Kern De Freitas - Trinidad & Tobago Express
Tuesday 27th October, 2009
For the last five years, the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) "Big Five" title has gone to either the East Zone, or South.
This year that trend will continue, as East kings St Augustine Secondary and Presentation College, San Fernando cross swords from 4.15 p.m. at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar for the coveted National League title.
At one end of the field are the "Green Machine", with great prowess in attack and the skill and flair to turn it into success. At the other end are Presentation College--sturdy, hard-working and with a strong momentum they have brought from their successful South Zone campaign. Add Terrence Ramsaroop, their goalkeeper, to the mix and they should provide the other half of a very entertaining final.
The last five titles have been won by either a South or East Zone team, and Mucurapo East Secondary are the only team not from those zones to get to the Big Five final.
Presentation have also been the first team from South Zone to break Naparima College's stranglehold, an impressive sequence of six consecutive Big Five berths. They have done so with strong defence, consistency, and goals at the right time, as they showed in Friday's semi-final after being tested severely by Carapichaima East Secondary.
For St Augustine, the road has been a bit smoother and their attractive brand of football has made them favourites every step of the way. They won their Big Five semi-final, also at the Malabar venue, against North Zone champs St Mary's College, whose touches in the final third let them down.
St Augustine coach Michael Grayson wants a better start from his charges than their meeting with the "Saints".
"We want to settle down much earlier than we did in the CIC game and play more of our game than what CIC (allowed). That was one of the early problems we had," Grayson said.
Earlier in the season Grayson outlined his plans to take the "Green Machine" all the way to a sweep of all four titles--two national and two zonal--and they could be halfway there by tonight.
"We are not going to reach this far to turn back now," Grayson stressed. "(If we win today), it would be the second game of four we want to win, we will be right on track"
All of his players are injury-free and raring to go and Grayson has warned them of complacency.
"Only tomorrow (today) matters. Only the day of the game matters," he said.
Shaun Cooper, "Pres" coach and alum, has every respect for Grayson and his team and is expecting a "very difficult game". He also lauded Carapichaima for the tough showing on Friday.
"(Pres) were pushed to their limit. Once Carapichaima comes out running, it would have energised our side and let them know we're in a game. They really tested us," he related.
Cooper paid homage to assistant coaches Junior Ferguson and Michael Tony, who worked tirelessly with the Presentation players and he credited them for Pres having gotten to the Big Five final.
The former Naparima College coach also acknowledged that last Friday's encounter was not one of Pres's better outings, which he said is a good thing.
"Taking that in mind, I think that they will be up to the task," Cooper pointed out."That game really showed them that they have to step up...If we do, St Augustine will have a lot to do."
Either way, the fight for the Big Five trophy should be a thrilling finale.
Go Pres !!!!
On another note, Pres will be wearing black armbands to mourn the passing of the Caps student that was killed outside Manny Ramjohn Stadium last Friday. RIP yute...
