St James announce daCosta Cup intentions

Richard Bryan, Gleaner Writer

St James High made a strong statement of their intentions for the upcoming schoolboy football season, comprehensively defeating daCosta Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and corporate area representatives Bridgeport High to win the four-team STETHS Cup at the weekend.

On Saturday at the STETHS field in Santa Cruz, the 2008 daCosta Cup champions outscored Bridgeport 4-2 in the first game of the series but left their best for last, turning in a spectacular second-half performance to hammer defending champions STETHS 4-1on Sunday to emerge champions.

That game was locked 1-1 at half-time, but Jason Malcolm exploded to score a hat-trick on the resumption to dethrone the homesters and land St James their first hold on the two-year cup.

Main objective

On Saturday when Hugh Solmon spoke to The Gleaner, he listed as his main objective, using the tournament to gel the team that had lost in the semi-finals to Manchester High and no longer has the services of three key players, John Barrett, Rushane Reid and Sanjay Moore.

The STETHS win has now opened his ambitions for a serious crack at regaining the daCosta Cup.

"We played well in parts against Bridgeport, but the STETHS game was even a better one. We were far more composed and more organised defensively. If we keep focused and play as a team we should do well," said Solomon.

They began the STETHS tournament well as Alwayne Barrett, who later copped the top midfielder award, scored an early penalty and were 2-0 up after 19 minutes, before Bridgeport pulled one back through Adrian Crooks in the 28th minute.

Cion Peterkin, who outshone regular forward Allan Ottey upfront, then produced the first of his two magical strikes in the 38th minute for a 3-1 lead, and then the best of the afternoon from 25 yards in the 72nd.

In other games of the two-day tournament, home team STETHS won 1-0 against Garvey Maceo, while on Sunday, Bridgeport defeated Garvey Maceo 2-1.

'We were far more composed and more organised defensively. If we keep focused and play as a team we should do well.'