2023 SSFL Thread

[Flex]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Deeks]

A boom alack a boom alack.
who are we ?
We are the Boys from QRC!!!!!!!!!


 

[Tallman]

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."

[Tallman]

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)

[Flex]

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

[Flex]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Deeks]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Deeks]

Who betting against QRC Today?

[Tallman]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Flex]

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).

[Flex]

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

[Tallman]

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.”

[Flex]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Tallman]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Deeks]

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.

[Flex]

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.

[Flex]

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!