2016 SSFL Thread

[asylumseeker]

The succeeding sentence (and several others) is (are) a perfect fit for the 'Sport Psychology in Trinidad' thread. But more than that, is there any significance for our brand when the most successful team in the league is essentially viewed as "big on talent" but not big on training, organization and discipline?

[real madness]

not big on training, only in Trinidad.

[Tallman]

WATCH: Highlights of Shiva Boys’ 3-1 win over Pleasantville Secondary which saw them crowned as the 2016 SSFL Premier Division Champions

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Yx3xNifwTuM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Yx3xNifwTuM</a>

[RichGFootball]

Tobago Zone SSFL
U19 standings

Speyside          36
Goodwood        25
Mason Hall       22
Scarborough     21
Bishop's           13
Light and Life    4 (one match to play)
Roxborough      0 (one match to play)

Tobago Zone INTERCOL match ups

U19

Wednesday 2nd November
Speyside vs Light and Life     3pm
Mason Hall vs Scarborough    5pm

Monday 7th November
Goodwood vs Bishop's          3pm
Signal Hill vs Roxborough     5pm


Sunday 6th November
Girls

Bishop's vs Light and Life     2pm
Scarborough vs Speyside     4pm
Signal Hill (bye)
Mason Hall (bye)

[soccerman]

RM that was the same thing I said when I read the coach's philosophy, only in T&T. I congratulate him on finding the formula to win the SSFL but it's impeding the development of the players who can play beyond the SSFL, it's more than just a "sweat".

[Tallman]

WATCH: Post-match interview with Shiva Boys Head Coach Hayden Ryan after winning the 2016 SSFL Premier Division with a 3-1 victory over Pleasantville Secondary

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/nhku_A9E7UY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/nhku_A9E7UY</a>

WATCH: Post-match interview with Shiva Boys forward Tyrel "Sexyman" Baptiste winning the 2016 SSFL Premier Division with a 3-1 victory over Pleasantville Secondary

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/VdLEuCJ0Ghc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/VdLEuCJ0Ghc</a>

WATCH: Post-match interview with Shiva Boys defender Shakuile Williams after winning the 2016 SSFL Premier Division with a 3-1 victory over Pleasantville Secondary

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/BoNQEtESUP8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/BoNQEtESUP8</a>

WATCH: Post-match interview with Shiva Boys midfielder Tyrel “Pappy” Emmanuel after winning the 2016 SSFL Premier Division with a 3-1 victory over Pleasantville Secondary

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/dmpnoKoRD2U" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/dmpnoKoRD2U</a>

[Tallman]

WATCH: Highlights of St. Anthony’s College’s 4-3 win over San Juan North Secondary

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/pagAQtXB2RA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/pagAQtXB2RA</a>

[Tallman]

Six teams battle to avoid SSFL relegation
T&T Newsday

THE LAST round of the Shell/ First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) is expected to be filled with intensity today as six teams will be battling to avoid relegation and stay in the Premier Division.

The bottom three teams at the end of today’s matches in the 15- team table will be demoted to the Championship Division. Currently, Pleasantville (13th), Fatima (14th) and St Benedict’s (15th) are in the bottom three and will all be desperate for victories today.

St Benedict’s, which are on nine points, have found some late season form winning their last two matches, 1-0 wins over St Anthony’s and Signal Hill. The southerners will be eager for another win when they host eighth placed Trinity at Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin.

Fatima, also on nine points, will welcome recently crowned champions Shiva Boys to Fatima Ground. Shiva Boys head coach Hayden Ryan said in a television interview on Sportsmax that his team will still field a strong team despite already wrapping up the title.

The Shiva Boys-Fatima match will be shown live on Sportsmax.

Pleasantville on 10 points will host second placed Presentation College San Fernando at their school ground. Pleasantville have had a tough run of late as they faced Shiva Boys in the penultimate round on Saturday.

Twelfth placed Queen’s Royal College (10 points), 11th placed San Juan North (11 points) and 10th placed East Mucurapo (12 points) will all be seeking wins to stay in the top flight. QRC plays fourth placed St Anthony’s at the latter’s home ground, San Juan North travels to Tobago to tackle ninth placed Signal Hill and East Mucurapo will make the short trip to St Mary’s Ground to battle sixth placed Fyzabad.

In the other match today, third placed Naparima will play fifth placed St Augustine at the latter’s home ground.

Seventh placed St Mary’s will be on a bye today. All matches today kick off at 3.30 pm.

TODAY’S FIXTURES
Signal Hill vs San Juan North
QRC vs St Anthony’s
East Mucurapo vs Fyzabad
St Augustine vs Naparima
Pleasantville vs Presentation San F’do
St Benedict’s vs Trinity
Fatima vs Shiva Boys
St Mary’s - Bye

[RichGFootball]

Tobago Zone SSFL

U16

2 Scarborough vs Speyside 1
4 Bishop's vs Roxborough 1

Friday 28th October
U14

Bishop's vs Roxborough @ Mt. Pleasant
Scarborough vs Goodwood @ Black Rock
Speyside vs Light and Life @ Speyside
Mason Hall vs Signal Hill @ Plymouth

[Tallman]

WATCH: SSFL Player Profile - Naparima College forward, Isaiah Lee.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/mgcFz9o6es0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/mgcFz9o6es0</a>

[Tallman]

Big 5 to determine promotion in SSFL
By Sean Taylor (T&T Express)

And then there were five. The Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Championship Division Big Five will kick off tomorrow.

The competition will not only crown the overall national league champions in the Championship but, more crucially, will determine who will be promoted to the Premier Division next year.

Winners from the five zones, including Speyside High, Princes Town West Secondary, Trinity College East, Carapichaima East Secondary and Malick Secondary will all battle for promotion with the top three teams making the big move in the end.

Speyside who were rampant in this year’s Championship over in the sister isle, will open against the South Zone winners, Princes Town, while Trinity East host Carapichaima in Trincity in what should be an interesting clash.

The five-team round robin competition will finish in roughly a fortnight’s time on Sunday November 6. Today will feature the girls’ equivalent of the competition, as the Big Four competition kicks off to determine the overall league champions.

Diego Martin Secondary face Signal Hill in the first semi-final at the St Joseph’s Convent POS ground in Federation Park, while east giants St Augustine Secondary tackle last year’s Girls Coca-Cola InterCol winners Fyzabad Secondary at Holy Cross College’s ground in Arima.

The final of the Girls Big Four will also be on November 6.

[Tallman]

QRC go down…Pleasantville, Fatima also demoted on league’s final day
By Sean Taylor (T&T Express)

Queen’s Royal College were relegated from the Premier Division of the Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) yesterday, succumbing to a 4-0 defeat at home to St Anthony’s College.

The “Royalians” had never before been relegated from the top flight in the traditional sense, despite playing in the Championship Division in 2014, which was due to a change from the zonal format to the Premier Division.

On the final day of league competition, QRC needed a win against old rivals St Anthony’s College in order ensure their survival. Before a ball had been kicked on the day, they were level on 10 points with Pleasantville Secondary, while both Fatima College and St Benedict’s College were tied on nine points and could have moved out of the zone with a win and a QRC defeat.

In the end, goals from Che Benny, Derron John, Yevan Rajpaul and Tyrese Bailey put QRC under the sword in St Clair. Elsewhere, meanwhile, St Benedict’s College were on their way to pulling off their “great escape” at the Mahaica Oval, edging Trinity College Moka with a 1-0 result to move to 12 points and a stay in top flight football next season.

The match at St Clair was scrappy for most of the 90 minutes. However, it was the visitors who created a lot of the chances in the first half.

Jules Lee hit the crossbar with a fifth-minute free kick that left QRC custodian Kern Thomas rooted to the spot. The hard, dusty ground made passing football difficult for both teams, but the “Tigers” should have taken the lead when Benny’s inswinging cross almost found the head of John at the far post.

St Anthony’s had to thank Thomas for their opener in first-half stoppage time, as the QRC keeper was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the area, and Benny curled a left-footed gem into the top corner over the wall to send his team into a half-time lead.

It got worse shortly after the resumption, as John-Paul Rochford handled the ball in his own penalty area, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

John stepped up and dispatched to his favourite left-hand corner - scored two from the spot on the same side against Naparima College - and things were looking bleak for the “Royalians”, as news trickled in that St Benedict’s had taken the lead against Trinity College.

Haile Beckles almost tripled six minutes later, but his effort was cleared heroically on the line by T’Shad Selvon.
Rochford was put clean through in the 67th for QRC, but his shot was charged down and St Anthony’s Lee had his rebound saved by Oba Augustine.

The third nail in the coffin came from Rajpaul, who hit low and hard past Thomas in the 75th minute; then Bailey scored at the death, slotting low past the keeper with ease to seal their hosts’ fate.

The results yesterday meant that St Benedict’s College finished in 12th place, while QRC were in 13th, followed by Pleasantville and Fatima who ended 14th and 15th respectively.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/MhPScxPZN6Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/MhPScxPZN6Q</a>

[vb]

I guess the Fatima result doesn't matter.

[Tallman]

Trinity, Carapichaima start promotion race
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)

Trinity College East will attempt to regain entry into the top tier Premiership Division of the First Citizens/Shell Secondary Schools Football League today, following their triumph in the Championship Division in the East Zone.

The easterners, coached by former national and St Augustine coach Michael Grayson, will host Central Zone winners Carapichaima Secondary from 3:30pm in their opening game of the play-offs at their Henry Street Recreation Ground, Arouca. The play-off among the top five championship division teams will take place in a round-robin format and the top three teams will replace the bottom three teams in the premiership division for the 2017 football season.

Team manager Nigel Ojagir said recently that he was happy with his team’s successes in the zone but they will now focus on the play-off.

“In the zone we just took each game one step at a time, as the players really worked hard and were committed to the task at hand. Everyone thought Holy Cross would have won it in the zone but we just quietly did what we had to do by giving of our best on the field and it worked out for us” Ojagir said.

The Arouca boys finished with 25 points from 10 matches, which included eight victories, one loss and a draw.

They got the better of ‘The Calvary Hills Boys’ who finished with 23 points from 10 matches while Valencia Secondary’s upset of Holy Cross in their final game, earned them third on the standings with 22 points.
 

Schedule

Today
Speyside vs Princes Town West, Speyside,
Trinity East vs Carapichaima East, Trinity East
Malick Secondary - bye

Sunday
Speyside vs Trinity College East, Speyside
Princes Town West vs Malick Secondary, Princes Town
Carapichaima East - bye

Tuesday
Carapichaima East vs Princes Town, Carapichaima East
Malick Secondary vs Speyside, Patna Ground, River Estate, D/Martin
Trinity College East - bye

Friday
Malick Secondary vs Carapichaima East, Patna Ground, River Estate, D/Martin
P/Town West vs Trinity College East, Princes Town
Speyside - bye

Sunday November 6:
Trinity College East vs Malick Secondary, Trinity College East
Carapichaima East vs Speyside, Central
Princes Town West - bye

[Tallman]

Coach Leonson Lewis praises St. Benedict’s fighting spirit
T&T Newsday

ST BENEDICT’S College Premier Division football coach Leonson Lewis is praising his players for their fighting spirit and said it is the best group of players he has ever coached.

Before the final three rounds of matches St Benedict’s seemed destined for relegation as they laid at the bottom of the Secondary Schools Football League Premier Division standings with three points.

However, St Benedict’s won three matches in a row all by 1-0 margins to move from 15th (last) to 11th on the standings and avoid relegation.

The bottom three teams were relegated.

Lewis, a former national footballer, said he always had high hopes for the team. “(I am) very proud of the boys because I had a belief from the start that if we had to save it (season) we had to save it in the last game. I told them this and I tried to make them believe that it was still very possible (to avoid demotion).” Lewis plauded the players’ never say die attitude. “It is very difficult for players to come every game and lose, and come every game and lose, and come to training and don’t complain and be professional and come out there everyday. They were really a bunch of professional young players. The best bunch I have ever coached. To come out and fight everyday for what they believe in, for what they want.” The former Strike Squad forward said the accomplishment is not about him but the team.

“They really came up big at the end and we were able to save the season. So this is more a player victory than anything a coach could do tactically, this is totally on the players. The players deserve all the recognition for what they did and how they reacted.” St Benedict’s captain Daquon Foster moved from right back to stopper at the end of the season and Lewis said that switch among other tactical changes led to improvement. Lewis said Foster is a quality captain. “I gave him my captain band, it’s a captain band I bought in Colombia, and I told him he is the best captain I have ever coached in my whole life. I don’ think I could get a better captain with a better humble personality than that.” Lewis said goalkeeper Jasper McLeoud, who helped the team to three clean sheets at the end of the season was consistent throughout the season.

The St Benedict’s coach also explained that defensive work with the midfielders led to victories in the last three matches.

[Tallman]

WATCH: A second-half hat-trick by Junior Assoon caps of Shiva Boys’ Championship season with a 4-2 win over Fatima College.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/LxBZ73BmuIw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/LxBZ73BmuIw</a>

[RichGFootball]

Tobago Zone SSFL

U14
3 Bishop's vs Roxborough 0
7 Scarborough vs Goodwood 0
5 Speyside vs Light and Life 0
0 Mason Hall vs Signal Hill 0

Monday 31st October. 3pm start

U16
Speyside vs Bishop's @ Speyside
Roxborough vs Signal Hill @ Rox. Sec School Ground

Friday 4th November

U14
Signal Hill vs Bishop's @ Signal Hill Sec.
Goodwood vs Light and Life @ Goodwood
Speyside vs Scarborough @ Speyside
Roxborough vs Mason Hall @ Roxborough

[Tallman]

Just a joy, Shiva eyeing more SSFL success
By Sean Taylor (T&T Express)

Shiva Boys Hindu College could be set for more glory as the Coca-Cola InterCol competition kicks off this week.

The newly-crowned Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) champions are flying at the moment, as one would expect for a team that won their maiden national title eight days ago.

Fans at Clarke Road Penal could be excused for feeling a sense of superiority over their rivals as their team were as dominant as they were consistent this year - the stats speak for themselves.

Shiva scored the second most goals in the Premier Division with 35, in a run that included 12 wins one draw and one defeat. Junior Asson’s 11 goals were good enough from him to sit second in the list of league top-scorers after Naparima College’s Isaiah Lee.

The team may have capped off a steady rise to the top over the last two seasons, but coach Hayden Ryan was quick to bring things into perspective when he spoke to the Sunday Express on Friday.

“It’s a team effort,” he said. “It’s a collective effort. We have defenders, we have possessors of the ball and we have creators and goal-scorers; there’s no way one could go without the other because as simple as you look at it, if your midfield is possessing the ball correctly, then it takes the pressure off of the defence.”

Ryan identified the team’s philosophy as their winning formula, something that they have kept from last season where they finished in the top five of the Premier Division and narrowly missed out on the South InterCol final.

“I think the approach was the same,” he said. “The team last year was an Under-17 team... when it comes to philosophy, it takes a little while to really get going.

“We had the time this season to work it in, and the results are there to show.”

With respect to the overall weakening of other title contenders due to the national Under-17 and Under-20 duty this season, Ryan had to praise his players for their consistency.

“You have to do without when you have to do without,” he said. “I have to thank these guys for working so hard, putting their hearts into this thing. No one could say Judah (Garcia) is a main player in the team, he is not there and we still won without him. I was prepared to play without Judah (from the beginning).”

With the South Zone InterCol preliminary round looming on the horizon, both “Naps” and Presentation College San Fernando could be in store for Shiva. But the confidence gained from landing the League title could now make Ryan’s charges favourites to do the double.

“Nothing has changed for us. We enjoy the (league) championship, now we’re back at it again,” he said. “The guys have a week off and they’re coming back on and hoping that we can gel and get the same result.”

The Shiva ideology is once the principle is right, then the titles will come.

But for now, the Penal community is savouring the historic success of Ryan and his boys.

“Words are not enough to describe how the school, the community, the parents feel,” he said.

“It’s just a joy.”

[RichGFootball]

Tobago Zone SSFL INTERCOL

U19

Thursday 3rd November

Bishops vs Mason Hall         3pm
Goodwood vs Scarborough   5pm

Monday 7th November

Signal Hill vs Roxborough @ VENUE tbd

Tuesday 8th November

Speyside vs Light and Life @ VENUE tbd

OTHER MATCHES.....

Monday 31st October.

U16
1 Speyside vs Bishop's 3
3 Roxborough vs Signal Hill 9

Friday 4th November. 2pm kick off

U14
Signal Hill vs Bishop's @ Signal Hill Sec.
Goodwood vs Light and Life @ Goodwood
Speyside vs Scarborough @ Speyside
Roxborough vs Mason Hall @ Roxborough

[Tallman]

Speyside lead SSFL Championship Big 5
T&T Newsday

SPEYSIDE are the current leaders in the Shell/ First Citizens-sponsored Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Championship Division Boys Big Five competition.

The winners of the various zones during the 2016 SSFL Championship Division (North, East, South, Central and Tobago) are battling in this round-robin competition, with the top three finishers advancing to the 2017 SSFL Premiership Division, at the expense of QRC, Fatima and Pleasantville.

On the Big Five standings, Speyside (Tobago) have four points from two games, with Princes Town West (South) and Carapichaima East (Central) next on three each, while Trinity College East (East) have one point and Malick (North) zero.

In the first set of matches on Friday, Speyside earned a come-frombehind 2-1 win in front of their home fans, with Shaffie McKenzie (14th minute) and Kerri Mc- Donald (34th) scoring for the hosts, after Brent Williams netted for Princes Town West in the second minute.

Theophilus Bourne was the goal-getter as Carapichaima East edged hosts Trinity College East 1-0.

On Sunday, hosts Princes Town West overcame an early setback to trounce Malick 4-1. Akeem Sealey put Malick ahead in the 20th but Princes Town rallied with items from Anderson Peters (33rd), Brent Williams (40th and 56th) and an own goal from Rushawn Murray (45th).

[Tallman]

Malick stay alive in Big 5
T&T Express

Malick Secondary stayed in contention for promotion to the Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League Premier Division with a 1-0 win over Speyside Secondary in their Championship Division Big 5 clash in Diego Martin, yesterday.

Malick have now won one match and lost one in the round-robin tournament that pits the winners of each of the five SSFL Championship Divisions against each other.

Speyside stayed at the top of the standings with four points from three matches while Malick moved up from last place to fourth, with three points from two games.

The other match scheduled for yesterday between Carapichaima East Secondary and Princes Town West Secondary was not played, after both teams turned up in the same colour uniform. Both teams remained three points each with Princes Town having played two matches and Caps one.

Up to press time yesterday, it was still unclear if the game would be rescheduled.

The other team in the Big 5 race are Trinity College East who were on a bye yesterday. They currently sit in fifth place on one point from two games.

Trinity face Princes Town in their penultimate match of the competition on Friday in Princes Town, while Caps meet Malick on the same day in Diego Martin.

The final matches in the Big 5 will be played on Sunday, with Trinity College East up against Malick Secondary in Trincity and Caps taking on Speyside in Central Trinidad.

The top three teams after the round-robin phase will earn promotion to the SSFL top-flight for next season.

[Tallman]

InterCol kicks off today
By Sean Taylor (T&T Express)

The 2016 Coca-Cola Boys InterCol competition will kick off today, with preliminary round action in the North and South Zones, respectively.

Tranquillity Secondary may have missed out on the Big Five Playoffs, but have to shake off the disappointment, as they head to Fatima College ground on Mucurapo Road to take on Blanchisseuse Secondary.

The two Diego Martin schools, Diego Martin North and Diego Martin Central Secondary, will face each other at Queen’s Royal College Ground in St Clair, while the big match today will be over in Diego Martin.

QRC may be the home team on paper, but face old rivals Fatima on neutral territory at Diego Martin North’s ground.

Both the “Royalians” and Fatima are still licking their wounds from their recent relegation from the Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division, and have no choice but to move on with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

A win for either of the two teams will see them face favourites for the North Zone repeat, St Anthony’s College, next Wednesday at St Mary’s College ground.

Also today in the south, Moruga Secondary and Siparia West Secondary kick off at Princes Town West ground, while Pleasantville Secondary play Point Fortin East at Mahaica Oval.

Action continues tomorrow in the quarter-final round, with San Juan North Secondary kicking off against Barataria South Secondary at St George’s College ground in Barataria.

Holy Cross College face Valencia Secondary at El Dorado East Secondary ground.

Meanwhile in Tobago, Goodwood Secondary face Scarborough Secondary, and Mason Hall Secondary face Bishop’s High School Tobago; both matches will be played at Mt Pleasant.

Friday will see the Central Zone take to the stage, where Presentation College Chaguanas face Tabaquite Secondary at Edingburgh 500 Recreation Ground, while Gasparillo Secondary take on Couva East Secondary at Carapichaima East Secondary’s ground.

Chaguanas North will face Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School at Couva East Secondary’s ground.
Quarter-final action will continue on Monday.

[Tallman]

Carmona hails champs Shiva Boys
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)

PRESIDENT of Trinidad and Tobago Anthony Carmona told the young footballers at Shiva Boys Hindu College the importance of hard work and determination when the team became the first Secondary School football team to get invited to the Office of the President in St Ann’s, yesterday.

Shiva Boys won their inaugural Premier Division Secondary Schools Football League title recently and earned the most number of points of any team which won the title in its short history.

Accompanying the players at Office of the President were Shiva Boys principal Dexter Sakal, manager of the team Kishore Bajnath and head coach Hayden Ryan. In his address to the players Carmona said he admired the team’s work ethic which led to the successful season. Carmona said, “right now Shiva Boys Hindu College is a household name. Everybody is asking questions about you all. What is important is the spirit and character of the man that lies within the man. You were prepared to work hard, train hard and win hard in a united way and I have to commend you all for doing that.” Carmona encouraged the players to dream big. “I feel gentlemen that everyone of you here is capable of reaching international heights. It is going to be difficult, it is extremely difficult to get into professional football.” Carmona told the Shiva Boys players to use former national footballer Dwight Yorke as an example. “One of the things about Dwight Yorke I always hear people talk about is after a match he will stay on the field after the national team has gone home and he will stay on the pitch, training and training and training in order to improve his ball skills.

I understand he has a very strong work ethic as a footballer and that is something your coach would have told you all about the need to have a sense of strong work ethic to get there.” The President told the students to show the same enthusiasm off the football field. “The camaraderie, the guts, the determination that you all have displayed on the field, I want you all to display that same determination in your education, so at the end of the day we have a rounded individual, a well groomed individual who in fact is performing at all levels.” Carmona also wants to see the best Caribbean footballers battling each other in a tournament in the near future.

Carmona asked, “why it is we have the Caribbean Cup for senior footballer players, (and we) don’t have a Caribbean Colleges Cup. In other words the top Intercol teams throughout the Caribbean region coming in one particular country to fight for the Caribbean Colleges Cup. That is my dream.” Carmona believes a Caribbean Cup will encourage international scouts to come to the Caribbean to look at the talented footballers.

Shiva Boys captain Tyrell Emmanuel was thankful for the opportunity to meet the President.

Emmanuel said, “your Excellency on behalf of the Shiva Boys Hindu College team and all the media here, I will like to thank you for the opportunity to be here and it is a very grateful feeling to meet you as the President. It has been a very tough season for us. We worked very hard during the pre-season and this season, and we are very thankful for lifting the trophy and becoming champions. We wish that we will win the Intercol and Big Four this season.” Principal Sakal also thanked Carmona for inviting the team. “It is really an honour and privilege you should invite us to your residence for us to meet with you.

I know for these young men meeting with you and being honoured in this way really impresses upon them their achievement. Nobody has recognised us as a group in this way.” Ryan said a winning mentality helped the team during the season.

Ryan stated, “coming into this year, the team needed to know that they are champions before a whistle was blown and a ball was kicked and I started preaching championship material in everyone of them, letting them know everytime I talk that this year 2016 we will lift the trophy as champions.”

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/87QI0TH6W2k" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/87QI0TH6W2k</a>

[Tallman]

Moruga, Diego North move on in InterCol
T&T Express

Moruga Secondary, Pleasantville Secondary, Tranquillity Secondary and Diego Martin North Secondary all progressed to the zonal quarter-finals when the 2016 Coca-Cola InterCol competition kicked off yesterday.

In the South Zone, Moruga earned a quarter-final date next week Wednesday with defending national champions Naparima College when they edged Siparia West Secondary 1-0 at the Point Fortin West ground in a preliminary round match. In the other South game, recently demoted Premier Division team Pleasantville Secondary also needed only one goal to get past home team Point Fortin East Secondary at Mahaica Oval. Pleasantville will now meet Fyzabad Secondary also next week in the quarter-finals.

In the North, the all-Premier Division clash between demoted sides Queen’s Royal College and Fatima College was rescheduled to today after the two teams declined to play the fixture yesterday because of short notice of the fixture.

Up to press time, a venue for the clash had not been decided. However, moving on yesterday were Tranquillity who edged Diego Martin Central 3-2 at Fatima Ground. They now move on to meet Trinity College Moka on Monday. Joining them were Diego North who thumped Blanchisseuse Secondary 4-1. Diego North will now meet East Mucurapo Secondary in the quarters, also on Monday.

Yesterday’s scores:

North Zone InterCol prelims
Tranquillity 3 Diego Central 2
Diego North 4 Blanchisseuse 1

South Zone prelims
Moruga 1 Siparia West 0
Pleasantville 1 Pt Fortin 0

Girls Zonal Championship semi-final
Diego Martin Central 3 Signal Hill 1

Today’s matches

East Zone prelims
San Juan North v Barataria South, St George’s
Holy Cross v Valencia, El Dorado East

Tobago Zone prelims
Goodwood v Scarborough, Mt Pleasant
Mason Hall v Bishop’s High, Mt Pleasant

[Tallman]

WATCH: Queen’s Royal College out for redemption as they get ready to face Fatima College in Intercol

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/CkCvCMXbeyA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/CkCvCMXbeyA</a>

[RichGFootball]

Tobago Zone Quarter-Final

Mason Hall v Scarborough, Mt Pleasant. 3pm
Goodwood v Bishop’s High, Mt Pleasant. 5pm

Moruga, Diego North move on in InterCol
T&T Express

Moruga Secondary, Pleasantville Secondary, Tranquillity Secondary and Diego Martin North Secondary all progressed to the zonal quarter-finals when the 2016 Coca-Cola InterCol competition kicked off yesterday.

In the South Zone, Moruga earned a quarter-final date next week Wednesday with defending national champions Naparima College when they edged Siparia West Secondary 1-0 at the Point Fortin West ground in a preliminary round match. In the other South game, recently demoted Premier Division team Pleasantville Secondary also needed only one goal to get past home team Point Fortin East Secondary at Mahaica Oval. Pleasantville will now meet Fyzabad Secondary also next week in the quarter-finals.

In the North, the all-Premier Division clash between demoted sides Queen’s Royal College and Fatima College was rescheduled to today after the two teams declined to play the fixture yesterday because of short notice of the fixture.

Up to press time, a venue for the clash had not been decided. However, moving on yesterday were Tranquillity who edged Diego Martin Central 3-2 at Fatima Ground. They now move on to meet Trinity College Moka on Monday. Joining them were Diego North who thumped Blanchisseuse Secondary 4-1. Diego North will now meet East Mucurapo Secondary in the quarters, also on Monday.

Yesterday’s scores:

North Zone InterCol prelims
Tranquillity 3 Diego Central 2
Diego North 4 Blanchisseuse 1

South Zone prelims
Moruga 1 Siparia West 0
Pleasantville 1 Pt Fortin 0

Girls Zonal Championship semi-final
Diego Martin Central 3 Signal Hill 1

Today’s matches

East Zone prelims
San Juan North v Barataria South, St George’s
Holy Cross v Valencia, El Dorado East

Tobago Zone prelims
Goodwood v Scarborough, Mt Pleasant
Mason Hall v Bishop’s High, Mt Pleasant

[Tallman]

WATCH: Highlights of Valencia Secondary’s 2-1 win over Holy Cross College in an East Zone Intercol preliminary match.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Po8EuuNHu3o" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Po8EuuNHu3o</a>

[Tallman]

SSFL to rule on Princes Town vs Carapichaima
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)

Princes Town Secondary, favourites to claim the top position in the Championship Division play-off of the Shell/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League, face their darkest hour today as they are to receive the outcome of a disciplinary hearing that stemmed from Tuesday’s postponed match with Carapichaima East.

Tuesday’s game at the Carapichaima Recreation Ground was not played after referee Anton Gill found that the uniform colours of both teams were too similar. In such a situation, the away team (Princes Town) is expected to facilitate a change of uniform, in accordance with the FIFA rules.

Yesterday Princes Town manager Robert Warner said his team will know its fate today after members of the disciplinary committee of the SSFL that comprised SSFL chairman and ex referee Merere Louis Gonzales, secretary Gerald Elliot and general secretary Phillip Fraser asked for time to deliberate on the matter after meeting with representatives of the schools—Warner (Princes Town) and Karen Ince of Carapichaima at the Carapichaima school, yesterday morning at 11 am.

Gonzales said they are awaiting a report from a significant party in the match which was expected to be received yesterday evening, before a decision can be made.

Warner told the Trinidad Guardian yesterday however that he was confused as his team wore bright yellow tops for the match while Carapichaima wore green.

He said it was also brought to his attention that referee Gill is a past student of Carapichaima, which was also raised at the meeting. Today’s outcome could either lead to the game being replayed or the result being awarded to the home team (Carapichaima) based on the away rule.

The southerners are currently second on the standings on three points from two matches while Carapichaima are in third by virtue of an inferior goal difference, as they also have three points from two games.

Tobago champs Speyside Secondary currently lead the standings with four points from three games, but the Central zone winners would take the top spot if they are awarded the match today. Warner said his team has the option to appeal the decision if it goes against them.

According to Warner: “I expect justice to be served and I am confident that justice will prevail.” He described the issue as totally uncalled for, saying that apart from the uniforms being of different colours, that Carapichaima had another uniform at their disposal which they could have facilitated his team with, in the interest of allowing the game to be played, but they refused to lend it.

“We spoke to the Carapichaima management to get the uniforms to use but we were refused by someone saying that Carapichaima was not obligated to help his team,” Warner explained.

He added: “All we want is for the outcome of the match to be settled on the field and nowhere else. It is a game and the boys from both schools would prefer to play the match than have it being decided at a meeting.” Attempts to contact Carapichaima representatives proved futile. 

Action continues today in the championship division play-offs with Princes Town going up against Trinity College East at home from 3.30 pm and Carapichaima facing Malick Secondary on the Patna Recreation Ground, Diego Martin from the same time.

[RichGFootball]

Tobago Zone SSFL

Intercol U19 Quarter-Final

3 Mason Hall v Scarborough 2
1 Goodwood v Bishop’s High 0

Girls Big 4

3 Diego Martin Central vs Signal Hill 1

Friday 4th November. 2pm kick off

U14

Signal Hill vs Bishop's @ Signal Hill Sec.
Goodwood vs Light and Life @ Goodwood
Speyside vs Scarborough @ Speyside
Roxborough vs Mason Hall @ Roxborough

[Tallman]

Fatima sends Royalians packing in shoot-out
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Fatima College capped off long-time rivals Queen’s Royal College woeful 2016 Secondary Schools Football League campaign with a 5-4 penalty-kicks win after a 1-1 deadlock in their Coca-Col North Zone preliminary round clash at St Mary’s College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, yesterday.

With both teams already assured of competing in the North Zone Championship Division next year, after finishing the 15-team Shell/First Citizens SSFL Premier Division in the bottom-three along with Pleasantville Secondary, the battle was on to see which team would extend its life in the prestigious knockout competition.

QRC was first to strike through Keyshawn Villafana but Justin Araujo-Wilson replied for Fatima to send the match into penalty-kicks, where former national Under-17 captain, Jean-Paul Rochford crashed the Royalians third attempt off the cross-bar.

With the win, Fatima set up a quarterfinal meeting with fourth placed Premier Division finishers and multiple former zonal and national Inter-Col champions, St Anthony’s College on Wednesday November 9 at the same Serpentine Road, venue.

In the two preliminary matches on Wednesday, Tranquillity Secondary edged Diego Martin Central Secondary 3-2 and Diego Martin North spanked Blanchisseuse, 4-1.

In the East Zone, national Under-17 player, Brandon Semper netted a hat-trick to lead San Juan North Secondary past Barataria South 8-1 in their quarterfinal at the Barataria Oval. Renaldo Boyce and Jerome Cyrus scored two goals each and Miguel Garraway, the other for San Juan North while Darren Daniel got Barataria South’s consolation item.

Joining San Juan North in the semifinals was Valencia Secondary, after its come-from-behind 2-1 defeat of Holy Cross College at El Dorado East Secondary Ground. Travis Byron put Holy Cross ahead in the 11th minute which it held until Keron Kelly’s 47th minute equaliser for Valencia.

Kurdell De Verteuil then got the decisive item for Valencia in the 69th after which they held on for the victory and a semifinal spot.

And over in Tobago, Gered Louis also scored a hat-trick as Mason Hall Secondary held off Scarborough Secondary 3-2 in the first match of a quarterfinal double-header at Mt Pleasant. Louis scored in the 28th for a 1-0 lead before Kareem Agard drew Scarborough level in the 51st.

Seven minutes later Louis got his second to restore Mason Hall’s 2-1 lead and then completed his treble in the 75th to push the margin to 3-1. Dawson Guy got a second item for Scarborough two minutes into time added-on, but it was too late.

Bishop’s High School of and Goodwood Secondary contested the second quarterfinal at Mt Pleasant last night.

Today, action shifts to the Central Zone where three matches are on schedule from 3.30 pm.

Results

Yesterday 
Preliminary round

North:
Fatima 1 (Justin Araujo-Wilson) vs QRC 1 (Keyshawn Villafana) - Fatima won 5-4 on penalty-kicks

Quarterfinals
East
San Juan North 8 (Brandon Semper 3, Renaldo Boyce 2, Jerome Cyrus 2, Miguel Garraway) vs Barataria South 1 (Darren Daniel)
Valencia High 2 (Keron Kelly 47th, Kurdell De Verteuil 69th) vs Holy Cross (Travis Byron 11th)

Tobago
Mason Hall 3 (Gered Louis 28th, 58th, 75th) vs Scarborough Sec 2 (Kareem Agard 51st, Dawson Guy 90+2)

Today 

Central Zone quarterfinals
A- Presentation (Chaguanas) vs Couva East Sec, Carapichaima East Grd, 3.30pm
B- Gasparillo Sec vs Tabaquite Sec, Edinburgh 500 Rec. Grd, 3.30 pm

C -Chaguanas North vs Miracle Ministries PHS, Couva East Sec Grd, 3.30 pm

Monday

South
Princes Two West vs Vessigny Sec, Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, 3pm
Shiva Boys vs St Benedict’s, Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, 5pm

North
East Mucurapo vs Diego Martin North, St Anthony’s Grd, Westmoorings, 3.30pm
Trinity East vs Tranquillity, Fatima Grd, Mucurapo Road, 3.30 pm.

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