Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Pre-season favourites Wolmer's Boys', last year's beaten finalists Charlie Smith and perennial front-runners Excelsior High all made a winning start in the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel Manning Cup Corporate Area schoolboy football competition yesterday.

Wolmer's defeated Kingston Technical 5-1, Charlie Smith outclassed Ardenne 8-0, while Excelsior were in rampant mood, blanking Campion College 12-0.

Jorghino James, with a double, led the way for the Ludlow Bernard-coached Wolmer's, who in the off-season saw several marquee players opting to attend their sixth form.

Charlie Smith, in the meantime, who are being conditioned by long-standing coach Jerome Waite, were led to victory on a four-timer from Lennox Russell and three goals from Shannon Brown.

At Campion, Excelsior's thumping was made possible by a six-timer from midfielder Brian Richards.

Using his pace and strength to telling effect, Richards opened his account in the seventh minute before going on to increase his tally in the eight, 16th, 58th, 59th and 82nd.

Kareem Banton and Shaquille Sanchez, who both netted a brace, and substitutes Colorado Murray and Cadine Graham, also scored for Excelsior.

"Campion is a weak team, but the good thing is that we scored a lot of goals," said Excelsior's coach Leebert Hallimam, whose charges led 5-0 at half-time.

"We lost 10 players to other schools, but what we have now is a young and committed bunch and the hope is that we will be able to grow from strength to strength as the competition progresses."

Campion's coach, Alvin Shaw, whose tactic to play an open game with a fairly young team, left more questions than answers and he was at a loss for words.

"All I can say is that it is work in progress," said Shaw.

"Most of the players don't play any football outside of the school and as such we have to be patient about their development. I look forward to us improving."

Yesterday's Results

Group A

Campion 0 Excelsior 12

Group B

St Jago 5 Mona 0

Waterford 0 Camperdown 1

Group C

Dunoon 0 Clan Carthy 3

Cumberland 2 Denham Town 2

Group D

Calabar 2 Bridgeport 0

Group E

Jonathan Grant 0 Holy Trinity 1

St Catherine 0 Ascot 0

Group F

Kingston Tech 1 Wolmer's 5

Ardenne 0 Charlie Smith 8