucurapo on Wednesday.
The Hutson "Baba" Charles-coached Fatima journey to Lewis Street, San Fernando on Saturday for a clash with four-time premier division champions Naparima College. A victory for Fatima there will see the north zone school dethrone 2022 winners St Benedict’s, who are second in the standings with 29 points.
Fatima, the 2022 national intercol champions, took a big step towards their goal as they put in an astute display against Trinity, last year's East zone intercol winners. The hosts weathered early raids by Trinity, who rattled off at least four long-range efforts on goal in the opening 15 minutes.
In the 22nd minute, the early Fatima nerves were calmed as their TT youth attacker Michael Chaves dusted himself off to convert from the penalty spot after being fouled by Trinity captain Nicholas Whiteman. Fatima doubled their lead just four minutes later, as their speedy winger Christian Bailey struck a sweet right-footed shot into the bottom corner after "capping" Whiteman just outside area.
By the second half, Trinity's attacking threat was nullified by the Fatima rearguard. The lanky pair of Yohance Atherton and Elijah Camacho were particularly solid in their central defensive and midfield roles, stalling Trinity's counter attacks with relative ease.
At the other end, Fatima put the game to bed with a brace from second-half substitute Luke Correia. The diminutive Fatima forward made it 3-0 with a tap-in on 65 minutes — just five minutes after entering the match. He then put the icing on the cake for Fatima in stoppage-time as he calmly rounded Trinity goalie Jadon Pollard to slide into an empty net.
Benedict’s continue to show form at the back end of the league campaign, as they hammered Pleasantville Secondary by an 8-0 margin in Marabella. Daniel Jones and Jeremiah Niles scored twice to power Benedict’s to the win. Pleasantville, who have only mustered four points so far this season, will be relegated to the Championship division next season alongside Chaguanas North Secondary (four points) and Bishop’s High School Tobago (three points).
Chaguanas played to a 1-1 draw with Speyside Secondary in Edinburgh, Chaguanas. Meanwhile, Bishop’s were spanked 4-0 by Arima North Secondary who got a double from their lively forward Tyrell Stapleton.
San Juan North Secondary joined Benedict’s on 29 points, as they got a healthy 4-1 win over St Mary's College in Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan. Like Benedict’s, San Juan still have a mathematical chance of winning the title. However, they must win their remaining two matches and hope for Fatima to slip up in their final two matches versus Naparima and St Mary’s.
Naparima's own title hopes have already been dashed but they were able to show off their scoring prowess in St Clair with a 4-1 win over home team Queen's Royal College.
Malick Secondary improved to 17 points, as the league's leading scorer, Oba Samuel, registered a hat-trick for his team in a 5-1 drubbing of fellow North zone team East Mucurapo Secondary.
Elsewhere, Presentation College San Fernando (25 points) eked out a 1-0 win over St Anthony’s College (22 points) at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
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SSFL Premiership hopefuls kickoff Big 5 playoffs
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
WHILE the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division campaign nears an exciting climax, next year's premier division hopefuls will continue their quest for promotion when the championship division "Big 5" playoffs kickoff on Friday.
The five schools vying for promotion to the premier division for the 2024 season are Blanchisseuse Secondary, Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School, Moruga Secondary, St Augustine Secondary and Tobago's Signal Hill Secondary. Miracle Ministries, who also contested the "Big 5" tournament last year, will kickstart this year's playoffs with an encounter against the North zone championship winners Blanchisseuse at the Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground.
In St Augustine, East zone championship winners St Augustine Secondary will host South zone winners Moruga Secondary at the former school's compound. Both games will start at 3.40 pm. Tobago championship winners Signal Hill are on a bye for the first round of action.
Blanchisseuse, Moruga and Signal Hill all had impressive unbeaten records to clinch their respective zones. Blanchisseuse amassed 26 points in their ten matches and won the title on the final day of action in the North zone as they pipped the second-placed Trinity College Moka by a solitary point. Moruga were ruthless in their pursuit of top spot in the south as they won all of their ten matches and scored a whopping 46 goals in the process. Meantime, the reigning Tobago intercol champions Signal Hill secured the Tobago championship title with a game to spare after accumulating seven wins and two draws in nine matches.
St Augustine, who were relegated from the premier division last season, edged El Dorado East Secondary by two points to secure the east crown. Miracle Ministries earned top spot in the Central zone by a similar two-point margin after a Jabari Rodriguez hat-trick inspired them to a 5-3 win over Carapichaima West Secondary last Friday. After failing to secure promotion in their "Big 5" outing last season, Miracle Ministries will be hoping for better fortunes this season as they hunt a top-three spot and a place in the SSFL's top flight.
In last year's "Big 5" playoffs, St Mary's College, Arima North Secondary and Bishop's High School (Tobago) gained promotion for the ongoing premier division season. Bishop's will return to the championship division for next season though, as a midweek loss to Arima confirmed their relegation status alongside Chaguanas North Secondary and Pleasantville Secondary.
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Pleasantville, St Joseph's Convent (PoS), Five Rivers cop zonal girls title
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
The trio of Pleasantville Secondary (South), Five Rivers Secondary (East), and North Zone’s St Joseph Convent (PoS) joined Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School (Central Zone) when the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Girls Championship Division continued on Thursday.
Down at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Tayeanne Wylie scored a hat trick to lead Pleasantville Secondary to a resounding 7-0 triumph over St Joseph Convent (San Fernando) to seal their second straight zonal crown.
The zone’s top scorer, Nikita Gosine added a pair of goals in the win while her sister Natalia Gosine, and Alisha Mitchell were also on target for Pleasantville to improve to a maximum of 21 points from seven matches, six ahead of St Joseph Convent who have completed their eight-match schedule.
In the East Zone, Tenisha Hackett, and national player Luann Craig got a goal each to inspire Five Rivers Secondary to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over host San Juan North Secondary at Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan after Taya Williams had given the host the lead.
With the win, Five Rivers climbed to 25 points from nine matches, four ahead of San Juan North Secondary, who have completed their ten-match schedule.
At St Joseph Convent Ground, Federation Park, St Clair, Scarlette Cole, and Charlotte Hadeed netted a goal each to secure a decisive 2-1 win for St Joseph Convent (PoS) over rivals Holy Name Convent (PoS), who got its lone item from Chelsea Reis in their North Zone title decider.
The win lifted St Joseph Convent (PoS) to 25 points, and with one match to play, five points clear of last season’s winners Holy Name Convent who have ended their ten-match with 20 points, while Diego Martin Central is third with 15 points.
Over in Tobago, reigning national Girls League champions Scarborough Secondary got two goals from J’Eleisha Alexander, and one from Kaleah Duke to blank Pentecostal Light & Life 3-0 to 27 points, one ahead of reigning national Inter-Col champion Signal Hill with both teams having one match left to play.
Results
East Zone
Five Rivers 2 (Tenisha Hackett, Luann Craig) vs San Juan North 1 (Taya Williams)
El Dorado East 2 (Evangalene Farfan, Nicola George) vs Bishop Anstey East 0
St Augustine 5 (Kanika Rodriguez 3, Jenille Bartholomew, Akeela Campbell) vs Barataria North 1 (Alicia Roberts)
North Zone
Tranquillity Sec 3 vs Malick Sec 0 - by default
St Joseph Convent 2 (Scarlett Cole, Charlotte Hadeed) vs Holy Name Convent 1 (Chelsea Teis)
Tobago Zone
Scarborough Sec 3 (J’Eleisha Alexander 3rd, 72nd, Kaleah Duke 37th) vs Pentecostal Light & Life 0
Bishop’s High School 1 (Kimonique Spencer) vs Mason Hall 1 (Jada Graham)
Roxborough 3 (Samantha Isles 2, Lory Clarke) vs Speyside High 1 (J’naya Gray)
South Zone
Pleasantville Sec 7 (Tayeann Wylie 3, Nikita Gosine 2, Natalia Gosine, Alisha Mitchell) vs St Joseph’s Convent 0
Moruga Sec 2 (Jewel Charles, Merkayla Peters) vs Palo Sec 1 (Faie Alexander)
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Fatima coach on SSFL crown: 'It's in our hands'
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
FATIMA COLLEGE, guided by coach Hutson "Baba" Charles, will look to secure the school's first Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division title when they meet four-time premier division champions Naparima College, from 3.30 pm on Saturday, at Lewis Street in San Fernando.
Fatima (34 points) have a five-point lead ahead of both St Benedict's College and San Juan North Secondary on the 16-team table and will clinch the title with a victory. A draw would be enough if St Benedict's and San Juan also drop points.
The premier division format was introduced in the 2014 season, with the seven titles thus far going to South zone schools. Naparima are the winningest team with four trophies. Shiva Boys Hindu College (2016), Presentation College San Fernando (2017) and Benedict's (2022) have won the other titles in the premier division era which observed a two-year break due to covid19.
Fatima College beat Benedict's in the national intercol final last year, but they also lost to St Benedict's in last season's "Big 4" premier division final.
On enemy territory, Charles wants Fatima to end a national league trophy drought which goes back to 1978.
"I told the guys we're on the verge of winning but we haven't won anything yet. It's still in our hands to lose and we can't be complacent," Charles told Newsday. "We are just close, but we're looking to get a victory. We are looking to seal that championship win."
Fatima have been in exemplary form this season, dropping only five points through 13 league matches. They played to an intriguing goalless draw with defending champions Benedict's on September 27. Their only loss in the campaign came against Presentation on October 4.
Charles said: "They have gone beyond expectations and I'm proud of them so far for the (number) of games (we have won) and the position we're in right now."
Charles says his team isn't feeling pressured to get the win, but he is anticipating a difficult test from Naparima.
Fatima can expect no favours from coach Travis Mulraine and his fourth-placed Naparima (27 points).
"Our main focus isn't to stop Fatima from winning the league," Mulraine said. "We are trying to push as high up the table as we can, and we need the six points from the last two games to do that. Fatima happens to be one of the opponents we have to face so we're going out to win the game."
Mulraine says Naparima's own title hopes went down the drain after losses to Benedict's and Arima North Secondary. Naparima also had a stretch where they drew three consecutive matches from rounds ten to 12. Mulraine believes his team would still be in the title race if not for silly defensive mistakes.
With Fatima inching towards the title, Mulraine says Naparima will try and put on a show at Lewis Street.
"I don't think the players will need motivation. My problem is motivating them against the smaller teams – which is all about mentality. I think the guys will be up to the challenge. I look forward to having a real cracker of a game."
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Fatima seal first SSFL Premiership title
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
FATIMA College sealed their first Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premiership crown in the most dramatic way, scoring two goals in stoppage time with a player down to emerge with a 2-1 win over Naparima College at the latter's home ground at Lewis Street, San Fernando on Saturday.
With the win, Fatima moved to 37 points with one round remaining. Last year's champions St Benedict's College are on 32 points, but cannot make up the difference.
Speaking with Newsday following the win, Fatima coach Hutson Charles was elated his team won the title after finishing second in 2022. "It is always good to go one step further. From preseason we set our goal and we said this year we want to win the league."
He commended his team's fighting spirit playing with a man down. "I am proud of them, they showed great character especially when the skipper (Jaden Williams) got sent off."
After equalising, Charles said holding on for a draw was not an option.
"Fatima is a team that always plays for a win...we had the momentum and I told those fellas just keep going and Caden (Trestrail) scored the header. You could not ask for nothing better."
Fatima needed a win to seal the premiership title and it looked unlikely as they trailed 1-0 heading into second-half stoppage time. It went from bad to worse for Fatima as Williams received a red card in the early stages of stoppage time after getting his second yellow card. The decision seemed a bit harsh as Williams and the Fatima coaching staff openly showed their frustration. With eight minutes stoppage time given more drama followed.
Michael Chaves helped Fatima level the contest five minutes into stoppage time. Following a short corner, Chaves took a shot from a tight angle and the ball deflected off defender Josiah Cooper into the back of the net. It was given as an own goal.
Fatima did not settle for the draw despite being down to ten men as in the last minute of play they grabbed the winner. After Aidan De Gannes worked hard to get around a Naps defender and cross the ball, substitute Trestrail headed home to give Fatima the lead and the title. At the final whistle, the Fatima substitutes and supporters stormed the field as many of them made the trip to south Trinidad for the match.
Before the late match heroics by Fatima, Naparima were the better team in the first half as they looked more menacing in the attacking third and were rewarded in the seventh minute.
Fatima goal-keeper Tristan Edwards did not judge the flight of the ball from a corner kick and Josiah Cooper headed the ball into the net.
In the 25th minute, Tevin Pantor had a chance to make it 2-0 to Naparima. He dribbled into the 18-yard box, but he could not get a shot off.
In the 27th minute, Williams almost equalised for Fatima with a well-struck free kick 30 yards from goal that was well saved by Naps goal-keeper Tryece Romain. Naparima continued to create more chances in the first half, but the score remained 1-0 at half-time.
As the second half kicked off, Naparima continued to look more threatening going forward. As the second half progressed, Fatima got into a rhythm. A few substitutes were introduced including Trestrail, who turned out to be one of the heroes on the day as his last-minute goal gave the boys from Mucurapo Road the title.
In other matches, second-placed St Benedict's defeated Trinity College East 5-0, San Juan North were held to a 2-2 draw by East Mucurapo, Arima North Secondary and St Anthony's College battled to a 1-1 draw, Presentation College got past Pleasantville Secondary 4-0 and St Mary's College beat Chaguanas North Secondary 3-1. The scheduled match between Bishop's High School and Malick Secondary was not played. The other round 14 match between Queen's Royal College and Speyside Secondary is scheduled for Tuesday at 3.30 pm at the Speyside Recreation Ground.
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Bishop's High grab late draw vs Trinity East
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Fatima College clinched their first Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division title in dramatic fashion on Saturday, but action in the league continued on Tuesday evening with a pair of entertaining matches in Tobago.
Both games ended with a similar 2-2 scoreline, with some late antics. Bishop's High School (Tobago) battled back to get a late draw with Trinity College East at the Plymouth Recreation Ground. Meantime in Speyside, the hosts Speyside Secondary had to settle for a share of the points as the visiting Queen's Royal College (QRC) scored in the dying moments of the game.
QRC went into the halftime interval with a 1-0 lead courtesy of a goal from TT youth midfielder Tau Lamsee. Speyside hit back after the resumption with Riquelme Phillips and Milz Johnson scoring within five minutes of the resumption to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Playing at the Speyside Recreation Ground, the Tobago team weren't able to seal the deal as QRC's Musaddiq Mohammed scored the equaliser to register his fifth goal of the season and earn his school a point. QRC are now on 14 points and stay in 13th spot. Speyside are now on 17 points and move up to tenth spot on the 16-team table.
In Plymouth, Bishop's got a contentious stoppage-time penalty from Kerron Arthur to salvage a point versus the reigning East zone Intercol champions Trinity East. The visitors assumed a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Deisean Plaza and their livewire Khaleem Prince, who took his league tally to nine goals. However, like in Speyside, late drama ensured the two teams could not be separated on the day as Arthur had the last laugh.
With the draw, the already relegated Bishop's (four points) moved from 16th to 14th on the table. Trinity go up to 15 points and consolidate 12th spot on the table.
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Pleasantville advance to Big Five girls football semi-finals
T&T Newsday
PLEASANTVILLE Secondary defeated St Joseph's Convent Port of Spain in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Girls Big Five tournament on Thursday to seal a spot in the semi-finals.
Playing at the St Joseph's Convent ground in St Clair, Pleasantville won the match 3-2 to progress to the semi-finals at 3.30 pm on Wednesday.
Tayean Wylie, Maya Wong and 13 year old Nikita Gosine were the goal scorers for Pleasantville. For St Joseph's Convent, Kaitlyn Darwent was on target and the other goal was an own goal. Pleasantville have not been shy in front of goal scoring more than 100 goals this season.
On Wednesday, Pleasantville will face Scarborough Secondary and the other semi-final will see Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School battle East Zone champions Five Rivers Secondary.
The winner of the Tobago championship division was decided on Wednesday, as Scarborough Secondary (30 points) just edged their way to the title to dethrone the 2022 national intercol champions Signal Hill Secondary (29 points). Carrying a one-point advantage into the final round, Scarborough held their nerve as they got a 3-0 win against Mason Hall Secondary at Moriah Recreation Grounds to get their hands on the Tobago title.
J'Eleisha Alexander, last year's SSFL MVP, starred once again for Scarborough as she netted one of the three girls, to add to goals scored by Arianna Bacchus and Kaleah Duke.
Signal Hill did their utmost to keep the pressure on Scarborough as they got a 2-0 win over Bishop's High School courtesy of a double from Naomi Waldrop. In Wednesday's other game, Speyside Secondary got a 2-0 victory over Pentecostal Light and Life with goals coming from J'naya Gray and Terrysha Harry.
The last round of the SSFL premiership division boys competition will be played on Friday with eight matches. Fatima have already sealed the title, while Pleasantville Secondary, Bishop's High School and Chaguanas North Secondary have been demoted.
Boys Fixtures:
Bishop's High vs Pleasantville, Plymouth Recreation Ground, 3.30 pm
Chaguanas North vs San Juan North, Edinburgh 500, 3.45 pm
Presentation College, San Fernando vs East Mucurapo, Manny Ramjohn Stadium, 3.45 pm
QRC vs Arima North, QRC grounds, 3.45 pm
St Anthony's vs Naparima, St Anthony's, 3.45 pm
St Mary's vs Fatima, St Mary's, 3.45 pm
St Benedict's vs Malick, Mahaica Oval, 3.45 pm
Trinity College East vs Speyside, Trinity College East, 3.30 pm
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Hillview maul Brazil Secondary 29-0 in SSFL
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Hillview College's under-20 footballers mauled Brazil Secondary School 29-0 on Friday in the Secondary Schools Football League, at the school ground, El Dorado Road, Tunapuna.
The heavy spanking restored the Jeremy McMeo-coached Hillview to the summit of their group, in the SSFL third division, as they continue their quest to return to the SSFL Championship.
Hillview did not compete in the SSFL last season but have come out on a mission this year and are currently perfect with six wins from as many matches. Arima North Secondary are in second place with 15 points from five games.
McMeo, assisted by former national futsal captain Jerwyn Balthazar, has brought his own style to Hillview with quick passes on the carpet but also an aerial threat with accurate crosses from both flanks.
On a slick surface after heavy rainfall on Friday, Hillview did not take long to impose their will on the game and pin their rivals in their own half.
Like the weather, the goals began to rain on Brazil who conceded 14 unanswered in the first half.
A goalkeeping change in the second half did little to stem the tide as it became a free-for-all in front the goal.
Urged on by the drumming from the school pavilion, Hillview continued to attack the hapless Brazil team with wave after wave of attack. Nine players from Hillview got on the scoresheet.
Christian Aaron, Khadell Campbell, Kemarley Pierre and Aaron Ragoonansingh bagged five each. Rgent Brown, Juninho La Fleur and Christian Corraspe each had a brace while Zyden Warris, Nathaniel Spencer and Arundel Cyrus had one apiece.
Hillview will now switch their focus to their final group game – a top-of-the-table clash at home versus Arima, who have a game in hand, on Friday.
The group winner will face St George's College, who won the other group, for a spot in the SSFL Championship.
However, if St Augustine Secondary get promoted to the Premiership, there will be two teams advancing to the Championship.
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QRC blank Arima North in Premier Division's final round
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Queen's Royal College (QRC), St Anthony's College, and outgoing Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division champions St Benedict's College were among the big winners in the league's final round of matches on Friday.
In Westmoorings, St Anthony's got a hard-earned 2-1 win over four-time premier division champions Naparima College, with captain Aalon Wilson-Wright and Theo Cravador scoring the goals to see off the south powerhouse team who wrapped up the season in fifth place on 27 points. St Anthony's jumped to 26 points with their victory and will end the campaign in seventh spot.
Benedict's (35 points) may have relinquished their premier division title to Fatima College, but they ended their league campaign on a high as they got a thumping 4-0 win over Malick Secondary to consolidate second spot on the 16-team table. Bustling Trinidad and Tobago youth forward Malachi Webb took his season's tally to a league-high 16 goals as he scored a hat-trick to power Benedict's past Malick.
Newly crowned premier division champions Fatima (40 points) also ended their league campaign on a winning note, as they blanked fellow North zone school St Mary's College by a 1-0 margin at the latter school's ground in St Clair to finish the season five points clear of their nearest rivals Benedict's. The Hutson Charles-coached team dropped just five points in 15 games this season, racking up an impressive 13 wins in the process.
A stone's throw away at QRC grounds on Serpentine Road in St Clair, the "Royalians" got a big boost heading into the intercol tournament as they blanked Arima North Secondary 2-0.
QRC, coached by former Soca Warriors captain Kenwyne Jones, shaded a tight affair in the first half but had nothing tangible to show for their efforts under overcast skies in St Clair. Arima playmaker Darion Marfan tested the wits of opposing goalkeeper Jaheim Affan with a long range free kick in the 20th minute. Meanwhile, on the half-hour mark, the hosts thought they had taken the lead but a close-range prod by defender Zakari King was ruled out for offside.
In the second half, the visiting Arima started the brighter of the two teams. On the hour mark, Arima's leading goal scorer Tyrell Stapleton crashed a first-time right-footed effort off the bar after a lovely display of skill down the flank by Mark Thomas. In the 66th minute, Arima central defender Garrick Thomas then shot wildly over the bar when the QRC defence failed to deal with a Marfan set piece.
Against the run of play in the second half, it would be QRC who managed to steal the three points with a pair of goals within the space of six minutes. In a QRC counter in the 71st minute, nippy striker Stephon James latched onto a through ball and fired a right-footed shot past Arima custodian Isaiah Diaz who lost his footing at the worst possible time.
Just a few moments later, Diaz had to pick the ball out of his net again, as QRC's all-action midfielder Tau Lamsee found the top corner with a peach of a free kick from just outside the area.
With the win, QRC (17 points) moved up two spots to 11th. Arima (26 points) stayed in sixth spot despite the loss.
In Chaguanas, San Juan North Secondary (33 points) consolidated third spot as they blanked the relegated Chaguanas North Secondary 2-0.
At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Presentation College San Fernando (31 points) consolidated fourth spot as they got a big 5-2 win over East Mucurapo Secondary. TT youth attacker Vaughn Clement notched a hat-trick to finish the league season with 11 goals, while Adah Barclay scored a brace.
In Trincity, the reigning East zone intercol champions Trinity East (18 points) moved from 12th to eight on the table as they defeated Speyside Secondary by a 3-1 margin.
The game between the two other relegated teams Bishop's High School (Tobago) and Pleasantville Secondary was not played.
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Fatima College - 2023 SSFL Champions
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian)
Congratulations to Fatima College, the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) champions! They won it with one round to spare, and they have done so with style and what I would label total football. When they attack, they attack with full force, and when they defend, they do so with all hands on deck. They seem to play to head coach Hutson "Baba" Charles’ plan, and they all give 150%.
Their victory against Naparima College took me back to the 80s when the Fatima team of that era exhibited a never-say-die attitude. It has been the hallmark of Fatima teams, especially this present team when they again came back earlier in the season against an excellent San Juan North Secondary School with 10 men in the dying stages of the match to win 5-2. They did the same thing last Saturday when trailing 1-0 vs Naparima College. They were being outplayed by a determined opponent, who quite clearly decided that no team was going to come on their ground and walk away with the title. They were hustled by a team that was faster to the ball and showed more intensity and drive. It certainly looked as if Naparima were the ones on the verge of winning the title. Then, going down to 10 men and still trailing 1-0 all seemed lost for the boys from Mucurapo heading into added-on time at the end of the second half. However, scoring 2 goals in those 10 minutes not only won the game but, most importantly, handed them a trophy that has evaded them since 1978.
The achievement by Fatima College was even more remarkable, considering the school was relegated in 2018, and all seemed lost back then. They then bounced back with promotion the following year; then, the pandemic struck the league for 2 years, and it appears that all this time, the school was investing in their students. Winning the National Intercol title last year, the school must have started to feel the investment was reaping some high returns. So, if last year was good, the feeling this year must be one of total euphoria and complete satisfaction.
The final round game was played against St Mary’s College, and what a celebration it was. St Mary’s, as expected gave it their all to defeat the newly crowned champions as the intense rivalry between these colleges goes way back to when the Colleges League was first started by themselves and Queen’s Royal College. No matter what, both schools hate to lose to one another. Somehow, for all the guts and determination from the home team, St Mary’s College, they couldn’t defeat this talented Fatima team.
The runners-up of this year’s SSFL Premiership the defending champions, St Benedict’s College, as they were at home to Malick Secondary in the final round. St Benedict’s started slowly and got better as the season progressed. They have suffered from the loss of Tarik Lee and Nicholas Bobcome but still have some excellent players in Malacai Webb, Jeremiah Niles, and Josiah Ochoa, to name a few. Defensively, they are well organised, and I expect them to be very dangerous for the Intercol. Still, they must get past tricky games against Presentation College San Fernando and Naparima College, both from the South zone, before they can think of the National title.
San Juan North, at one time, looked as if they could win the title, but that shock defeat at home to Fatima seemed to have deflated their aspirations. However, I expect them to re-energize and come back to the Intercol all fired up. With the talented Lindell Sween and Nathan Quashie in their lineup, they should win the East Zone Intercol title even though the Arima North Secondary team would be tough.
I saw the Presentation College vs Naparima College game when they played to a goalless draw. I like Presentation. They are a well-oiled team, and they are the only team to beat Fatima this season with a 1-0 victory away from home. They surprisingly lost 3-0 to St Benedict's but still have conceded few goals all season, a testament to their solid defence. But if they can find a way to be more creative and score goals, their chances to win the South Zone Intercol are as good as anyone.
Naparima simply has to exhibit the football they displayed against Fatima, and they could also win the South Zone Intercol title. The winner of this title is going to have to work hard, and they would need more than just ability but the right attitude.
Arima North Secondary could be a fly in the ointment. Like Presentation, they are good defensively, not allowing many goals in the back of their net this season. They seem to be the only team in the East to challenge San Juan North and, on their day, can spring a surprise for the East Zone Intercol. Trinity College East was no match for the more established schools, and I can’t see them defending their East Zone title successfully.
Fatima will start as firm favourites for the North Zone title. They will have a host of schools trying to upset them. St Anthony’s College, after a slow start, did well in the league to finish mid-table, and they should be better prepared for the Intercol. Malick and East Mucurapo were far too inconsistent in their performances, and if they can come good on the day in the knockout tournament, they may create a shock.
What can I say about St Mary’s and QRC, except they were disappointing? Both schools have to return to the drawing board, re-look at their programmes, and start working at the Under-14 and Under-16 levels, which may be the only way back for the traditional colleges. Take a page out of not just Fatima’s book but the Southern colleges’ books, as they are just about getting it right.
The bottom three - Chaguanas North, Pleasantville Secondary, and Bishop’s High School were simply outclassed and need to understand what it takes to compete at this level. It’s all about setting up the right programs and sticking with a plan. It is not going to be easy, and it will undoubtedly take a lot of sacrifice if these schools are to rebound. Speyside High School seems to be the best out of Tobago, but school football in Tobago is a far cry from the days of Dwight Yorke when he represented Signal Hill Secondary. Hopefully, school football in Tobago in the next few years will start to take a turn for the better, as it is imperative to have a Tobago school presenting consistent challenges against the best schools in Trinidad.
All in all, the league met expectations. I hope the schools place a little more time on developing players, especially those coming up in Under-14 and, to a lesser extent, at the Under-16 level, so the fans can see more quality football. Well done to all the schools, and good luck in the upcoming Intercol.
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Webb secures St Benedict’s second spot, and takes scorers’ title.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
National Under-17 striker Malacai Webb scored a hat-trick to help his team wrap up the second spot in this year’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership Division after a 4-0 victory over East Mucurapo Secondary at the Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin on Friday.
In addition to the runner-up spot for last year’s league champions, Webb also moved ahead into sole possession of this year’s leading scorers’ race with 17 goals, three ahead of Malick Secondary’s Oba Samuel after both players went into the final round match with 14 goals each on the season.
With the win, St Benedict’s, also last year’s National Inter-Col runners-up to newly crowned league champions Fatima College finished the season with 35 points from 15 matches, five behind champions Fatima who got an own goal in their 1-0 win away to St Mary’s College at Serpentine Road, St Clair to put the icing on their successful campaign which ended a 45-year league title, and secured the team’s third national league crown overall after lifting its first title in 1973.
Elsewhere, San Juan North Secondary remained third with 33 points courtesy of a 2-0 win over demoted Chaguanas North Secondary while Presentation College also ended on a high with a 5-2 spanking of East Mucurapo led by a hat trick from Vaugh Clement.
However, four-time winners Naparima College were beaten 2-1 away at St Anthony’s College in the first match under assistant coach Abdallah Phillip who will oversee proceedings for the remainder of the season after the school management team opted to part ways with coach Travis Mulraine while Arima North Secondary also fell, 0-2 at Queen’s Royal College.
Friday’s Results
Bishop’s High School vs Pleasatville Sec - postponed
San Juan North Sec 2 (own goal, Jadiel Joseph) vs Chaguanas North Sec 0
Presentation College 5 (Vaughn Clement 3, Adah Barclay 2) vs East Mucurapo Sec 2 (Brandon Parks, Khidr Atiba)
QRC 2 (Stephon James, Tau Lamsee) vs Arima North Sec 0
St Anthony’s College 2 (Aalon Wright-Alexis, Theo Cravador) vs Naparima College 1 (Josiah Cooper)
Fatima 1 (own goal) vs St Mary’s College 0
St Benedict’s College 4 (Malacai Webb 3, Adam Pierre) vs Malick Sec 0
Trinity College East 3 (Nathan Prowell, Jeremiah Frank-Williams, Deisean Plaza) vs Speyside High 1 (Dashawn Bradshaw)
Latest SSFL Premier Division standings
Position Team P W D L F A Pts
1*Fatima*15*13*1*1*50*8*40
2*St Benedict’s*15*11*2*2*51*10*35
3*San Juan North*15*10*3*2*37*14*33
4*Presentation*15*9*4*2*25*8*31
5*Naparima*15*8*3*4*48*14*27
6*Arima North*15*7*5*3*24*10*26
7*St Anthony’s*15*8*2*5*34*21*26
8*East Mucurapo*15*5*3*7*28*40*18
9*Malick*14*5*2*7*37*25*17
10*Speyside*15*4*5*6*18*29*17
11*St Mary’s*15*5*2*8*26*40*17
12*Trinity East*15*5*3*7*24*28*18
13*QRC*15*5*2*8*30*32*17
14*Bishop’s High*13*1*1*11*7*40*4
15*Chaguanas North*15*1*1*13*5*65*4
16*Pleasantville*14*1*1*11*12*72*4
SSFL Premier Division leading scorers
17 - Malacai Webb (St Benedict’s)
14 - Oba Samuel (Malick)
12 - Michael Chaves (Fatima)
11 - Kyle Phillip (St Mary’s), Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Vaughn Clement (Presentation)
10 - Aiden De Gannes (Fatima), Jaden Grant, Daniel Jones (St Benedict’s), Khaleem Prince (Trinity East)
9 - Ryan Radellant (St Mary’s), Tyrell Stapleton (Arima North), Jaheem Danclair (San Juan North), Stephon James (QRC)
8 - Nathan Quashie (San Juan North), Tevin Pantor, Kanye Francis (Naparima),
7 - Kelon Williams (Pleasantville), Tau Lamsee (QRC)
6 - Andell Fraser, Jean-Marc Thomas (St Anthony’s), Aalon Wilson-Wright (St Anthony’s)
5 - Theo Cravador, Mordecai Ford (St Anthony’s), Mussadiq Mohammed, Micah Nelson (QRC), Josiah Cooper, Jaron Pascall (Naparima), Christian Bailey (Fatima), Brandon Parks (East Mucurapo), Adah Barclay (Presentation)
4 - Akiel Vesprey (Naparima), Clint Latchman, Jadon Mc Shine Maalik Jarvis (East Mucurapo), Keston Richards, Malachi Woodley (Malick), N’Kosi Quashie, Riquelme Phillip (Speyside), Jeremiah Niles, Josiah Ochoa (St Benedict’s), Jonathan Mason, Caden Trestrail (Fatima), Jadiel Joseph (San Juan North)
3 - J’Lon Matthews, Jordan Ferdinand, Tyrese Manswell (Malick), Jonathan Mason, Luke Correia (Fatima), Kaille Elliot (Presentation), Elijah Wong (St Mary’s), Stephano Christopher (Arima North), Nieem Taylor (East Mucurapo), Omar Daniel (Speyside), Russel Francois (St Anthony’s), Justin Lewis (Chaguanas North), Deisean Plaza (Trinity East)
2 - Justin Alcantar, Caden Trestrail (Fatima), Ronaldinho Richards (Malick), Kevin Francois, Jabari Forbes, Jkwon Bailey, Xarion France, Nathaniel O’Garro, Israel Joseph, Tyrel Rajoon, Aaron Raymond (Naparima), Darion Marfan, Ability Hazel, Jemaul Ashing, Theron O’Brien (Arima North), Lennox Eastman (Speyside), Malik Wilson, Damario Henry (Bishop’s High), Ethan Trotman (St Benedict’s), Jeremiah Frank-Williams), Jonathan Emrit (Trinity East), Kiev Robertson (Pleasantville), Al-Kalipha Henry, Zion Harley (East Mucurapo), Jahdel Chase-Charles (San Juan North), Levi Jones (Presentation),
1 - Nekayse Moore, Negaste Moore (Chaguanas North), Abeyomi George, Chaz Forde, Duhrell Young (Presentation), Teshaun Franklyn, Kerry Baptiste Jr, Philip Nelson, Jayden Christophe (QRC), Keanu Morean, Derrel Garcia, Nathan George, Adam Pierre (St Benedict’s), Levi Smith, Thomas Decle, Kade Collier, Jaden Williams, Yohance Atherton, Joshua Mason (Fatima), Antonio Sealey, Ackeem James, Isaiah David, Zachary Joseph (Malick), Daniel Rose, Obadiah Eyeadelrosiyhia, Amari Dunbar (St Anthony’s), Dashwan Bradshaw, Shyon George, Milz Johnson (Speyside), Tyler Ayers, Mark Thomas, Tony Figuera, Criston Gomez (Arima North), Marley Callender, Dusan Cooper, Alejandro Harper, Abdil-Junior Abdul-Hakeem (St Mary’s), Elizsha Rogers, Joshua Lewis (San Juan North), Kadeem Plaza, Hasheem Hill, Seretse Browne, Josiah Figaro, Dexter Croal, Keslon Pierre, Nathan Prowell (Trinity East), Kerton Arthur, Khaieem Lewis (Bishop’s High), Malachi Henry, Malik Xavier, Jemon Gulston, Khidr Atiba (East Mucurapo), Desean Adams, Joshuel Simon (Pleasantville)
Own goals : 10.
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St Mary’s clobber Belmont Secondary 19-zip in Inter-Col opener.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Ryan Radellant and Aadil Abdul-Hakeem both scored beaver tricks to lead a rampant St Mary’s College to a 19-0 mauling of Belmont Secondary in their preliminary round clash to kick off the North Zone Secondary Schools Football League Coca-Cola Inter-Col at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair on Monday.
Radellant got his goals in the 17th, 21st, 25th, and 45th minutes while Abdul-Hakeem found the back of the net in the 55th, 71st, 83rd, and 90+1 minutes in the lopsided contest with Elijah Wong (14th, 33rd, 53rd) and captain Kyle Phillip (38th, 42nd, 88th) adding hat tricks.
There were also two goals each for Kristian James (50th & 59th), and Jaeden Bobb (57th & 74th) with Dusan Cooper, the other scorer in the 35th as they stormed into the quarterfinals where they will battle East Mucurapo Secondary at Queen’s Royal College Ground on Friday from 3.30 pm.
Also yesterday, not far away at Queen’s Royal College Ground, host QRC got hat tricks from Micah Nelson, and Mussadiq Mohammed in an 11-0 hammering of Diego Martin Central Secondary.
The quintet of Kerry Baptiste Jr, Tau Lamsee, Zion Aberdeen, Philip Nelson, and Jayden Christophe chipped in with a goal each for the Royalians to set up a zonal quarterfinal encounter with Malick Secondary on Friday at St Anthony’s College Ground, Westmoorings.
In the other North preliminary round match host Blanchisseuse Secondary got a second-half strike from Aaron Marcano to edge Mucurapo West Secondary 1-0 and will next face St Anthony’s College at Fatima College Ground, Mucurapo Road, also on Friday.
Recently crowned National Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premiership Division champions Fatima will kick off the defense of their National Inter-Col crown in the North Zone quarterfinal round on Friday against the winner of the preliminary round clash between Trinity College and Tranquillity Secondary School which will be played today at Moka, Maraval from 3:30 pm after it was postponed by 24 hours due to the inclement weather.
In other matches yesterday, El Dorado West Secondary got the better of Five Rivers Secondary 4-2 on penalty kicks after an entertaining 4-4 draw in the East Zone while in the South Zone, Siparia West Secondary blanked Princes Town West Secondary 3-0, and Point Fortin East Secondary battled past ASJA Boys College of San Fernando 5-4 via penalties after a tense 1-1 deadlock.
Yesterday’s Results - Preliminary Round
East Zone
El Dorado West Sec 4 (Jadon Gaston 2, Donte Gordon, Nicholai Marshall) vs Five Rivers Sec 4 (Jeremiah Sampson 2, Rayshawn Brown, Jaden Crichlow) - El Do West Sec won 4-2 on penalty-kicks
North Zone
St Mary’s 21 (Ryan Radellant 17th, 21st, 25th, 45th, Aadil Abdul-Hakeem 55th, 71st, 83rd, 90+1, Elijah Wong 14th, 33rd, 53rd, Kyle Phillip 38th, 42nd, 88th, Kristian James 50th, 59th, Jaeden Bobb 57th, 74th, Dusan Cooper 35th) vs Diego Martin Central 0
QRC 11 (Micah Nelson 3, Mussadiq Mohammed 3, Kerry Baptiste Jr, Tau Lamsee, Zion Aberdeen, Philip Nelson, Jayden Christophe) vs Belmont Sec 0
Blanchisseuse Sec 1 (Aaron Marcano) vs Mucurapo West Sec 0
South Zone
Siparia West Sec 3 (Elijah Jones 2, Emmanuel Duncan) vs Princes Town West 0
Point Fortin East Sec 1 (Akeellon George) vs ASJA Boys 1 (Emmanuel Marine) - Point Fortin East won 5-4 on penalty-kicks
Today’s matches
North Zone Preliminary Round:
Trinity College Moka vs Tranquillity Sec @ Moka, Maraval, 3.30 pm
Thursday, November 9:
Zonal Quarterfinals:
Central Zone:
Carapichaima West Sec vs Couva East Sec @ Couva East Sec, 3.30 pm
Miracle Ministries PHS vs Presentation @ Edinburgh 500 Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
Carapichaima East Sec vs ASJA Boys @ Presentation Grd, Chaguanas, 3.30 pm
Chaguanas North - bye
East Zone:
San Juan North Sec vs El Dorado West @ San Juan North Sec, Bourg Mulatresse, 3.30 pm
St Augustine Sec vs El Dorado Sec @ St Augustine Sec Grd, Warren Street, 3.30 pm
Arima North Sec vs Holy Cross @ Arima North Sec, 3.30 pm
Trinity East vs Valencia Sec @ Trinity East Grd, Trincity, 3.30 pm
Tobago Zone:
Speyside vs Goodwood Sec @ Black Rock Rec. Grd, 3 pm
Bishop’s High vs Pentecostal L&L @ Black Rock Rec. Grd, 5 pm.
South Zone:
Pleasantville Sec vs Moruga Sec @ Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, 3.30 pm
Naparima vs Ste Madeleine Sec @ Lewis St, San F’do, 3.30 pm
Friday, November 10:
Tobago Zone:
Scarborough Sec vs Mason Hall Sec
Signal Hill vs Roxborough Sec
North Zone:
Fatima vs Trinity/Tranquillity Sec winner @ St Mary’s Grd, St Clair, 3.30 pm
East Mucurapo Sec vs St Mary’s @ QRC Grd, Maraval Rd, 3.30 pm
St Anthony’s vs Blanchisseuse Sec @ Fatima College Grd, Mucurapo Rd, 3.30 pm
Malick Sec vs QRC, St Anthony’s College Grd, Westmoorings, 3.30 pm
South Zone:
St Benedict’s vs Point Fortin East @ Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, 3.30 pm
Presentation/Naparima vs Siparia West Sec @ Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Mareballa, 3.30 pm
Zonal Semifinals:
Tuesday, November 14: Central Zone & Tobago Zone
Wednesday, November 15: East Zone
Thursday, November 16: North Zone
Friday, November 17: South Zone
Zonal Finals:
Monday, November 20: Central Zone
Tuesday, November 21: East Zone
Wednesday, November 22: Tobago Zone
Thursday, November 23: South Zone & North Zone
National playoffs:
Quarterfinal:
Tuesday, November 28:
North winner vs Central winner
Semifinals:
Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Friday, December 1:
South vs East
North/Central winner vs Tobago
Final:
Venue: Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Thursday, December 7:
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Trinity beat Tranquil, advance in Intercol.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
TRINITY College advanced in the Coca Cola Intercol competition with a win on penalties over Tranquillity Secondary School in the preliminary round at the former's school ground in Moka, Maraval on Tuesday.
The match was scheduled to be played on Monday, but because of a waterlogged field it was postponed.
The teams played to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time with Antonio Cole scoring in the 39th minute for Trinity, before Naeem Whiskey equalised around the 70th minute mark for Tranquil. Trinity qualified for the North zone quarter-finals with a 5-4 win on penalties.
On Thursday, zonal quarter-final matches will be played in the Central, East, South and Tobago zones. On Friday, the Tobago and South zones will feature again, along with the North zone.
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Carapichaima West, Speyside score big in zonal intercol quarters
By Ronaeil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Carapichaima West Secondary and Speyside Secondary were among the big winners as zonal quarter-final action in the Coca-Cola Boys intercol competition kicked off across T&T on Thursday.
In the Central zone, Carapichaima West ran up the scoreline against Couva East Secondary in their encounter at the latter school's compound, storming away with a massive 12-0 win. Jaydon Bartholomew scored a beaver-trick for Carapichaima West, with striker Supreme Outar living up to his name with a lovely hat-trick.
Also in the Central zone, Carapichaima East Secondary, who were stripped of last season's Central intercol crown after the use of an ineligible player, blanked Presentation College (Chaguanas) by a 3-0 margin. Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School emerged as the other quarter-final winner in Central as they won their game by default against ASJA Boys College. Chaguanas North Secondary received a bye through to the semi-finals.
In a double-header at the Black Rock recreation ground in Tobago, Speyside and Bishop's High School romped to the zonal semi-finals with huge wins. The two schools represented the island in the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division season and they flexed their collective muscles as Speyside thumped Goodwood Secondary 10-0 and Bishop's romped to an 8-0 win over Pentecostal Light and Life.
In the South zone, powerhouse school Naparima College showed no mercy to Ste Madeleine Secondary as they got a facile 5-0 win at Lewis Street in San Fernando. Both Jaron Pascall and Tevin Pantor scored a pair of goals for Naparima.
In South's other quarter-final match up on Thursday, Pleasantville Secondary, who have been relegated from the premier division after a rough 2023 league campaign, defeated Moruga Secondary by a 3-1 margin. Kelon Williams scored a double to power Pleasantville to victory.
In the East zone, the premier division trio of Arima North Secondary, San Juan North Secondary, Trinity College East, as well as zonal championship division winners St Augustine Secondary progressed to the semis.
Trinity East central defender Nicholas Whiteman scored a first-half double to cancel out an early item from Valencia Secondary's Kyle Lacroix as the former school got a big 5-1 win. Trinity East, last year's East zone intercol champions, will meet Arima in Wednesday's semi-final. Arima got a 3-1 win in their quarter-final match up against Holy Cross College, with Tyrell Stapleton, Ability Hazel and Stephano Christopher finding the back of the net.
St Augustine and San Juan will meet in the East's other semi, after getting 2-0 and 8-0 wins in their respective quarter-finals against El Dorado East and El Dorado West Secondary. Nathan Quashie, Jaheem Danclar and TT youth midfielder Lindell Sween all scored twice as San Juan hammered El Dorado West in Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan.
Intercol action will continue on Friday with matches in three zones.
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North intercol match ends in penalties thriller - Mucurapo edges CIC 4-3
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
East Mucurapo goalkeeper Aaron Andrews was the hero for his school in Coca-Cola North zone intercol quarter-final action on Friday, as he saved two penalties in a tense shootout to grant his team a 4-3 win from the spot over St Mary's College, after a goalless stalemate.
Playing at Queen's Royal College (QRC) ground in St Clair, Mucurapo looked the likelier of the teams to break the deadlock in the second half, as they forced opposing goalie Tyrese Henry into a string of fine saves.
Flanker Zion Harley and the midfield pair of Atiba Khidr and Jadon McShine all gave solid performances in the second half, but couldn't beat Henry despite their best efforts. In the 78th minute, the St Mary's goalkeeper just about spared his blushes with a last-ditch save after spilling a deep free kick by McShine.
Crucially, Henry wasn't between the sticks in the shootout for St Mary's as he was substituted in the 90th minute by coach Michael Grayson, with the goalkeeper pointing to an apparent knee injury. Henry watched on in agony from the sidelines as Andrews and the Mucurapo youngsters held their nerve to book their spot through to the North zone semi-finals.
With the scores locked at 3-3 in the shootout, Andrews delivered the knockout punch for coach Dale Saunders and Mucurapo, as he emphatically stopped the efforts by Aadil Abdul-Hakeem and St Mary's captain Kyle Phillip to spark wild celebrations from his schoolmates. Nieem Taylor scored the clinching penalty for Mucurapo to set up a meeting with St Anthony's College in the North zone semi-finals.
The "Westmoorings Tigers" of St Anthony's fought off a feisty challenge from North zone championship division winners Blanchisseuse Secondary as they got a resounding 7-2 win in Mucurapo. The scores were tied 2-2 in the first half after a double by Blanchisseuse's Kirk Abraham, but St Anthony's were relentless in the second period as Andell Fraser scored a hat-trick and Theo Cravador netted a brace to secure the big win.
In Westmoorings, QRC set up a semi-final meeting with last year's national intercol winners Fatima College as they defeated Malick Secondary by a slender 2-1 margin. All three goals in the encounter were scored in the first half, with QRC's Micah Nelson scoring a double to send the "Royalians" through to the semis.
Fatima were made to sweat in their match up with Trinity College (Moka), but they saved their scoring for late in the contest as they ran away comfortable 5-0 victors. Trinity put up a resolute showing for most of the match, but their resilience was eventually broken in the 75th minute when Christian Bailey opened the scoring with a neat finish. The 2023 Secondary School Football League (SSFL) premier division champions then rained goals down at the Serpentine Road, St Clair venue, with three of their remaining goals coming in stoppage-time. Caden Trestrail helped himself to a brace in the frenetic stoppage-time period to send Fatima to the North semis. Fatima's clash with QRC will see last year's two North zone finalists doing battle one round earlier this time around.
At the Black Rock recreation ground in Tobago, there was penalty drama as Mason Hall Secondary edged Scarborough Secondary 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regulation time. In the other game, Tobago's reigning intercol champions Signal Hill Secondary got a 3-1 win over Roxborough Secondary.
In the South zone quarter-finals, a whopping 27 goals were scored in the two matches as both Presentation College (San Fernando) and St Benedict's College hit double digits in emphatic victories over Siparia West Secondary and Point Fortin East Secondary respectively. Presentation were in a ruthless mood at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, as they defeated Siparia West by a whopping 14-0 margin. Both Chaz Forde and T&T youth attacker Vaughn Clement enjoyed themselves in front of goal as they scored six goals apiece.
At the Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, Benedict's were also dominant as they earned a 12-1 win over Point Fortin East. Jeremiah Joseph led the way for the regining South zone intercol champions Benedict's with a hat-trick, with Joel Griffith scoring a double. The premier division's top scorer Malachi Webb also got on the scoresheet.
In the South semis, Benedict's will play Pleasantville, while Presentation will meet Naparima College in a fixture which has often been dubbed the local "El Clasico."
The girls intercol tournament will commence on Saturday, with quarter-final action in the respective zones.
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Hillview one step from SSFL promotion
T&T Newsday
Hillview College are one step away from qualifying for the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Championship division. The Tunapuna school, competing in the senior division, will battle St George's College for automatic promotion.
Needing a point to finish top of their group, Hillview defeated Arima North Secondary 3-2 on Friday at their school ground. The victory was their seventh from as many matches with 61 goals scored and just seven conceded.
The Jeremy McMeo-coached team never trailed in the match and deservedly took the full points. Kemarley Pierre opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half, but a vicious left-footed strike by Zion Metivier from about 20 yards restored parity. Leaving nothing to chance, Hillview pressed for the go-ahead goal and Christian Aaron volleyed them in front before the break, to the delight of the home fans.
Pierre scored his second of the match after the interval from a corner delivered by Regent Browne.
The two-goal cushion put Hillview at ease as time began to run out. A stoppage-time goal from Theron O'Brian trimmed the deficit but could not stop Hillview from advancing to the playoff.
Arima North Secondary have a team in the SSFL Premiership and cannot be promoted to the championship, but could have played spoilers on the day.
If St Augustine Secondary, winners of this year's SSFL Championship East Zone, are promoted to the premiership via the Big 5 competition, there will be two spots available in the championship and both Hillview and St George's will be promoted.
Hillview, managed by Nirad Tewarie, did not compete in the SSFL last season but have given a good account of themselves this campaign.
Tewarie said the victory has left the school upbeat and optimistic. He said, "We are happy that we came together as a unit and executed well against a team of the calibre if Arima North. They've been playing excellent football, so to pull off a victory against them is quite an achievement for us.
"The boys have been putting in a lot of work and no one wanted to play for a draw. We feel like we have developed a balanced squad. Coaches Jeremy McMeo and Jerwyn Balthazar have to be credited for their tactical work before and during the match."
He credited the support of acting Prnicpal Sharon Ramdeen and her predecessor Derek Bissessar as well as parents. He expects a tough game versus St George's on an unfamilar ground.
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Bishop Anstey East, Port of Spain win big in girls intercol.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Bishop Anstey High School (PoS) and Bishop Anstey High School (East) both recorded big wins in zonal intercol quarter-final action in their respective zones on Saturday, as the girls’ intercol competition got underway with various games across the country.
Bishop Anstey PoS were resounding in their meeting with Malick Secondary in the North zone, as they got a thumping 9-1 victory. Diego Martin Central Secondary also put on a dominant display as they spanked Tranquillity Secondary by a 7-1 margin. Mariah Williams led the scoring for Diego Martin Central with a hat-trick. Sarai Baptiste-Roberts added two goals of her own in the big Diego win.
Bishop Anstey East also found the back of the net with regularity in their encounter with Barataria North Secondary in the East zone, as they got a comfortable 5-1 win on their home turf in Trincity. T&T youth attacker Orielle Martin stole the show for Bishop Anstey East as she scored a hat-trick.
In the other East zone game, El Dorado East Secondary got a 2-1 penalty shootout win against St Augustine Secondary after a 1-1 stalemate in regular time. El Dorado’s next test is also expected to be a stern one, as they will meet reigning East zone intercol champions Five Rivers Secondary in the zonal semi-finals. Five Rivers have also progressed to this season’s Secondary Schools Football League’s (SSFL) girls Big 5 final, where they will meet 2022 Big 5 champions Scarborough Secondary.
In the Central zone, the two Carapichaima schools got slender victories to advance to the zonal semi-finals, as both Carapichaima East and Carapichaima West Secondary got 1-0 victories in their quarter-final matches. Carapichaima West got by Chaguanas North Secondary in Edinburgh, Chaguanas. Meanwhile, Carapichaima East squeezed by the challenge posed by a Chaguanas South Secondary outfit which started the game with only seven players. Chaguanas South manager Kempes Charles said his team has played the entire Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season without a full complement of players. On the weekend, Chaguanas South put up a brave fight despite being short-handed, but a solitary item from Carapichaima East was enough to end their intercol campaign.
In Tobago, Roxborough Secondary got a 2-0 win over Mason Hall Secondary at the Cyd Gray Sporting Complex, Roxborough in the lone quarter-final played on the island on the day. On Wednesday, Tobago’s two other quarter-final matches will be contested with a keen double-header at the Plymouth recreation grounds. In the first encounter, Bishop’s High School (Tobago) will meet Speyside Secondary. Reigning national girls intercol champions Signal Hill Secondary will meet Pentecostal Light and Life in the second match of the double-header.
In the South zone, Palo Seco Secondary won their encounter versus Princes Town West Secondary by default.
The girls zonal semi-finals are scheduled for November 19. Meanwhile, SSFL president Merere Gonzales confirmed the postponement of the girls’ Big 5 final between Scarborough and Five Rivers which was initially carded for November 15. Gonzales told Newsday the final is to be held in Tobago, but he said the East zone champions Five Rivers has had difficulty in finalising travel arrangements for the all-important game. He said a new date should be announced by the league this week.
Zonal semi-final action in the boys intercol tournament will commence on Tuesday with matches in the Central and Tobago zones. Last year’s Central intercol winners Chaguanas North will face Carapichaima West, while Carapichaima East will play Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School. In Black Rock, Tobago a double-header will see Speyside meeting Mason Hall Secondary in the first semi, with reigning Tobago champions Signal Hill meeting Bishop’s High School (Tobago) in the other match.
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Miracle Ministries blow by Carapichaima East in Central intercol semis.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Central zone championship division winners Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School will meet reigning Central intercol champions Chaguanas North Secondary in this year's Central intercol final after getting a 3-0 win over Carapichaima East Secondary in Edinburgh, Chaguanas on Tuesday.
Miracle Ministries pipped Carapichaima East to the championship division crown this season, and they showed their superiority over their rivals once more as they strolled away in the second half for the facile win. Miracle Ministries attacker Judah Chinapoo sent a dreadful penalty well wide of the mark in the 25th minute after Rolando Solomon was fouled in the area. However, the Kern Cupid-coached team did not let up as they went into the halftime interval with a 1-0 lead after a close range effort by Keon Codrington was deflected into goalkeeper Jayden Meharris' net.
In the second half, Miracle Ministries came into their own and got the better of Carapichaima East with some incisive passing and movement in the final third. Miracle Ministries' shrewd passing game was aided by smart individual play, and their second item from Jabari Rodriguez was a thing of beauty as the attacker danced past three tackles in the penalty area before beating Meharris with a clinical finish.
Rodriguez's goal highlighted his dribbling ability, but his team's third goal showcased their teamwork as nippy flanker Kyle Holder found the net at the end of a slick move. After lovely play in the middle of the park by Chinapoo, a defence-splitting through ball was met by Holder who applied the sweetest of finishes to kill off the contest in Edinburgh.
At the Brickfield recreation ground, Chaguanas North saw off the threat of the other Carapichaima school – Carapichaima West Secondary – as they got a big 4-0 triumph. Chaguanas North were relegated from the premier division this season, but they maintained their title aspirations in the Central zone as goals by Zaiden James, Negaste Moore, Nekayse Moore and Jeremiah Villafana powered them to the zonal final.
In the zonal final, the defending champions Chaguanas North will meet a Miracle Ministries team who are hoping to lift their first zonal intercol trophy. After the match, Cupid, a former TT international defender, said he was "quietly optimistic" about helping Miracle Ministries to their maiden intercol title.
At the Plymouth recreation ground in Tobago, the combination of a penalty shootout and poor lighting made for an eventful evening of school football. In the first semi-final between Speyside Secondary and Mason Hall Secondary, an 83rd minute goal by Speyside's Riquelme Phillips punished a shocking error by the opposing defence and forced the game to the dreaded shootout after a 2-2 draw in regular time. In kicks from the penalty spot, the boys from Tobago's countryside – Speyside – held their nerves as they emerged 5-3 victors after being perfect from the spot.
Speyside's opponents for the Tobago final are still to be decided, as the second semi-final between Bishop's High School (Tobago) and reigning Tobago champions Signal Hill Secondary was abandoned in the 11th minute due to faulty lighting at the Plymouth venue.
The intercol action moves to the East zone on Wednesday, with a semi-final double-header at the Arima Velodrome. In the first East semi, San Juan North will face this year's East zone championship division winners St Augustine Secondary from 3.30 pm. In the next semi which kicks off at 5.30 pm, Arima North Secondary will tackle Trinity College East, the defending champions in the East zone intercol.
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Speyside Secondary player attacked during Tobago intercol semis
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
The Tobago boys' intercol semi-final match between Bishop's High School (Tobago) and reigning Tobago champions Signal Hill Secondary was marred by an ugly off-field incident at Plymouth recreation grounds on Tuesday, as spectators attacked Speyside Secondary player Japhire Edwards during the early stages of the abandoned match.
The match was called off after just 11 minutes because of poor lighting, team officials said. The attack on Edwards caused quite a stir. Edwards was an unused substitute in the first semi-final, when his Speyside school got a nervy 5-3 win on penalties over Mason Hall Secondary after a 2-2 draw in regular time.
Speyside technical director and Tobago zone chairman Kerry Lynch said an unsuspecting Edwards was changing his clothes in the pavilion when he was attacked.
"About ten boys jumped on him and attacked him," Lynch told Newsday. "They are from the Plymouth area. The irony in this is the boys who attacked Japhire are schoolboys from other schools."
Lynch said Edwards, who lives in Signal Hill, may have been subjected to an ongoing "community rivalry."
In a video which was shown live on social media, spectators were seen running towards the sidelines as the incident escalated, with the Bishop's and Signal Hill game still in progress. In the video, Lynch hurled himself to the ground to brace for cover in the melee.
"I was holding the boy who was being attacked. I saw this person charging with a bottle and I was doubting he would throw it," the Tobago zone chairman said. "I had to duck for cover to protect myself. A number of us were holding (Japhire), but the guys who attacked him were not letting up at all.
"There were no other people from the Signal Hill community there. Otherwise, this could have been a full-on brawl."
At the time of the incident, Lynch said, there was no police presence at the venue, although he had been assured of their attendance before the semi-finals. He said police did arrive once the fracas started, and a member of the Speyside technical staff eventually drove Edwards to safety. Lynch said Edwards was not hurt and was able to attend school on Wednesday.
"We have been able to identify a few of the schoolboys from the incident and we will be reaching out to their respective schools to take further action."
On the field of play, the match between Bishop's and Signal Hill was still in its embryonic stages before it was abandoned because of poor lighting – and not the off-field fight – according to Lynch.
"The fighting did not affect the game. The game was still playing during the fighting. The game continued for about five minutes after the fight before the match was called off."
The Tobago intercol finals are scheduled for November 22, but a date for the rescheduled second semi-final is still to be decided. Lynch says the Plymouth venue is now certainly out of the question.
"No further games will be played there this season. We are sure about that. We are not going back there."
The unsavoury incident in Plymouth is the second such occurrence in the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season, as the premier-division match between St Mary's College and league winners Fatima College on the final day of the league campaign on November 3 was overshadowed by a post-game brawl involving spectators and schoolboys.
SSFL president Merere Gonzales opted not to comment on the incident in the second Tobago semi, as he said he had not seen the official match report.
He said the SSFL's general council will hold a meeting on Thursday, when it hopes to discuss and rule on both matters.
"Indiscipline and violent conduct of any kind from any school, spectator or stakeholder will not be tolerated or condoned by the SSFL," Gonzales said.
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Arima North, San Juan into East Zone Intercol finals
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
ARIMA North Secondary and San Juan North Secondary advanced to the Coca-Cola Intercol East zone finals with convincing victories in the semi-finals at Arima Velodrome on Wednesday.
San Juan defeated St Augustine Secondary 5-0 in the first match of the doubleheader and Arima North got past Trinity College East 3-0 in the second encounter.
San Juan started their match on the front foot, creating more chances on goal in the opening minutes. In the tenth minute, San Juan were rewarded as Jahdel Chase-Charles collected a pass from Nathan Quashie and completed the chance from just outside the box. St Augustine goal-keeper Madison Lewis got his hands on the low shot, but could not keep it out.
As the match progressed, St Augustine did a better job maintaining possession, but could not create quality chances on goal.
Around the 30-minute mark, St Augustine created a couple of chances but could not equalise. Quashie made it 2-0 in the 34th minute with a bullet from 25 yards out, a lead San Juan held until half-time. There was not as much goal-mouth action in the early stages of the second half until Lindell Sween, one of San Juan’s best players this season, made it 3-0 in the 67th minute when his deflected shot found the back of the net.
Substitute Mathyyas Charles settled down quickly making it 4-0 with a flick-on header. The San Juan players formed a congo line to celebrate the goal.
Charles was on target again when he neatly controlled a cross from Sween, before slotting home to round off the scoring. After nine minutes into the match between Arima North and Trinity East, the match was stopped because the lights were not turned on yet. After a ten-minute delay, the match resumed.
Arima North looked more promising in the first half. Zwade Alleyne took a tame shot from distance, but Trinity East goalkeeper Alexis Ambrose made a meal of it and the ball slipped through his hands but he was fortunate that it trickled past the post.
Arima North continued to have more possession, but Trinity East also had their moments in a half that lacked chances on goal. Arima North’s Tyrell Stapleton should have done better as his header from a corner kick went over the crossbar in first-half stoppage time.
In another chance before the break, Stephano Christopher for Arima North went for power but he failed to put his attempt on frame as the first half ended goalless.
Trinity East were more on the front foot when the second half began and they came the closest to breaking the deadlock as Khaleem Prince’s well-struck shot from 25 yards out hit the post.
Against the run of play, Arima North took the lead in the 68th minute. Following a corner kick, Arima North could only get a tame shot but Stapleton managed to get to the ball before Trinity goal-keeper Ambrose and with only the net in front of him fired into the roof of the net.
Arima scored two more goals to seal the contest. Firstly, the ball fell to substitute Tyler Ayers following a corner kick and his low shot along the wet surface took a deflection past Ambrose to make it 2-0. In the 88th minute, Stephen Ollivierie’s free kick was misjudged by Ambrose as the match ended 3-0. It was a cross by Ollivierie, but he did not care as he got his name on the score sheet.
On Thursday, a North zone Intercol doubleheader will be held at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. In the first match, East Mucurapo Secondary will play St Anthony’s College at 3.30 pm and in the second match, league champions Fatima College will tackle Queen’s Royal College at 5.30 pm.
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Royalians end Fatima’s Intercol reign to book spot in North final
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Substitute Mussaddiq Mohammed scored an 80th minute winner as Queen’s Royal College (QRC) created the biggest upset of the season, dumping reigning national Secondary Schools Football League Premier Division as well as North Zone and National Intercol champions Fatima College in a 2-1 in a come-from-behind performance in their zonal semifinal contest at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday.
With the win against the same opponents whom they suffered a 7-1 loss against during the Premier Division League season, QRC, coached by former national striker Kenwyne Jones, set up a zonal final against St Anthony’s College, whom Jones helped to back-to-back national title sweeps during his playing days in the early 1990s.
Fatima began the contest as favourites and almost took the lead in the 33rd minute, but striker Joshua Mason was denied by the left upright from an acute angle after he outran defender Isaiah Isaac down the left flank.
Two minutes later, Fatima eventually went ahead when an unmarked Aiden De Gannes was picked out by a short pass from Kade Collier just at the top of the penalty box, and with time and space he fired in on goal with the ball taking a deflection off the leg of defender Zakari King, to beat goalkeeper Jaheim Affan.
Six minutes into the second half, the Royalians drew level with a gem of a strike from Stephon James to stun the Fatima supporters while spurring his team and his own supporters to life.
James won an aerial battle with defender Yohance Artherton following a long aerial clearance from Tau Lamsee, before he gathered himself off the ground, and lashed home a left-footed effort past the desperate lunge of defender Micaiah Leach from about 25 yards which flew past goalkeeper Tristan Edwards, and into the top left-hand corner of the goal.
Mason came close again to getting on the mark for Fatima in the 69th minute, but just like his first-half effort, he saw his right-footed effort skim the far post after battling his way past Isaac on another marauding run, for yet another time on the night.
QRC’s Mohammed then sent his supporters into a frenzy when he latched onto a ball that Fatima’s Micaiah Leach poked away from Micah Nelson inside the 18-yard box, and without hesitation he curled a right-footer past the outstretched hands of a diving Edwards into the far corner.
The Royalians then withstood a barrage of late attacks by the Hutson Charles-coached Fatima to secure a memorable come-from-behind win and a place in the final against the ‘Westmooring Tigers’ on Thursday from 3.30 at the same venue.
Tigers outplay East Mucurapo
Earlier on in the day’s opener St Anthony’s dominated the early exchanges and wasted a chance to take the lead in the 14th minute when Jean-Marc Thomas intercepted a wayward back pass intended for goalkeeper Aaron Andrews, but with the East Mucurapo custodian out of his 18-yard box, Thomas guided his effort wide of the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.
The opening goal finally came for the ‘Westmooring Tigers three minutes before the interval when Andell Fraser unleashed a right-footed rocket into the roof of the East Mucurapo goal after Andrews came up big first time around for his team with a timely block on a first post effort by Theo Crovador.
It was soon 2-0 St Anthony’s via a penalty from Joshua Miller in the 44th minute after referee CJ O’Brien whistled for a foul on Aaron Edwards on Miller who was put through on goal by captain Aalon Wilson-Wright.
Fraser then had a chance to add another for St Anthony’s on the stroke of half-time but he failed to get off a shot inside before defender Jelani Cox made a timely block, after running onto a long clearance out of his own half by Wilson-Wright, but luckily for East Mucurapo the score remained 2-0.
On the resumption, East Mucurapo almost pulled a goal back in the 69th minute, but midfielder Clint Latchman, who surprisingly started on the bench, just failed to get onto the end of a left-sided cross from Al-Kalipha Henry, under pressure from defender Rundell Harewood at the far post.
Another chance came East Mucurapo’s way in the 78th minute when Zion Harley outjumped St Anthony’s Jeremy Bobb and connected powerfully with a header off the corner taken by Jadon Mc Shine, only to see his effort sail overbar from inside the six-yard box.
However, East Mucurapo was made to rue those two missed chances two minutes later, when the result was put beyond doubt by St Anthony’s.
The nippy Crovador raced down the right side of the 18-yard box and managed to get in a tame across ahead of defender Khufu Muhammed, which was met on the first post by substitute Mordecai Ford whose one-time effort beat Andrews on his first post for a 3-0 score line, and a spot in the final against the Royalians, where they will be seeking to avenge a 1-0 Premier Division loss.
Today, the South Zone will hold centre stage with dethroned league champions and last year’s losing Intercol finalist St Benedict’s College facing Premier Division relegated outfit Pleasantville Secondary in the first semifinal at Mahaica Sporting Complex, from 3 pm while Presentation of San Fernando tackles Naparima College in the second match from 5.15 pm.
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A boom alack a boom alack.
who are we ?
We are the Boys from QRC!!!!!!!!!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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QRC coach Kenwyne Jones: I believed in my team
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
HEAD coach of Queen's Royal College (QRC) Kenwyne Jones knew his players had the ability after his players pulled off an upset win over defending Intercol champions and this year's Secondary Schools Football League champions Fatima College on Thursday.
QRC went into the Coca-Cola North zone Intercol semi-final match as underdogs, but delivered a quality performance to emerge with a stunning 2-1 victory at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
The scenes were jubilant as the QRC students, still in uniform at 7.30 pm, celebrated with the players by clapping and singing.
When QRC and Fatima met during the league campaign, the latter won convincingly 7-1. Fatima were hoping to complete the double this season after winning the 16-team premier division league title a few weeks ago. QRC finished 11th in the standings.
Jones told Newsday he saw the improvement in his team after ending the league competition with a 2-2 draw against Speyside Secondary and a 2-0 win over Arima North Secondary.
"Those are the type of performances I have been asking for all season," he said after the victory over Fatima. "Unfortunately, with all the different factors that come in, you tend to get inconsistency with the youth, but we have been on a nice run, and I think we had the hardest run to get to the North final. If you want to be champions and you want to get over that hurdle, you going to have to take the hard route."
Before playing Fatima, QRC edged Malick Secondary 2-1 in the North zone quarter-finals. QRC will battle St Anthony's College in the North zone Intercol final on Thursday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The Tigers of St Anthony's won their semi-final match 3-0 over East Mucurapo, which was also contested on Thursday.
Jones said he always believed in his players, but they are now starting to show their quality.
"I have always had (belief), regardless of how the season went so far. I have always had 100 per cent belief, because the team has the ability to be at the top.
"What I try to drill into them is that focus and that consistency in going out every day at training and the games when you play. You can't afford to bring it on when you feel like. The better teams and the players that are consistently good, is because they bring that consistency every day."
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Classic rivalry: St Benedict’s, Pres to battle for South Zone InterCol title
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express)
St Benedict’s College will meet Presentation College in the Coca-Cola South Zone InterCol final after both teams were successful in their respective semi-finals at Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin, yesterday.
St Benedict’s secured their passage to the final with Daniel Jones scoring a hat-trick in an lopsided 5-0 victory over Pleasantville Secondary in the first game of the double header.
Jones scored in the 26th, 67th and 72nd minutes while Jaden Grant and Malachi Webb were also on target for the defending South Zone champions over their overmatched rivals.
The second game was a tight contest which saw both teams play to a 0-0 stalemate after 90 minutes with Presentation subsequently coming out on top 5-4 on kicks from the penalty spot over Naparima College.
Naparima custodian Tyrece Romain came up with some big saves during the game, denying Adah Barclay and Vaughn Clement at every turn while Kanye Lazarus also came up with a few big saves in regulation time as the game went down to decisive kicks with ‘Pres’ holding their nerve to secure a rematch against St Benedict’s in a classic South Zone rivalry.
In the first game yesterday, St Benedict’s, who were runners up to Fatima College in last year’s National InterCol final, capitalised on an early error after Pleasantville goalkeeper Khylon Clarke picked up a back pass just inside the area to gift the opposition an indirect free kick.
Webb, who forced the error, made sure the chance counted, hammering the shot into the Pleasantville goal to put his side 1-0 up in the second minute.
The “Lions of La Romaine” continued to pressure their opponents and doubled their lead in the 14th minute with Jeremiah Niles dissecting two defenders to find an open Grant, who made no mistake with his finish.
St Benedict’s continued to dominate possession with Jones hitting a close-range shot past Clarke to make it 3-0 in the 26th minute. In the second half, Jones slipped past two defenders down and beat Clarke at the near post to extend their advantage to 4-0 in the 67th minute.
Five minutes later, Jones was brought down at the top of the penalty box and he stepped up again, sending a low strike past a diving Clarke to complete his hat-trick and send his team to the South Zone final.
Yesterday’s InterCol scores:
South Zone
St Benedict’s College 5 (Malachi Webb 2nd, Jaden Grant 14th, Daniel Jones 26th, 67th, 72nd) vs Pleasantville Secondary 0
Presentation College 0 vs Naparima College 0 (Pres won 5-4 on PKs)
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St Benedict’s, Pres reach South final again.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Daniel Jones netted a hat-trick to lead last year’s beaten finalist, St Benedict’s College to a comprehensive 5-0 defeat of Pleasantville Secondary in their Secondary Schools Football League Boys Coca-Cola South Zone semifinal at the Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin on Friday.
Jones got his items in the 25th, 67th, and 71st minute after teammates Malachi Webb and Jaden Grant got the first two goals in the second, and 14th minute respectively.
The match was barely a minute old when Webb scored from an indirect free-kick less than four yards out from goal after referee Kerwin Colley whistled for an intended back pass by defender Jahiem Phillip to goalkeeper Khylon Clarke.
Ten minutes later Grant doubled the lead for last year’s Premier Division champions St Benedict’s when poked a right-footed effort under Clarke after being fed a clever pass by Jeremiah Niles.
Pleasantville managed to stem the flow of the goals through some spirited defending and timely interventions from Clarke until the 25th minute when Jones, who was eventually named the man-of-the-match got his first, eluding Phillip on the left side of the six-yard box before firing past Clark on his near post to cap an efficient first-half display.
On the resumption, St Benedict’s took a while to get going, but when they did it was Jones again, with another solo effort down the left flank past three Pleasantville challenge after winning the ball to beat Clarke for a 4-0 lead in the 67th.
Four minutes later completed his hat trick when he curled a left-footed free-kick around a four-man wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net with Clarke beaten to storm into the zonal final against Presentation College in a repeat of last year’s decider, which will be played at the same venue on Friday, November 24 from 4.15 pm.
This after a decision by the SSFL Executive Committee was made at an emergency meeting to move the final from the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Thursday, November 23 as part of a doubleheader with the North Zone final which will feature, St Anthony’s College, and Queen’s Royal College.
Pres edges Naps
5-4 on penalties
In yesterday’s second semifinal Presentation College got the better of Naparima College 5-4 on penalty kicks after a 0-0 score at the end of regulation time.
Presentation dominated the proceedings and had the first attempt of substance off a shortly worked free-kick from Elliot to Cody Cooper in the 22nd minute.
However, Cooper’s fierce right-footed swerving attempt was brilliantly parried away by Naparima custodian Tyrece Romain who dived to his left to keep the match scoreless.
On the stroke of half-time Romain was called into action again to keep out Presentation from going in 1-0 at the interval when he raced off his line to deny Vaughn Clement with a point-blank save after the latter had run onto a clearance from Cooper that took a wicked bounced to beat two Naparima defenders at the top of the 18-yard box.
The second half began in the same way as the first half ended with Romain being the difference between a scoreless encounter and Presentation College being ahead.
First, he flung his body to his right to deny Adah Barclay’s left-footed attempt which was destined for the top left corner of the goal in the 53rd.
And from the resulting corner, the ball dropped and took a nice bounce for Clement but his one-time header was blocked out by the Naparima goalkeeper at full stretch.
In the 77th minute, it was the turn of defender Josiah Cooper to come to the rescue of a subdued Naparima outfit when he lunged bravely at the feet of Barclay’s right-footed effort from about seven yards out to deflect the effort over the bar.
From the corner, Romain was also alert to the danger of keeping the ball from sneaking in at the first post as the game played out to a dogged draw.
In the shoot-out, Romain could not repeat his heroics with Presentation’s Clement, Levi Jones, Maliq Brathwaite, Chaz Forde, and Duhrell Young all scoring while Kanye Francis was the guilty culprit for Naparima, missing their fourth attempt.
The quartet of captain Terrell Rajoon, Josiah Cooper, Jarron Pascall, and Jkwon Bailey scored their attempt for Naparima who were also beaten at the semifinal stage last year, by the same opponents, 1-0 while their lone meeting this season in the Premier Division ended goalless.
Yesterday’s Results
South Zone:
St Benedict’s College 5 (Daniel Jones 25th, 67th, 71st, Malachi Webb 2nd, Jaden Grant 14th) vs Pleasantville Sec 0
Naparima College 0 vs Presentation College 0 - Presentation College won 5-4 on penalty-kicks
Today’s matches
Tobago Zone semifinal
Bishop’s High vs Signal Hill Sec @ Black Rock Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
Zonal Finals
Monday, November 20
Central Zone:
Chaguanas North Sec vs Miracle Ministries SEc @ Edinburgh 500 Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm
Tuesday, November 21
East Zone:
San Juan North Sec vs Arima North Sec @ Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 3.30 pm
Wednesday, November 22
Tobago Zone:
Speyside High vs Bishop’s High/Signal Hill winner @ Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, 3.30 pm
Thursday, November 23
North Zone:
St Anthony’s College vs Queen’s Royal College @ Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 4.15 pm
Friday, November 24:
St Benedict’s College vs Naparima College/Presentation College @ Mahaica Sporting Complex, Pt Fortin .4.15 pm
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Five Rivers, San Juan in Girls Intercol East final.
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday).
Five Rivers Secondary will meet San Juan North Secondary in the Coca-Cola Girls Intercol East Zone football final on November 26 at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima.
On Sunday, at the same stadium, Five Rivers eliminated El Dorado East Secondary 3-0 in the semifinals. Goals by Janella Walcott (44th), Luann Craig (70th) and Jada Herbert (75th) helped Five Rivers take care of business.
San Juan North had a tougher assignment but still prevailed 1-0 over Bishop Anstey East courtesy a 53rd minute strike from Mariah Villaruel.
In the Intercol north semis, St Joseph's Convent demolished Bishop Anstey High School 9-0 on Sunday. Also, Diego Martin Central defeated Holy Name Convent 2-0.
In Central Zone semis, Miracle Ministries drubbed Carapichaima East 5-0 and Holy Faith Convent whipped Carapichaima West 3-0.
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St Benedict’s, Fatima move to U-16 Trinidad final.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Fatima College Under-16 football team made a giant step toward following in the footsteps of their seniors on Saturday by sealing a place into the Trinidad Leg of the tournament final.
Playing in the National under-16 semifinals at home, the Mucurapo Road lads hammered their counterparts from Arima North Secondary 5-0 for the right face St Benedict’s College in the Trinidad final on November 25 at Fatima Ground.
On Saturday, the Fatima boys were unstoppable with goals coming from Jonathan Mason, Cadon Trestrail, Tom Decle, Jedaiah King, and Jahaem Bailey.
The win ensured that Fatima continued their unbeaten run for the season, while Arima North had now lost for the first time all season.
Also on Saturday, Southerners St Benedict’s College booked a place in the Trinidad final by demolishing Chaguanas North Secondary 7-2 at the Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground in Chaguanas.
The winner of the Trinidad zone will take on the winner of Tobago at a date to be determined.
In Tobago, both Speyside High and Signal Hill are level on 12 points each after four matches.
Both teams will square off on November 24 to decide the winner of the Tobago zone that will face the winner from the Trinidad leg of the competition.
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In a penalty marathon this afternoon East Intercol final, Arima North beat San Juan North, 15-14. Both teams have some pretty good penalty kickers.
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Chaguanas North snatch Central Intercol crown.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
AN early second-half strike helped Chaguanas North Secondary beat Miracle Ministries 1-0 to lift the Coca-Cola Central Zone Intercol title on Monday at the Edinburgh 500 Grounds, Chaguanas.
The victory gave Chaguanas North fans something to celebrate after a challenging season in the Secondary Schools Football League premiership division. Chaguanas North conceded over 60 goals and were among the three teams relegated to the SSFL championship division.
However, they have looked to make amends in the Intercol and end the 2023 season on a high.
Nekayse Moore's goal in the 55th minute seemed like a cross from the left side, but it lobbed goalkeeper Kieron Guy.
After an even contest in the first 20 minutes, Chaguanas North started to create more chances especially from corner kicks.
Moore was one of his team's most dangerous players throughout. He showed his dribbling ability and on one occasion could have won a penalty but the referee thought it was a clean tackle.
Kyle Holder showed his potential for Miracle, but seemed frustrated all afternoon with less quality players around him.
After Moore gave Chaguanas the lead, Miracle went in search of the equaliser.
Jabari Rodriguez tried his best in the closing minutes, but it was not Miracle's day. Chaguanas goalkeeper Necose Moore pulled off a point-blank save in the closing minutes to preserve his team's 1-0 advantage.
On Tuesday, the East zone final between San Juan North Secondary and Arima North will be played at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima at 3.30 pm.
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Arima North crowned East Zone Intercol champions.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
It took 32 kicks from the penalty spot to crown this year’s Coca-Cola East Zone Intercol champions as Arima North edged San Juan North Secondary 15-14 to lift the coveted title.
Both teams played to a 0-0 result at the end of regulation time and had to take 16 shots each from the penalty spot, to derive a winner.
In the end, a title-winning save from Arima North goalkeeper Isaiah Diaz kept San Juan North’s kicker Kent Guy from forcing another round of kicks. His timely save gave the home team a nervy but well-deserved victory over the defending champions.
This was Arima North’s second East Zone Intercol title.
Both school teams had a tough time trying to break the deadlock in the opening half, and heavy showers in the second posed additional challenges for the players along the slippery Larry Gomes Stadium surface in Arima.
Despite San Juan North being favourites, and dominating the opening minutes courtesy Lindell Sween and E. Rogers, Arima showed fight and also threatened on the counter.
Goalkeepers Diaz and Xavion Haynes might have kept the ball out of their nets for 90 minutes, but they were both kept busy throughout, as both teams chased the opening goal.
For Arima, strikers Tyrell Stapleton and winger Jeremy Ashing kept pressing the former champions.
After the first 30 minutes, the heavens opened as both defensive backlines tried to close out attacks.
Into the second period, the Arima and San Juan squads cancelled each other out, and despite them trying to counter on each play, both keepers stood firm, while the soggy outfield also forced unwanted errors.
Arima’s Darion Marfan had a good chance for Arima in the dying minutes but he scuppered his opportunity. Similarly, San Juan’s Sween could have bagged the winner in the 91st but he also faltered in front goal.
With the match heading to penalty kicks, both teams scored their first ten shots and then missed their first sudden death kicks. They shot nine more times each, scoring all. Ashing then scored again to make it 15-14, before Guy’s shot was saved by Diaz, to hand Arima the trophy.
Zonal Intercol finals continue on Wednesday with Speyside High up against Signal Hill Secondary at Dwight Yorke Stadium in Tobago, from 5.15pm.
On Thursday, the North Zone final kicks off with St Anthony’s College versus Queen’s Royal College at Hasely Crawford Stadium from 4.15pm. And on Saturday, at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, Presentation College meet zonal rivals St Benedict’s College in the South final, from 4.15pm.
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Scarborough, Speyside lift Tobago's intercol titles with 1-0 wins
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Scarborough Secondary and Speyside Secondary were crowned champions of their respective girls' and boys' Coca-Cola Tobago intercol tournaments on Wednesday, with both teams getting 1-0 wins in their finals at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
In the girls' final, Scarborough, the reigning Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Big 5 champions, turned back Signal Hill Secondary in the first game of the doubleheader. Signal Hill won the girls' national Intercol last year as they defeated Five Rivers Secondary in the final. Scarborough ensured there would be no repeat for the girls from Signal Hill though, as a 57th item by Makaylah Robley secured the title for the former team.
Scarborough will have their eyes on two national titles this year, as they will also contest the Big 5 final against Five Rivers. The arrangements for the Big 5 final are still to be determined by the SSFL.
In the boys' Intercol finale between Speyside and Bishop’s High School, a stop-start and scrappy encounter was settled by a fortuitous goal for Speyside in the 12th minute, owing to a goalkeeping blunder by Kristeon McEachnie. The lone goal in the game came from the boot of flanker Shyon George, whose 25-yard, right-footed shot trickled through McEachnie's legs and into the net. Such was the elation from the Speyside team, one of George's teammates ran towards the covered stands and took a flag from a spectator and waved it wildly as he ran along the track before celebrating with his team.
The second half of the encounter was not quite as exciting, as both teams struggled to put together consistent passes or spells of sustained pressure. Referee CJ O'Brien was arguably the busiest man in the second half, as he constantly motioned for the physios to come onto the field as several players from both teams suffered with cramps — bringing the game to an almost pedestrian pace in the latter stages.
By the time a whopping 12 minutes of stoppage time elapsed, the boys from Tobago's countryside, Speyside, were crowned as the island's Intercol champions. Speyside now advance to the national intercol semi-finals on December 1.
The North zone intercol final between Queen's Royal College and St Anthony's College will be played at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Thursday from 4.15 pm. Arima North Secondary (East zone) and Chaguanas North Secondary (Central zone) have lifted the other boys' zonal Intercol titles on offer thus far. In the national Intercol semi-finals, Speyside will play either Chaguanas North or the winners of the North zone.
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Who betting against QRC ;D Today?
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St. Anthony's Prevail: Beat QRC on penalties, win North InterCol title
T&T Express
St Anthony’s College coach Ronald Daniel made a goalkeeper switch at the end of regulation that propelled the Tigers to the title, when the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Coca-Cola InterCol North Zone final concluded at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last evening.
Josiah Morris replaced the unsteady Germany Jackson and made two crucial saves in the penalty shootout to earn the Westmoorings outfit a 4-3 victory over Queen’s Royal College on spot kicks after both sides were level 0-0 after regulation time.
Morris saved QRC’s first kick, taken by Aydon Caruth and Zion Aberdeen, QRC’s fifth kicker did not get a chance to kick, as the Tigers were flawless from the spot.
The contest should not have gotten that far.
But for the heroics of QRC goalkeeper Jaheim Affan—he made six crucial saves in the second half and nine overall—QRC would have been swamped by the more attack-minded and threatening St Anthony’s side.
Acrobatic and quick reflexive action from Affan was the feature of the second half when he denied Theo Crovador in the 52nd from close range from an Andell Fraser square pass in the 52nd.
St Anthony’s Joshua Miller couldn’t pass him a few minutes later either, and when Russel Francois took his penalty after an infringement on Jean-Marc Thomas in the 75th, Affan was good enough to parry a sturdy shot driven down the middle.
Affan made two more critical saves in the 82nd minute to deny Fraser in a one-on-one situation before diving back and to his right at full stretch to deny substitute Mordecai Ford’s low curling left-footer that seemed destined for the net in the 88th.
Earlier in the first half, the Tigers dominated because of the industry and insightful play in the middle and forward areas of the park by Wilson-Wright, Crovador, Miller and Fraser.
After Miller unsuccessfully went for the far post in the seventh minute, the Tigers would have been disappointed and would have rued not being in the ascendancy after the first half.
They dominated the statistics in shots (11 to two); shots on target (three to one); corners (six to three); saves forced (three to one); and possession (53 per cent to 47 per cent).
Fraser had the best opportunity of the period when he weaved through three defenders inside the QRC 18-yard area and had the goal at his mercy but hit directly to Affan in the QRC goal in the 18th minute. After several attacking surges through Miller, Fraser, Wilson-Wright and Crovador, Wilson-Wright found the back of the net in the 44th minute but was inches offside after a Miller slip-through.
The QRC strategy of playing long to their speedy forwards Michael Nelson and Stephon James did produce some threatening forays, including a James run down the right that Tau Lamsee headed overbars before Nelson out-ran the Tigers’ defence minutes later only for his final pass across to James to be placed slightly behind his Royalian team-mate.
Then coach Daniel made the miracle switch that engineered a deserved Tigers triumph in the shootout.
St Anthony’s will now go on to meet Chaguanas North Secondary in a national quarter-final at the Hasely Crawford on Tuesday.
Today, the South Zone final will be contested between St Benedict’s College and Presentation College San Fernando at Mahaica Oval from 5.15 p.m.
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Pres, Pleasantville win South Intercol crowns
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
Presentation College San Fernando dethroned St Benedict’s College to lift the 2023 Coca-Cola Intercol South Zone title courtesy a 1-0 victory at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin on Friday.
A 21st minute header from forward Adah Barclay was all it took to separate the south giants. Last year’s winners tried valiantly but could not find the equaliser over 97 minutes of play.
Before the goal, both teams hunted the opener but most of their shots went wide of the target. Presentation’s Duhrell Young came close, 17 minutes in, but his shot whizzed overbar to the relief of La Romaine Lions’ custodian Samuel Glasgow.
Four minutes later, Pres got their break as a cross from the right flank met Barclay’s head, who skilfully guided the ball into the St Benedict’s net. The goal breathed life into the Pres team as they ramped up their attack.
Barclay and winger Kaielle Elliott kept Benedict’s bust as they linked up well on the left side. Goalscorer Barclay had a good chance in the 24th after receiving a well-timed pass for Elliott, but the former hit straight into Glasgow’s hands. Pres’ confidence showed and they began to win the majority of loose balls.
In the remaining minutes of the first period, St Benedict’s Josiah Ochoa played in striker Jaden Grant, but he shot overbar. Pres closed the opening period with aggressive challenges on their opponents.
Into the second period, St Benedicts showed more fight, despite Pres still on the attack to increase the advantage. Grant played a neat through ball to a charging Malachi Webb on goal, but Pres custodian Kanye Lazarus raced out to make a brave save and stop a potentially certain goal.
St Benedict’s kept trying but were always kept out by an in-form Lazarus. As Pres surged for another, Webb kept their one-goal deficit as he made a desperate goal-line clearance in the 71st minute.
Ten minutes later, Grant latched on to a cross with a high foot to score past Lazarus, but was ejected seconds after for dangerous play on the goalkeeper. The Lions’ fans fumed.
After seven minutes of extra time, the referee blew off the game, to which Pres fans stormed the field in celebration, as St Benedict’s players dropped to the field in agony.
And in the earlier girls’ South Zone Intercol finals, Pleasantville Secondary whipped St Joseph’s Convent San Fernando 11-1 to lift the trophy. Nikita Gosine, Amanda Nanan, Tayeann Wylie and Nikita Gosine all scored twice for Pleasantville while Jada Shepherd, Giovanna Sherwood and Mikala Guerrero notched one each.
Scoring Convent’s lone item was Alexis-Raye Lalchan.
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East Intercol glory for Five Rivers.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
FIVE Rivers Secondary School held their nerve to win the Coca-Cola Girls East Zone Intercol title on penalties over San Juan North Secondary at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima on Monday. It was the fourth straight East Intercol crown for Five Rivers.
Five Rivers won the shootout 3-2 after the match ended 1-1. Luann Craig, Nicola Bain and captain Kiana Sandy scored for Five Rivers and finding the back of the net for San Juan were Afiya Jacob and Natalia Honore.
Speaking about the win, Five Rivers coach Desiree Sargeant said her team coped with the penalty shootout. "I think they managed it well. We know when it comes down to penalty kicks there are no winners in advance. It could be anybody's game....Our girls held their nerve really well."
Craig and Jada Herbert were the standout players for Five Rivers in attack. Sargeant said they asked the pair to step up in the second half. "When we spoke to them at half-time, we asked them to do a little more and I think with them going back out there with that mindset I think the team lifted their game, and here we are today."
Prior to the penalty shoot-out, it was a battle during the match with San Juan North taking the lead in the 26th minute through Shinika Lewis.
The half-time team talk worked for Five Rivers as they showed hunger to equalise. In the 48th minute, Mercedes Balthazar levelled the match. Herbert showed her speed running with the ball down the right flank, before her shot was blocked by a San Juan defender. Fortunately for Five Rivers, the ball fell to Balthazar who calmly placed the ball into the corner of the net giving goal-keeper Myeisha Cox no chance.
Both teams had their chances to take the lead, but it seemed to be Five Rivers days when Craig made a spectacular clearance off the goal-line to deny San Juan a goal at the death.
Five Rivers team manager Sylvester Sandiford said, "I am extremely proud of the girls. They fought for it. We started off a little slow, (but) we came back into the game. We tried to play San Juan's game and that threw us off a little bit. I am really proud of the ladies, especially taking this win in penalties."
Sandiford said San Juan are always a tough opponent. "They have always given us trouble in the league. We know today was not going to be a walkover."
Sandiford praised the effort of Five Rivers goal-keeper Kertisha Joseph during the penalty shootout.
In the Central Zone final on Monday, Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School defeated Holy Faith Convent 3-1 at Couva East Secondary School ground.
In the North final on Sunday, St Joseph's Convent Port of Spain added to their North championship title as they got a 3-1 victory over Diego Martin Central Secondary at St Mary's College grounds in St Clair.
St Joseph's Convent got their goals from Charlotte Hadeed and T&T youth player Kaitlyn Darwent, with the other item coming via an own goal from their Diego Martin opponents.
In the National Intercol quarter-finals on Wednesday, Five Rivers will play South Zone champions Pleasantville Secondary at Larry Gomes Stadium. The semi-finals will be contested on Sunday.
St Joseph's Convent Port of Spain, Scarborough Secondary and Miracle Ministries have already booked a spot in the semi-finals. (With reporting by Roneil Walcott).
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Fatima in the hunt for U-13, U-16 SSFL national titles.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Fatima College may have missed the chance to grab a double in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division and national intercol competitions this year, but two of their age group teams advanced to their respective national finals after narrow victories on Saturday.
In the Form 1 (under-13) category, the Fatima youngsters emerged as the winners of the Trinidad leg of the competition as they eked out a 1-0 win over Queen’s Royal College (QRC) at the former school’s ground in Mucurapo. Fatima’s lone item came in the latter stages of the 60-minute match, as Xavier Barrow scored from just inside the QRC half with a long-range effort that caught the “Royalians” goalie off guard. Perhaps, Fatima’s under-13s were exacting some revenge for the loss suffered by their senior team in the North zone intercol semi-finals on November 16.
Fatima will play the Tobago zone winner Signal Hill Secondary in the national under-13 final at the Mucurapo venue on December 2.
In Trinidad’s under-14 final on Monday, Naparima College stormed to the national final as they got a thumping 7-1 win away to Arima North Secondary. Naparima held a 3-1 lead at the half in the 70-minute match thanks to a brace by Donovan Drayton. Arima went down to ten players in the 55th minute after Kymani Huggins was booked twice within a four-minute span. The shorthanded Arima team crumbled under the pressure as they conceded four more times in the dying stages of the game, with Naparima’s Adasa Richardson bagging a hat-trick.
Naparima will play Signal Hill in the national under-14 final on December 6.
In the under-16 competition, Fatima once again showed their ability to grind out a result as they got a slender 1-0 win over St Benedict’s College in the Trinidad final. Similar to their win in the under-13 match, Fatima left it late on their school ground as Jediah King scored the winning goal in the dying embers of the 80-minute contest. Fatima’s under-16 team includes premier division players such as Kade Collier, Tom Decle, Jonathan Mason and Caden Trestrail, the youngster whose last-ditch header clinched Fatima’s first title in the premier division era last month.
Fatima will meet Tobago winners Speyside Secondary in the national under-16 final in Tobago on December 4. Speyside won all five of their matches in league play in the Tobago zone – scoring 21 goals and conceding just one in the process.
With a senior national double now out of reach in 2023, Fatima will turn their attention to a potential double scalp in the national under-13 and under-16 competitions
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All St. Anthony's: ‘Westmoorings Tigers’ maul Chaguanas North Sec in InterCol quarter-final
T&T Express
One-way traffic. The first half of yesterday’s Coca-Cola InterCol quarter-final was as one-sided as they come.
North champions St Anthony’s College advanced to the national semi-finals—along with Tobago’s Speyside Secondary—following a facile 5-1 romp over Chaguanas North Secondary, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Relegated from the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys Premier Division this season, Chaguanas North still managed to be crowned Zonal champions of an evidently weak Central division. And they proved no match for the “Westmoorings Tigers.”
Having won the North Zone final, via decisive kicks from the penalty mark against Queen’s Royal College, St Anthony’s smelt blood squaring off against Chaguanas North and were up by four goals at the halfway stage, having missed many more chances as well.
The rout began with Chaguanas goalkeeper Necose Moore spilling a cross, at the feet of Theo Cravador, who forced it in. St Anthony’s captain Aalon Wilson-Wright served the ball across the goal and Cravador stroked a well-placed shot to the corner for his second to double their advantage. And it became 3-0 when Mychiah Haywood’s shot was parried by goalkeeper Moore, only for Jean-Marc Thomas to force the deflected save in from close up. And from the penalty spot, Andell Fraser put in a fourth.
Chaguanas North mounted a short-lived rally 10 minutes into the second half, when defender Lee-Vann David squeezed the ball in from close up, following a well-taken set-play, which saw Negatse Moore put in a low cross from wide.
But St Anthony’s soon added another item, rather fortuitously, as Thomas’ header onto Cravador’s corner-kick twice hit the woodwork and did not appear to have crossed the goal-line.
Regardless, the goal was given, and then it was a return to businesses as usual, meaning St Anthony’s continued to miss quite a few more chances, despite overall improvement from Chaguanas North.
From 25 shots, St Anthony’s netted five times, a 20 per cent conversion rate, which was lower than that of Chaguanas North, who had 25 per cent conversion rate, with one goal from four shots. “I’m not concerned,” stated St Anthony’s coach Roland “Hustler” Daniel, who was contented his team had played with confidence. “What is happening is that we are creating the chances, so that is important,” he deduced.
Chaguanas North coach Anson Raymond did not offer much excuses, but explained that the plan to limit St Anthony’s in the first half did not work out. He hopes to do better next season. “To be honest this is the first time these boys reached to this level,” noted Raymond, adding, “There was a lot of jitters coming into this game.”
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St Anthony's hit Chag North a handful in Intercol quarters.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Coca-Cola North Zone Intercol champions St Anthony’s College advanced to the semi-final of the 2023 National Intercol competition with a comprehensive 5-1 drubbing of Chaguanas North Secondary in their quarter-final matchup at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Tuesday.
The Westmoorings Tigers were in cruise control for duration of the contest, with the trio of midfielder Theo Crovador, Jean-Marc Thomas and captain Aalon Wilson-Wright running rings around their opponents. Crovador and Thomas scored braces, with Wilson-Wright skilfully and seamlessly pulling the strings for St Anthony’s in the middle of the park as they sauntered their way to a national semi-final showdown with Tobago champions Speyside Secondary on Friday.
From as early as the seventh minute, the relegated Chaguanas team were overmatched, with goalkeeper Necose Moore feeling the brunt of the pressure between the sticks. Bustling St Anthony’s midfielder Amari Dunbar fired the first shot in anger with a booming right-footer from distance, while Crovador was stopped from point-blank range on two occasions inside the first 11 minutes. Moore seemed to be in an inspired mode for Chaguanas, but his resistance did not last for long.
The tricky Crovador eventually broke the deadlock with a scrappy close-range effort following a dreadful spill by Moore in the 15th minute, and the floodgates opened thereafter as St Anthony’s ran up a 4-0 scoreline by halftime.
Crovador grabbed his brace with a sweet first-time effort after a beautiful display of skill down the left by Wilson-Wright in the 22nd minute, while both Thomas and Fraser also got on the scoresheet before the break.
The Chaguanas team did show some fight in the contest, and it often came from lanky lone striker Negaste Moore, Necose's elder brother. Negaste operated like a one-man army for Chaguanas for most of the encounter, and he twice forced St Anthony’s goalie Josiah Morris into fine saves with crisp long-range efforts.
Morris, who came of the substitutes' bench to dramatically make two saves in St Anthony’s penalty shootout victory over Queen's Royal College in the North Intercol final, showed Negaste he was up to the task.
Negaste's off-the-ball running and sharp movement was admirable given his team's predicament, and it was his instinctive play which created Chaguanas' lone goal in the game.
Early in the second half, Negaste won a free kick outside the area after a lovely solo run from deep. His team then conjured a neat set-piece goal in the 55th minute, as the diminutive Zaiden James tapped in at the far post after Justin Lewis initiated a short free kick which caught the St Anthony’s defence sleeping.
Chaguanas' joy was short-lived though, as Thomas glanced a header off the bar and over the goal line — according to the assistant referee — after meeting a right-side corner in the 58th minute.
St Anthony’s took their feet off the pedal after notching their fifth item, with a flurry of substitutions being made by coach Ronald Daniel. Still, both Crovador and Thomas had their chances to grab their hat-trick goals and walk away with the match ball.
In the 78th minute, time seemed to stand still for Crovador, as he took his time to drag a right-footed effort well wide of Necose's goal after being found at the end of a rapid counter-attack. In stoppage-time, Thomas also managed to fluff his lines when scoring seemed simpler, as he curled a right-footed shot well over the bat after cutting inside Chaguanas defender Lee-Vann David.
In the end, St Anthony’s were not able to replicate their 10-1 drubbing of the Chaguanas team from their premier division meeting on September 27, but they would hope they still have goals left in their tank for the semi-final meeting at the Mucurapo venue.
A victorious showing versus the Tobago champions will see St Anthony’s advancing to the national intercol final where they will meet either Arima North Secondary or Presentation College (San Fernando).
Arima North, the East champions, and Presentation, South champions, will meet in the first semi-final from 4.15 pm at the Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin on Thursday.
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Protests push SSFL boys' Big 5 playoffs into January.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
The Big 5 playoffs for the boys' Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) championship division will be played in January 2024, said league president Merere Gonzales on Tuesday.
Gonzales made the announcement during the Coca-Cola national intercol quarter-final between St Anthony's College and Chaguanas North Secondary at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
The Big 5 tournament was originally scheduled to begin on October 20, with the five zonal championship division winners set to battle for three promotion spots for next year's premier division season. The five zonal winners were Blanchisseuse Secondary (North zone), Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School (Central zone), Moruga Secondary (South zone), Signal Hill Secondary (Tobago zone) and St Augustine Secondary (East zone). Newsday understands protests were lodged against three of the aforementioned schools – Blanchisseuse, Miracle Ministries and Moruga.
SSFL South zone chairman and the league's disciplinary committee head, Essiel Seecharan, confirmed the protests and said the SSFL will make a decision after the conclusion of the intercol competition. The finals of the boys and girls' intercol tournaments are scheduled for December 7.
Seecharan said the protests against the three championship division winners were filed after the final round of action in the SSFL's second tier in October.
"The (protests) were made so late, if we had to deal with them then it would have pushed back the intercol tournament. The Big 5 is a separate tournament in itself because it determines who goes up for promotion and demotion. We felt it was wise – based on how these protests came in – to just complete the intercol," Seecharan told Newsday.
"We are at the end of the academic term and most schools are in that period where exams are being (held) and that kinda thing. That was part and parcel why the Big 5 playoffs have moved to January.
"We will be going into Christmas as well. We will have a little break and then we will tie that all together so we can run the Big 5 as smoothly and efficiently as possible."
Seecharan said the disciplinary committee "discussed the protests, but we have not met yet to deal with those matters."
The disciplinary committee chairman did not disclose the nature of the protests.
"Personally, I am one who tends to be very cautious in terms of how I deal with these situations, because they can definitely make or break a school if you rush to make decisions or comments.
"At the end of the day, when we sit down with the evidence we will be able to determine whether (the schools) did anything wrong or not."
Miracle Ministries manager Shennel Charles said she was aware of the protest against the school. Charles said Miracle Ministries' issue was one of " player registration" timeliness, as the school submitted their squad's registration for the 2023 season on the day of the deadline – September 12.
However, Charles indicated Miracle Ministries' registration was submitted after the specified deadline time, owing to "connectivity issues" at the school. Miracle Ministries' first game of the championship season was played from 3.40 pm on September 15 against Presentation College (Chaguanas).
Per the SSFL's constitution, "the registration of a player with the league must be made in writing at least 72 hours before the start of the game in which that player is to take part. This registration must be made with the general secretary or zone secretary."
Failure to adhere to this rule can lead to the "loss of points for all matches in which the offending player(s) appeared. These points shall be awarded to the opposing team(s)."
Miracle Ministries won nine of their ten championship division matches and finished two points clear of the second-placed team Carapichaima East Secondary (25 points).
Blanchisseuse manager Hashim Johnson said he heard "murmurs" of a protest against his team, but he did not receive any official correspondence. He said Blanchisseuse were eagerly awaiting the start of the Big 5 playoffs. Blanchisseuse clinched the North zone championship in dramatic fashion, as they edged Trinity College Moka (25 points) by a solitary point.
Moruga finished with a perfect record – 30 points – in the South championship, beating Ste Madeleine Secondary (24 points) into second spot.
Moruga manager Andy Joseph did not answer calls to his cellphone up to press time.
The girls' Big 5 final between Scarborough Secondary and Five Rivers Secondary, which was scheduled for today in Tobago, has been postponed yet again. The postponement is as a result of Five Rivers' involvement in the national intercol tournament, which saw them playing Pleasantville Secondary in the quarter-final yesterday. The league is still to determine a new date for the girls' Big 5 final.
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Gosine fires Pleasantville to girls intercol semis
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Pleasantville Secondary advanced to the semi-finals of the 2023 Coca-Cola girls' national intercol competition with a slender 1-0 win over East zone champions Five Rivers Secondary at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar in their quarter-final on Wednesday.
The Pleasantville team, which is spearheaded by the coaching trio of Joel Maloney, Kyle Small and calypsonian Brian London, will now play Tobago champions Scarborough Secondary in the semi-final on Sunday. Scarborough are blessed with the attacking pair of J'Eleisha Alexander and Talia Martin, both of whom have been named in coach Richard Hood's provisional squad for the TT women's team's Concacaf Gold Cup qualifier versus Mexico on December 5.
Pleasantville also have star quality within their ranks in the form of national youth player Nikita Gosine. The talented 13-year-old Gosine was in a class of her own in the quarter-final, and it was her 20th minute goal which settled the contest.
In a scrappy second half, Gosine threatened on several occasions to extend Pleasantville's advantage in the game with her persistent long-range shooting. On the hour mark, Gosine saw an ambitious free kick from 35-plus yards just deflected wide by a Five Rivers defender.
Gosine's skill and close control also had a small posse of Pleasantville fans, which included her parents, jumping out of their seats. Gosine was intent on putting on a show, and she showed opposing right back Ahmeeda Bowman her slick dancing feet on more than occasion in the second half. Pleasantville dictated most of the play, with Gosine absolutely bossing proceedings as she took on any Five Rivers player brave enough to try stopping her.
Even with Gosine's dominance, Five Rivers had a glorious chance to draw level in the 68th minute, but defender Mikalah Guerero made a brilliant retreating block to stop a goalward prod by attacker Lu Ann Craig. Eight minutes later, in the last piece of notable action, Pleasantville goalkeeper Janike Ramoutar sped off her line quickly to stop a slick through pass intended for Janella Walcott.
In the end, Five Rivers' efforts did not yield any rewards as Pleasantville set up a rematch of their Big 5 semis with Scarborough. This time around, the Pleasantville team will hope Gosine and company can deliver a knockout punch to the Tobago champions.
Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School will play St Joseph's Convent (PoS) in Sunday's other semi-final.
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Pres 'Lions' roar into Intercol finals after 1-0 win vs Arima
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
PRESENTATION College San Fernando advanced to Thursday’s Coca-Cola National Intercol final after they salvaged a last-minute 1-0 winner against Arima North Secondary at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin on Thursday.
Both teams found it hard to break the deadlock over 90 minutes, and a goal-front scrimmage in the dying seconds of regulation time saw Pres winger Kaielle Elliott seal the deal.
With just time added on to go in the second half, Presentation’s Cody Cooper lofted a long, high free-kick into the box.
The ball fell dangerously close in front of the Arima goal and somehow Elliott, who was crowded by defenders, got a slight touch goalward, and the ball fell into the arms of goalkeeper Isaiah Diaz.
However, the scrimmage was so close to the goal-line, that when Diaz held on to the ball, he landed over the line, and into his own net.
At that moment, Presentation supporters in the stands had an uncertain celebration until the referee blew his whistle to confirm that the goal stood.
The Arima custodian argued with the referee that he had been nudged into the net by a charging Presentation player.
Despite his, and some of the Arima defenders' attempts to reverse the referee’s decision, the goal was awarded to the south zone Intercol champions.
The travelling Arima fans fumed while the Pres Lions roared in celebration. Two minutes later, the final whistle sounded to hand Pres another shot at the coveted title.
In the opening period, Pres dominated possession but lacked the final pass and shot on goal. When Arima got the ball, they tried to get it forward but like their opponents, fell short in the final third.
Shots came in from Elliott and Pres number ten Vaughn Clement but neither could find the target.
Arima’s Jemaul Ashing was moved twice from left to right in the match, and his first switch gave the east zone winners their first real chance. However, Ashing could only place it straight to Pres custodian Kanye Lazarus.
A neat cross in from Pres’ Micah Brathwaite skidded off a charging Nkosi Foncette’s head, who was in front goal, and also shifted the ball’s trajectory away from Clement, who also lay in wait.
Into the second half, Pres continued to dominate the early minutes but Arima’s half time talk seemed to have boosted their confidence going forward.
Ashing and fellow frontmen Tyrell Stapleton and Mark Thomas connected better this time around, but still could not find a decisive shot on goal.
Presentations’ Adah Barclay threatened on the right wing but Arima North’s backline of Akil Henry, Ability Hazel and Stephen Ollivierie stood firm.
Later on, Arima goalie Diaz misjudged an incoming free kick and lost the ball, but breathed a sigh of relief as his defenders came to rescue.
A visibly burnt-out Stapleton was replaced by Zion Metivier in the final quarter of the match after he was injured.
Metivier also brought some life to the Arima attack but their few and far between efforts, went to no avail.
As the game wound down in the dying minutes and Pres awarded a free kick from distance, Cooper launched a long-range ball in, and somehow Elliott got a touch on to send Isaiah into his own net, with ball in hand.
Presentation play the winner of tomorrow’s second semi-final between St Anthony’s College and Speyside Secondary at Hasely Crawford Stadium. This match kicks off from 4.15pm.
At the end of the match, however, two rival fans got into a heated argument with each other. Team staff from each school tried to usher their players away from the spat and when the police intervened, the scene quickly calmed. The argument was between two adult males.
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St Anthony's edge rugged Speyside in Intercol semis
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
North zone intercol champions St Anthony’s College advanced to the final of the Coca-Cola boys' national intercol tournament following a hard-earned 1-0 win over Tobago champions Speyside Secondary in Friday's semi-final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
The "Westmoorings Tigers" will now meet the "Pres Lions" of Presentation College (San Fernando) in Thursday's final at the Mucurapo venue.
St Anthony’s strolled to a comfortable 5-1 victory in their quarter-final match against the Central zone champions Chaguanas North Secondary. However, the Tobago champions proved to be a more difficult opposition to break down as they frustrated the home team and their supporters for most of the contest before a defining touch by St Anthony’s forward Jean-Marc Thomas settled the affair in the 79th minute.
Tigers dominated the majority of the contest against the dogged and resolute Speyside outfit, and their persistence finally paid off. Thomas reacted first to slap past Speyside goalie Makaya Taylor after the custodian had brilliantly stopped an effort by substitute Joshua Miller.
The goal was a cruel one for Speyside to concede, but it was nothing more than St Anthony’s deserved based on the balance of play.
St Anthony’s dictated proceedings and created most of the clear-cut chances, with the visiting Speyside team opting to play on the counter-attack with their robust midfield and attacking players. The Tigers relentlessly hunted the opening item, but the combination of poor finishing, last-ditch blocks and fine goalkeeping by Taylor initially tamed their wrath.
Thomas brought a smart save out of Taylor in the 42nd minute with a low right-footed drive. St Anthony’s made a habit of firing wide or high of Taylor's goal though, as attackers Theo Crovador, Mordecai Ford and Andell Fraser were all guilty.
Silky St Anthony’s midfielder Aalon Wilson-Wright was unlucky not to have opened the scoring in the 48th minute, when he kissed a precise right-footed volley off Taylor's bar after a meeting a cross from feisty defender Daniel Rose. As the second half wore on, it seemed as though Speyside would be able to take the game to the dreaded penalty shootout.
In the 77th minute, Taylor hugged and congratulated his defenders after Thomas was denied by a saving tackle from point-blank range following a neat exchange in the box between Fraser and Wilson-Wright.
Two minutes later, Taylor was left picking the ball out of his net though, as Thomas controlled and fired a rebound past the Speyside custodian after the shot-stopper kept out a meaty drive by Miller.
The St Anthony’s supporters erupted with cheers, and they could have had even more to celebrate with sharper finishing by the Tigers. Still, they were content with booking their spot in the national intercol final.
In the first minute of stoppage-time, St Anthony’s keeper Josiah Morris — a mere spectator for the 90 minutes — looked to be shaking in his boots when an overhit free kick by opposing captain Kaylon Baptiste just drifted over his bar. Seconds later, another Baptiste free kick was met by a Speyside player whose header went just wide.
At the blow of referee Gyasi McDonald's final whistle, the Tigers were able to set up their meeting with the Pres Lions in what has the potential to be a North/South classic.
On Thursday, either Presentation coach Shawn Cooper or St Anthony’s coach Ronald Daniel will be lifting the coveted intercol crown aloft at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
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Fatima win SSFL national U-13 title, eye U-16 glory.
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday).
Fatima College were crowned Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) National Under-13 champions on Saturday, after beating Signal Hill Secondary 1-0 in the final at Fatima Grounds, Mucurapo.
A goal by Zachary Elliot in the first half was the difference in a close contest between the teams.
Signal Hill searched for the equaliser but the Fatima defence held firm until the final whistle.
The Damien Frederick-coached team had defeated Queen's Royal College 1-0 in the national semifinals.
Fatima's under-16 footballers will be looking to add further glory to their school when they face Speyside Secondary in the National Under-16 final on Monday at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet.
Fatima booked their spot in the final courtesy a 1-0 victory over St Benedict's on Friday.
Jebiah King bagged the winner for Fatima.
The Fatima Under-16s are coached by Kerdyn Moe and Stephen Williams.
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St Benedict’s edge Hillview to set up SSFL U-20 final with Fatima.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
LAST season’s Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division winners St Benedict’s College advanced to the final of the 2023 boys’ senior under-20 division final with an exciting 4-2 win over Hillview College in their semi-final at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar on Friday.
Benedict’s will renew their rivalry with 2023 premier division champions Fatima College in Tuesday’s final, as the latter school hammered Marabella South Secondary 10-0 in Mucurapo on Thursday in the other semi. Benedict’s had a much tougher assignment against the Hillview team though, and they were pushed to the limit against the 2023 East zone under-20 champions. Hillview earned a promotion to next year’s East Zone championship division last month, and they showed Benedict’s they are not pushovers by any means.
Benedict’s, who utilised a handful of players who featured throughout their 2023 premier division and national Intercol campaigns, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the tenth minute through a free kick by Kylon Cayenne. Hillview responded swiftly enough through a 29th-minute effort by Christian Aaron. The Benedict’s team surged ahead before the break though as former Chaguanas North Secondary flanker Nathan George made it 2-1 in the 35th minute.
Hillview battled on and managed another equalising goal by Nathaniel Spencer in the 68th minute, but goals by Jaden Grant and Jahel Lewis swung the game Benedict’s way as they came away with the precious win.
Fatima, who also used several players from their premier division season in their semi-final, were relentless against Marabella.
Fatima star forward and national youth player Michael Chaves grabbed a double, alongside the pair of Justin Alcantara and Luke Correia. Aidan De Gannes, Shaheim O’Brian, Zeke Prescod and Levi Smith scored a goal apiece for the dominant Fatima outfit as they slapped ten goals past the Marabella team.
In the 2022 SSFL season, Fatima and Benedict’s met in the “Big 4” premier division and national Intercol finals, with the teams splitting the title honours after two absolutely absorbing matchups. This year, the two teams opened the SSFL season with another instant classic as Benedict’s won the NGC Super Cup with a 4-3 victory on September 9, with T&T youth attacker Derrel Garcia notching a hat-trick.
On Tuesday, the two teams will lock horns for bragging rights in the senior division finale as they look to end their respective seasons on a high.
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What is the rational for playing high school FINALS on weekdays. Why not Saturday or Sunday as before.. How are they expected to get the crowds back in football.
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St Benedict's edge Fatima 2-1 to win SSFL U-20 title.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
The La Romaine Lions clawed back from a goal down to usurp Fatima College 2-1 en route to the Secondary Schools’ Football League (SSFL) boys' senior Under-20 title at Manny Ramjohn Stadium training field in Marabella on Tuesday.
Two second-half goals from St Benedict’s Daniel Jones (67’) and Malachi Webb (85’) cancelled out Fatima’s brilliant first half, free kick goal from Shaheim O’Brian (35’).
After missing out on successfully defending their 2022 SSFL premiership title three weeks ago, and finishing as Intercol South zone runners-up last week, St Benedict’s U20s put on an improved display in the second period and wrestled away Fatima’s first-half dominance, to lift the crown.
In the opening 45 minutes, both teams pressed hard to score. The South team had the first strike on target from forward Kylon Cayenne but Fatima quickly responded with a cross from down the right by Joziah Shing-Hon to a charging Luke Correia, who missed his chance.
Fatima almost went ahead in the 20th minute as O’Brian’s headed shot outfoxed out of position St Benedict’s goalkeeper Samuel Glasgow, only for his attempt to be cleared off the line by defender Khalel Lawrence.
Soon after, the travelling team broke the ice as O’Brian rifled home a beautiful free kick from the top left corner of the box to send them ahead.
Fatima tried for another but had opportunities from Justin Alcantara, Yohance Atherton and left winger Michael Chaves all saved by Glasgow.
St Benedict’s, though behind, still created chances in front goal but the majority of their shots went wide. Ethan Trotman, Jaden Grant and Daniel Jones all kept the Fatima backline busy, but they stood firm until the half-time break.
The team talk seemed to have worked wonders as the La Romaine Lions emerged as a different team for the remaining half. Right back Lyshaun Morris came up big on a number of occasions and threatened more as the half progressed.
In the 65th minute, Morris executed a nice burst of speed down the flank and crossed in to Webb, who shot wide. Two minutes later, he made a similar sprint and crossed in to Webb once more. This time, however, the ball deflected off Webb, and into Jones’ path, who slotted past Fatima custodian Tristan Edwards.
The goal for St Benedict’s increased their appetite to score another. They dominated thereafter.
Fatima had chances but when the Lions regained control, they charged confidently goal-ward and played a different, better brand of football from the first half.
St Jenedict’s Jeremiah Joseph also showed good footwork on the right and it was his crafty feet who put in a ball to Webb in the 85th, for him to hit past Edwards and sick Fatima’s hopes.
The 2023 SSFL premiership winners tried valiantly to churn out an equalizer but their chances came to no avail.
At the final whistle, St Benedict’s players raised their arms in celebration of this year's SSFL U20 title, which was presented soon after, by SSFL south representative Gerald Elliott.
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Nikita Gosine shines as Pleasantville lift girls' Intercol crown.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Pleasantville Secondary were crowned champions of the 2023 Coca-Cola girls' national Intercol competition on Thursday, after they got an exciting 2-1 victory over Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School in the final at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.
The South Zone championship division and Intercol winners Pleasantville scored the opening goal of the game through national youth player Nikita Gosine in just the second minute. Although Miracle Ministries quickly drew level through a fine free kick by Jewel Benjamin in the tenth minute, Pleasantville dominated the balance of the game and thoroughly deserved their win.
In an entertaining and sometimes chaotic finale, the Pleasantville team launched attack after attack at Kimberlynn Rampersad's Miracle Ministries goal. For the most part, Rampersad was up to the task as she saved several shots from the Pleasantville players, with Gosine and captain Tayeann Wylie trying their luck from any distance imaginable.
Inside the first 15 minutes, Wylie demonstrated her shooting ability, as she sent a thunderous right-footed shot off the bar and another rasping hit that went agonisingly wide.
Although her Pleasantville team looked dangerous in the attacking third with each foray forward, the South team's goalkeeper also earned her keep between the sticks. In the 17th minute, custodian Janike Ramoutar produced a fine save to deny a firm volley by Miracle Ministries' Shre Dudley.
Rampersad was quickly becoming a thorn in Pleasantville's side, and the pattern of the game was quickly established. Pleasantville would assume control of the ball and look for the gifted pair of Gosine and Wylie in attack, and both girls did their utmost to test Rampersad's reflexes.
A breakneck first half seemed to take its toll on the Miracle Ministries players, and Pleasantville came out in a relentless manner in the second half.
In the 45th minute, Rampersad reacted sharply to stop a pair of point-blank shots by a frustrated Gosine. Seven minutes later, Rampersad flew across her goal to stop a low drive by Wylie.
Miracle Ministries' defence was wilting under the pressure, and Rampersad could not be expected to keep Pleasantville at bay for the entire second half. In the 53rd minute, the defining moment came as Gosine bolted past the entire Miracle Ministries backline with a single push as she showed off her rapid turn of pace. Her finish was even better, as she thumped a right-footed effort into the roof of the net to beat the advancing Rampersad and notch her second goal of the game.
The Miracle Ministries goalkeeper could have no shame in her efforts, and her brilliance between the sticks left the door open for the Central zone champions at the other end.
In the 64th minute, Benjamin lined up a free kick from way out on the left flank, and her booming hit left Ramoutar a spectator as it thumped into the bar.
Miracle Ministries could not muster an equaliser though, and with Gosine almost operating as a last-stopper for Pleasantville in the closing 20 minutes, she ensured Ramoutar was free of danger at the back.
On at least two occasions, the 13-year-old Gosine showed her versatility as she smartly played her way out of trouble. Deep into stoppage time, at least one Miracle Ministries player seemed to have had enough of Gosine's input — with Gabriella Lezama receiving a straight red card for dissent after squaring off with Gosine near the half line.
The Pleasantville attacker-turned-defender received a yellow card from referee Cecile Hinds, but her contributions in front of goal were clearly more meaningful on the day.
Another national intercol crown is in the bag for Pleasantville.
As the Pleasantville supporting posse sang: Who is the boss in charge of we? God is the boss in charge of we!
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Kanye Lazarus rises to hand Pres 'Lions' National Intercol title.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
Presentation College (San Fernando) ensured a double-haul for the South zone schools in the Coca-Cola national intercol finals on Thursday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, as they got an exciting 7-6 win from the penalty spot over St Anthony’s College following a goalless stalemate in regular time.
Presentation, who previously tasted national Intercol success in 1975 and 2019, had their experienced skipper and goalkeeper Kanye Lazarus to thank for their shootout win as the custodian made two fine saves to defy the Westmoorings Tigers from the penalty mark. Lazarus, who was on the substitutes' bench when Presentation beat San Juan North Secondary in the 2019 Intercol final, stole the show as he also made a huge penalty save during regular time to keep his school in the hunt.
In the shootout, Presentation led 3-2 after three sets of kicks. However, after consecutive misses by substitute Chaz Forde and Duhrell Young, the scores were level at 3-3 as St Anthony’s were presented with the chance to win the match with their fifth kick. Lazarus rose to the occasion though, as he dived to his left to palm away an effort by St Anthony’s right back Daniel Rose.
In sudden-death kicks, both teams initially held their nerve to stretch the score to 6-6. Presentation defender Tyrel Pemberton scored to make it 7-6. Industrious St Anthony’s midfielder Amari Dunbar then sprayed his right-footed shot wide of the mark on the next kick to spark wild celebrations from Lazarus and the Presentation team.
The Shawn Cooper-coached Presentation team got a tight 1-0 win when the two teams met during the league campaign in October and the final followed suit.
The game was played with good intensity throughout, but neither team had sustained spells of quality in the final third to prise open the other's defence.
In a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, both teams relied on their individual attacking talent to try and bring home the coveted crown. Presentation banked on the pace and guile of their top-scorer Vaughn Clement, with St Anthony’s relying on the skillful Theo Crovador. The latter player was often watched by Presentation defenders Pemberton and Cody Cooper, who gave very little change to the opposition.
The best chance in open play arguably fell to Clement, who was presented with a wonderful opportunity in the 73rd minute following a mixup between St Anthony's central defenders Russell Francois and Jeremy Bobb. With the goal at his mercy, Clement was denied by an excellent point-blank save by Josiah Morris who sped off his line to thwart the Presentation attacker with his legs.
Before that though, in the 67th minute, St Anthony’s had the opportunity to decide the game through a penalty from Andell Fraser. However, the St Anthony’s forward saw his right-footed shot well-stopped by Lazarus who made a dive away to his right.
It would not be the final time Lazarus killed St Anthony’s joy.
The penalty decision itself was contentious, as Presentation defender Micah Brathwaite appeared to get all ball with his sliding tackle on Crovador in the area. Referee Crystal Sobers did not hesitate to point to the spot though. Lazarus' save ensured the game would not be decided in a controversial manner, with the lottery of the penalty shootout instead being the decider between the teams.
In the 82nd minute, a potential Presentation winner by Adah Barclay was ruled offside. Meanwhile, in the second minute of stoppage time, silky St Anthony’s midfielder Aalon Wilson-Wright sent a wicked free kick just wide of Lazarus' goal following a layoff from a teammate.
As it turned out, it took a great deal to beat Lazarus on the night, and his saves on Francois and Rose in the shootout went a long way in deciding the 2023 boys' national Intercol champions.
The "Pres Lions" have once again roared loudest in the Intercol competition and their 19-year-old captain Kanye Lazarus has risen as well.
For St Anthony’s College, their 11-year wait for a national intercol crown will be extended.
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Well done Pres! After a slow start to the season and not having a true center forward, Coach Cooper was able to navigate through the intercol rounds relying on very strong defensive play and his usual tactical brilliance.
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Bhagwat brace guides Naps to SSFL U-14 title with 2-0 win over Signal Hill.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
NAPARIMA College striker Avi Bhagwat scored once in each half to trump Signal Hill Secondary 2-0 in the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) National U14 final at Lewis Street in San Fernando on Wednesday.
Good communication from the Naparima front line of Bhagwat, Donovan Drayton and Adasa Richardson created both goals as the south team captured their first SSFL title in two years.
Drayton and Richardson showed intent early on as the former placed a neat pass to the latter, who hit low and hard, but had his attempt bounce on the wrong side of the left post, past Signal Hill custodian Tevez Houlder.
Drayton came close two minutes later but his strike just skimmed the crossbar.
The Naparima backline also stood firm as Mikhail Clement and company did well to stave off the few attacks which came from the visitors.
In the 21st minute, a nice turn from Drayton in the Signal Hilll half made room for him to play in a charging Bhagwat, who made no mistake and slotted home a low, right footed shot past a diving Houlder.
Into the second 35-minute period, Signal Hills’ J’Meke Watkins threatened the home team but he could not get in the final shot to level the score.
Naps continued to press for another and were soon rewarded. Richardson burst down the right flank and put in a low cross which beat oncoming striker Aaden Ali. However, as the ball flew past the goal mouth, Bhagwat was there at the far post to rifle home another and seal the school’s first title of the 2023 season.
Winger Gianluca Bailey also impressed on the left and always posed a threat going forward.
Signal Hills’ Jaden Marcelle worked hard in the midfield to create opportunities for a fightback but his attempts went in vain.
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'Pres' coach hails stingy defence, revels in historic sporting year
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
PRESENTATION College San Fernando are revelling in sporting excellence after their victory in the Coca-Cola National Boys Intercol final on Thursday, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
The Pres Lions defeated St Anthony's College 7-6 on penalties, after playing to a stalemate.
Pres coach Shawn Cooper credited St Anthony’s for taking them down to the wire.
He told Newsday that his defensive back line held strong, despite playing under a lot of pressure from their opponents’ attackers.
“We thought we had the impetus going forward in the first 30 minutes," he said. "They came back in the last 15 minutes and threw everything at us. I think we had a problem marking in the midfield, where we were marking one versus one, but our plan was really to nullify the wingers.
“So their wingers got some joy, but then we were still able to deal with the balls coming across the box. We have the stingiest defence in the league. No one has scored on us in open play for the whole Intercol series, so kudos to the team.”
Cooper also said the result may also be a historic one for Pres since their cricket team won a treble this year, capturing the league, T20 Intercol and T10 titles. He was pleased to deliver the Intercol title for football, which sparked joint celebrations.
“This is history where we are the only school to win the national (T20) intercol cricket and and football in the same year. And this is our 75th (anniversary) year and I’m pretty much pleased that we can hand over the trophy to the principal,” he said.
Before making two crucial saves in the penalty shootout, Presentation College goalie and eventual man of the match Kanye Lazarus reassured Cooper that the title would be in the southland.
Cooper said he allowed his players to do research on St Anthony’s kickers, and share it with Lazarus, who executed impressively.
“We have been doing a lot of penalty shootouts in training after the sessions. Then I asked the players to go home and do their homework, in terms of all the teams who have been kicking penalties in their zones, and look at the players and the corners they prefer.
“At the start of the penalty kicks he (Lazarus) came to me and said, ‘Coach, I have it, I have at least four men (to save).’"
Cooper said Lazarus' confidence lifted the team as they felt comfortable scoring their attempts.
Pres Lions last won the Intercol in 2019, but was unsuccessful in their defence in 2022, as Fatima lifted the trophy. There was no football in 2020 and 2021 owing to the pandemic.
Cooper said throughout the season, he was forced to rotate players in different positions to fill gaps where they fell short. His strategy paid off when it mattered most.
“During the course of the season, we were lacking certain players in certain positions. So we were actually substituting players in the number nine and ten positions, for the whole year.
“We had defensive midfielders playing at number ten and wingers playing at the number nine position. But we rallied through as a troop and we came out on top tonight. So I’m very pleased with the boys.”
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Moruga, Miracle Ministries guilty of SSFL breaches, zonal titles on the line
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
THE Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) disciplinary committee has found Moruga Secondary and Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School guilty of breaching its rules pertaining to the registration of players for the 2023 season.
The decision was announced on Monday with both schools being deducted points, effectively costing them their 2023 championship zonal titles, and a place in the Big 5 tournament set to kick off in January 2024.
Miracle Ministries won the central zone by two points ahead of Carapichaima East Secondary.
Moruga clinched the south zone six points clear of Ste Madeleine Secondary.
Both south and central zone winners respectively appealed the committee’s decision, which said the schools failed to register players “at least 72 hours before the start of the match in which that player is to take part” – mandated by article 16 of the league’s constitution.
Additionally, Moruga were also penalised for submitting an incomplete registration form “without the principal’s signature and or the school stamp,” which could jeopardise their entire season.
SSFL South zone chairman Essiel Seecharan said Moruga could be demoted if the disciplinary committee's decision stands.
The disciplinary committee statement said, “All games played with any of the players on the list of 26 submitted without the principal’s signature and/or the school stamp, is awarded to the opposing teams."
Seecharan said, “Based on what happened with their registration, because there was an issue with their accreditation, I believe they would have finished last in the zone, which would actually mean they got demoted. That would then change the table to Ste Madeleine as champions.”
Moruga Secondary representative Andy Joseph was not pleased with the committee's ruling.
"I think it is unfair that…we didn’t breach any rule of the competition per se. We played throughout the competition and nobody could have determined anything against us until the end.
“It’s unfair to my players because they did nothing wrong. They worked hard under tough circumstances and for this to be taken away from them, it’s not right and not fair."
Asked if the registration form did not have the principal’s signature and/or the school stamp, Joseph responded, “That is it. One of them…but the document went to them and…I just think it’s strange that at the end of everything, something like this should happen. It’s just unfortunate and unfair to my boys.”
The committee found Miracle Ministries’ documents were "not an official document from the web page (SSFL) and copy of registration.”
Miracle Ministries representative Shennel Charles said she knows of one instance where they may have submitted a name about 30 minutes late for registration because of “connectivity” at the school, but was surprised when the disciplinary statement showed four infringements.
She said, “Most likely we will (approach arbitration), because they penalised us for four games. It really supposed to be one instance where a player wasn’t registered before the deadline, so we don’t understand where they’re going with that.
“None of our e-mails (for player registration) bounced (back) and it’s the same e-mail we have been communicating with for years."
In two separate statements, dated October 26 (Miracle Ministries) and December 5 (Moruga), each zonal championship winner was issued the committee’s findings and decisions on protests made against them after the final round of action in the SSFL's second tier in October.
SSFL president Merere Gonzales said the appeals committee has a week to present its decision. However, this may not be the final judgement since the schools, if unsatisfied, can go to the arbitration panel, as a last resort.
The appeals committee is "expected to address the matter on behalf of the league and if they agree with the decision of the disciplinary committee, it means the decision will stand.
“But, if each or either school loses their appeal, the next and final level that we have within the league for them to seek some redress from will be the arbitration panel.
“We cannot say what will happen at the appeal until it happens. And we don’t know, if it doesn’t go in their favour, if they will facilitate or accommodate pursuing it by the arbitration level.”
Gonzales said even if these matters reach arbitration, he remains optimistic there will be a speedy resolution to facilitate the smooth flow of Big 5 championship matches in January.
If arbitration agrees the disciplinary committee’s decision is final, central and south zone championship runners-up, Carapichaima East and Ste Madeleine Secondary respectively, will lift the zonal titles and advance to the Big 5.
The Big 5 tournament was originally scheduled to begin on October 20, with the five zonal championship division winners set to battle for three promotion spots for next year's premier division season.
The five zonal winners were Blanchisseuse Secondary (north), Signal Hill (Tobago), St Augustine Secondary (east), Miracle Ministries and Moruga.
Protests against both teams were lodged in the final round of action in the SSFL's second tier in October. It was then confirmed that the SSFL would make a decision after the conclusion of the Coca-Cola National Intercol competition (December 7).
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Secondary School Football League girls' Big 5 final pushed to January
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)
Like the boys' Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Big 5 playoff competition, the girls' SSFL Big 5 final has been postponed to January 2024.
The final is to be contested in Tobago between Five Rivers Secondary and reigning girls' Big 5 champions Scarborough Secondary.
The match was originally scheduled for November 15, but has been delayed on numerous occasions through a combination of faulty travel arrangements and the involvement of both schools in the national intercol competition, which concluded on December 7. Both teams were knocked out of the national intercol competition by eventual winners Pleasantville Secondary.
On Thursday, correspondence from SSFL general secretary Azaad Khan to school principals confirmed the latest delay.
"The girls' Big 5 final between Scarborough Secondary and Five Rivers Secondary has now been postponed due to unavailability of flights. The fixture for the said game shall be issued in the first week of January 2024."
On Tuesday, the SSFL wrote to Caribbean Airlines (CAL) asking for bookings for 29 people travelling from Trinidad to Tobago on December 21. On Thursday, CAL responded, "We have no availability on flights outbound on December 21, 2023. We were only able to obtain the return flight which is scheduled at 11.40 pm."
The available seats were cancelled on Friday.
This latest delay means the SSFL will go into the new year with two of its major competitions still undecided, as the boys' Big 5 playoffs were postponed to a date to be determined in January after protests and subsequent disciplinary matters involving zonal championship division winners Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School and Moruga Secondary.
Both schools had points deducted at the end of the 2023 season for breaching SSFL rules on player registration. Both Miracle Ministries and Moruga have appealed the SSFL's decision, which will see them stripped of their respective Central and South zone championship crowns – and their Big 5 spots.
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SSFL players compete at Combine, eye scholarships.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
NEXT Level Performance, in an effort to give youth footballers in TT an opportunity to create a profile for themselves to earn scholarships, held a football combine at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex on Monday and Tuesday.
A combine is not something many TT athletes are familiar with. In the US, a combine is used to help NFL and NBA teams scout university players who have the ability to play professionally.
A combine involves testing the athleticism of players by doing jumping drills and speed drills, including a 40-yard sprint.
On the first day at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, the players went through drills and on the second day they got the opportunity to play matches against each other. Forty youth players between 16 and 19, both boys and girls, competed at the combine.
Many of them played in the Secondary Schools Football League this season. Some of the schools represented were San Juan North Secondary, Presentation College (San Fernando), Queen's Royal College, Fatima College, Malick Secondary and Holy Name Convent.
Coaches from overseas were the facilitators at the combine, including coaches from the Ribeiro Moojen Pre-University Soccer (RMPUS) programme, a prep school in Montreal, Canada. The combine would give T&T footballers the opportunity to earn scholarships overseas. Depending on their age, the TT players, if offered a scholarship, can finish high school or begin university.
Speaking to Newsday, RMPUS coach Freddy Moojen said, "I was able to see a lot of good talent from Trinidad. We have a list of players that we like that we are going to tell the organisers (Next Level about) and they are going to put us in contact with the players to see if they can come next year."
Moojen said RMPUS will talk to the parents of the players they are interested in, with the help of Next Level.
Explaining some of the drills done during the combine, Moojen said, "I saw them going through speed and agility and a test of power as well. Those tests are good, so the coaches can know where the kids are in the fitness side of things, but for me personally, I think the most important part of the combine is to see the players play, so that you see exactly what you are looking for and what type of players you like."
CEO of Next Level Garvin Warwick said, "From the feedback it was the first time 99 per cent of them have done that level of testing."
Warwick said the players' height and weight were measured.
In TT, he said, players will often know what areas they have to improve on in terms of skill and their understanding of football. However, a combine them realise what other areas need work.
"Skill is just one element; the physical attributes and understanding where you need to strengthen – your core, your upper body...those things players need to understand."
Warwick said creating data and videos of players helps local footballers have a profile to show to foreign coaches.
"Our approach is really to collect data and build more comprehensive profiles. The basis and the genesis of Next Level Performance is really to provide an in-depth digital profile of Caribbean, young athletes who are aspiring for sports and athletic scholarships.
"It is data capturing to allow athletes to build their digital profiles to be able to showcase themselves to the wider world for the opportunity to get scholarships."
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St Benedict's in KFC football invitational final in Guyana.
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday).
St Benedict's College advanced to the final of the fourth annual KFC Goodwill invitational school football tournament being played in Guyana, after getting a tight 1-0 win against Guyana's Chase Educational Academy in their semi-final on Tuesday.
Playing at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue in Georgetown, St Benedict's midfielder and former T&T men's under-17 skipper Josiah Ochoa scored the decisive goal to send T&T's 2022 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division champions through to Friday's final. St Benedict's will play Jamaica's Clarendon College in the final, after the 2023 Olivier Shield champions got past Suriname's VWO 4 in the other semifinal.
The Benedict's team includes T&T youth players Lyshawn Morris, Jeremiah Niles and striker Malachi Webb, who finished second in the 2023 premier division scoring race. Webb scored a brace for Benedict's on Sunday in their 3-0 win over Guyana's Carmel Secondary.
The Goodwill invitational started on December 12, with eight schools competing across two groups before proceeding to the knockout phase.
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Moruga, Miracle Ministries' SSFL appeals denied
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday)
The Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) appeals committee has upheld two decisions made by the league’s disciplinary committee which found Moruga Secondary and Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School guilty of breaching its rules pertaining to the registration of players for the 2023 season.
The appeals committee’s decisions were made on Friday after listening to appeals from each of the schools’ representatives.
After deliberations on both matters, the committee “deemed them as having breached, in both cases, issues pertaining to rules and regulations of the SSFL, particular, that of registration,” SSFL president Merere Gonzales said on Friday.
Both schools had appealed the disciplinary committee’s decision, which said the schools failed to register players “at least 72 hours before the start of the match in which that player is to take part” – mandated by article 16 of the league’s constitution.
Moruga were also penalised for submitting an incomplete registration form “without the principal’s signature and or the school stamp.”
Both schools will be deducted points for their breaches, effectively costing them their 2023 championship zonal titles, and a place in the Big 5 tournament set to kick off in January 2024.
Moruga are also set to be demoted as all their games are affected.
Additionally, it propelled zonal runners-up Ste Madeleine Secondary (south) and Carapichaima East (central) to zonal winners.
Speaking on each case, Gonzales said Miracle Ministries had four representatives present on Friday when they met with the appeals committee. Joining them were an SSFL executive member and one of the assistant secretaries.
Initially, the disciplinary committee found Miracle Ministries’ registration documents were “not an official document from the web page (SSFL) and copy of registration,” and ruled this as a breach.
In this regard, Gonzales said, “The meeting took place and at the end of deliberations, the decision of the appeal committee is that they unanimously agreed to uphold the decision of the disciplinary committee, as there was no new evidence presented to alter the facts of the case.”
Also addressed was a matter raised by the school representative about a SSFL representative who also sits on the disciplinary committee, which they deemed not to be independent.
Gonzales said that after the appeals committee members heard their submissions, they adjourned the meeting for about 15 minutes to deliberate on the concern by Miracle Ministries.
“When they returned, the appeals committee unanimously agreed that the disciplinary committee was properly constituted and as a result, they would hear the other matters upon the appeal. So they had no issue with the member being the person targeted as not being independent.”
He added that the appeals committee recommended to the league that Article 12, which defines the composition of the disciplinary committee, should be adjusted to avoid any ambiguity.
With Moruga, the disciplinary committee ruled it was a clear breach, saying: “All games played with any of the players on the list of 26 submitted without the principal’s signature and/or the school stamp, is awarded to the opposing teams.”
Gonzales told Newsday, “The appeals committee unanimously agreed to uphold the decision of the disciplinary committee based on the evidence presented, which confirms that there exists evidence, confirmed by Mr (Michael) Sutherland (Moruga Principal), that the SSFL had in their possession an unsigned and updated copy of the registration for 26 players of Moruga Secondary, which is in breach of Article 16 of the SSFL constitution.”
This was the only matter addressed by Sutherland in his presentation to the appeals committee.
“Just like in the first matter, the appeals committee also made a suggestion and recommendation for the league for the purpose of efficiency and effectiveness of the registration process, that schools that do not properly register players for a competition be debarred from playing any games until that has been satisfactorily addressed.”
Having lost their appeals, both schools can seek their final form of redress by approaching the arbitration panel.
Newsday contacted Moruga’s SSFL school representative Andy Joseph to find out if they will explore this option, but he said he did not discuss that with the principal and could not comment.
Calls to Miracle Ministries’ representative Shennel Charles were not answered.
On the Big 5 tournament, Gonzales said, “If it goes for arbitration, we’ll have to also give a little time for that. And if it reaches there, to (hopefully) conclude by the end of the year.
“Because we prefer to have the fixtures made up before year’s end so we can convey it to all schools and the public, for the start date and time of the Big 5, schools involved, games to be played, venues and times. We are trying as much as possible to see if we could get this crucial aspect over in a prudent way.”
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The junior Soca Warriors open their campaign against St Vincent and the Grenadines, while they will battle Dominica on Sunday 25 February and then challenge Canada on Tuesday 27 February in Port of Spain..
Only the group winner advances to the next round to challenge for a berth at the Chile 2025 Fifa Under-20 World Cup.
Some standouts from the SSFL
Malachi Webb, Lindell Sween, Lyshaun Morris, Michael Chaves, Derrel Garcia, Larry Noel, Caden Trestrail, Nikosi Foncette, Riquelme Phillips, Adam Pierre, Isaiah David, Criston Gomez, Stephen Ollivierie.
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Chaves, Alexander cop 2023 SSFL ‘POTY’ awards
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Fatima College standout Michael Chaves and J’Eleisha Alexander of Scarborough Secondary were named as the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys’ and Girls’ “Players of the Year” (POTY), respectively, when the annual end-of-season awards was held at the Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce, Camden Road, Couva, Thursday.
Chaves along with fellow ‘Top Five Player of the Year’ award recipient Christian Bailey and goalkeeper Tristan Edwards, all members of the Boys All Star team were instrumental in Fatima College capturing their first national league title in 45 years and their third national league crown after lifting their first title in 1973.
A member of the national Under-20 team at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship held in T&T and senior team debutant against Jamaica as well, Chaves scored 13 goals and added ten assists as Fatima College topped the 16-team Premier Division standings with 40 points, five more than dethroned winners St Benedict’s College.
In addition to Fatima duo Chaves and Bailey, national U-20 captain and midfielder Lindell Sween (San Juan North Secondary), goalkeeper Kanye Lazarus (Presentation College (San Fernando) and striker Oba Samuel (Malick Secondary) were selected as the SSFL Premier Division Boys’ “Top Five Players of the Year”.
Commenting on his award, Chaves who suffered a broken leg in a T&T Premier Football League match for Queen’s Park Cricket Club against MIC Matura ReUnited early last month said, “I believe it was a successful season for me and the school.”
He added, “I got 13 goals and ten assists and I’m just grateful and would like to thank all my coaches, family, friends and my teammates for the support because without them it wouldn’t really have been possible.”
Reflecting on his senior national team appearance after being called by coach Angus Eve for the friendly series against Jamaica, Chaves said, “It was just a great experience, and a great learning experience and I think that it motivated me more than ever to really just keep going and achieve greater things, and I know that I will be back better than before.”
Concerning his recovery from the broken limb, Chaves said he would have surgery in two weeks to get himself back to walking again.
“From there, it’ll just be about recovery and how soon I can get back on the field, but at the same time, I would say that the support I have gotten during this time has been amazing and a lot of love and overall it’s been great. So many people have reached out to me and I’m just grateful for the support,” said Chaves.
Alexander, who led Scarborough Secondary to the SSFL Girls Championship Division National “Big-Five” crown, had a much tougher fight on her hands in lifting the girls’ top individual accolade as she managed to get the nod ahead of record-goal scorer Nikita Gosine of Pleasantville Secondary who netted 57 goals on the season in helping her team to the Coca-Cola National Girls Inter-Col crown after sweeping the South Zone titles.
An elated Alexander, who also won the top award in 2022, on collecting her award said, “I feel very happy to be winning this award two times in a row.
“I will like to thank my parents and teammates and my coaches as well as the season was a good one and it was really nice for us to come out on top again in the SSFL ‘Big-Five’ competition and we will be back next year to try and win a third straight title.
She added, “Personally, I represented all the national teams possible during the season as well and I will like to continue on that same path in having success both at the SSFL level, and national teams.”
The other “Top Five Players of the Year” among the girls were Luann Craig (Five Rivers Secondary), Talia Martin (Scarborough Secondary) and Dextra Harris also of Scarborough Secondary.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, SSFL president Merere Gonzales said plans were afoot for the commencing of the Girls Premier Division, putting machinery in place to assist with the registration process of teams, having a fully operational website of the league, the continued discussion with regards to the start of futsal, beach soccer and E-sports competitions among schools as well as revamping the SSFL All Stars game and establishing an SSFL theme song.
With regards to the Form One League, Gonzales said efforts were being made to have a Girls U-13 League in which any player under the age of 13, no matter what form they are in will be allowed to play as compared to the U-13 Boys’ competition which is geared towards Form One students.
Not to be left out, the SSFL boss noted that efforts are being made to have courses whereby some of the student athletes can become referees while also increasing the number of educational courses for coaches in the SSFL with the help of the T&T Football Association.
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Malick proud Samuel wins Golden Boot...as Chaves, Alexander take top SSFL honours
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
“Proud to be Malick.”
Those were once the watchwords of one of the most dominant team of the 1990s in secondary schools football.
Not since 2000 have Malick Secondary won anything at national level, but for Oba Samuel, yesterday was a proud moment; “especially because of where I am from,” stated the 19-year-old striker, who hails from Morvant, often referred as a crime hotspot.
Malick’s Samuel won the Golden Boot award, to share the spotlight with Male and Female Players of the Year Michael Chaves and J’Elisha Alexander at the Secondary Schools Football League’s 2023 season awards ceremony yesterday.
For Samuel, yesterday was a moment of high achievement, not just for winning the Golden Boot award, having scored the most goals for the season, despite Malick finishing just eighth in the 16 team boys Premier Division.
He was also named among the Top Five Premier Division Boys Footballers of the Year.
“I have to thank God for everything,” Samuel said. “It’s great. But it was not really a surprise because I have plenty confidence.”
Samuel has been lifted by the support that he has gotten from his family, community, team-mates and friends.
“That has lifted my confidence,” stated the Central Soccer World footballer, who also hopes one day to be a professional player.
His goals are: “To keep going forward, continue playing, and maybe get a scholarship. And who knows what else?”
Meanwhile, Chaves was not going to let a broken leg stop him from receiving his first Player of the Year title. The 17-year-old Fatima College player hopped in on crutches, a result of recently breaking his foot while playing for his local club Queen’s Park.
“It is a great achievement for me,” stated Chaves. “I just want to thank my coaches, all my family members and friends. This would not have been possible without them. For Chaves, the 2023 Player of the Year award was something he did not really expect.
“I just tried to play my best last season, and obviously, I impressed some people,” he said.
Chaves is on the mend and hopes that his broken leg will be a thing of the past by the time the 2024 season begins.
“It’s coming along,” he announced, “I am starting my rehab and in two weeks, I have my next surgery. Once that surgery is undergone, I will probably be able to recover and walk again.” ‘
2023 SSFL HONOUR ROLL
BOYS ALL STAR TEAM
Goalkeepers: Tristan Edwards (Fatima College ), Kanye Lazarus (Presentation College), Thane Devenish (St. Benedict’s College)
Defenders: Leshawn Morris (St. Benedict’s College), Akil Henry (Arima North Secondary), Josiah Cooper (Naparima College), Christia Bailey (Fatima College), J’Lon Matthews (Malick Secondary).
Midfielders: Jeremiah Niles (St. Benedict’s College), Josiah Ochoa (St. Benedict’s College) Nathan Quashie (San Juan North Secondary), Aalon Wilson - Wright (St. Anthony’s College ), Tau Lamsee (Queen’s Royal College).
Forwards: Lindell Sween (San Juan North Secondary), Kyle Phillip (St. Mary’s College Oba), Samuel (Malick Secondary), Malacai Webb (St. Benedict’s College), Michael Chaves (Fatima College).
TOP FIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Michael Chaves (Fatima College), Christian Bailey (Fatima College), Lindell Sween (San Juan North Secondary), Kanye Lazarus (Presentation College), Oba Samuel (Malick Secondary).
Player of The Year
Michael Chaves (Fatima College)
GIRLS ALL STAR TEAM
Goalkeepers: Janike Ramoutar (Pleasantville Secondary), Kimberlynn Rampersad (Miracle Ministries PHS ), Shivelle Williams (Scarborough Secondary).
Defenders: Mikalah Guerero (Pleasantville Secondary), Mikaela Yearwood (St. Joseph Convent POS ), Kiana Sandy (Five Rivers Secondary), Naomi Scott (Signal Hill Secondary), Dextra Harris (Scarborough Secondary), Midfielders: Orielle Martin (Bishops Anstey East), Luann Craig (Five Rivers Secondary), Jewel Benjamin (Miracle Ministries PHS) Natalia Gosine (Pleasantville Secondary), Makaylah Robley i(Scarborough Secondary) Kellecia Taylor Signal Hill Secondary
Forwards: J’Eleisha Alexander (Scarborough Secondary), Nikita Gosine (Pleasantville Secondary), Talia Martin (Scarborough Secondary), Myeisha Cox (San Juan North Secondary).
Top 5 Players of the Year
Luann Craig (Five Rivers Secondary), J’Eleisha Alexander (Scarborough Secondary), Nikita Gosine (Pleasantville Secondary) Talia Martin, (Scarborough Secondary), Dextra Harris (Scarborough Secondary).
Player of the Year
J’Eleisha Alexander (Scarborough Secondary).