STETHS, Glenmuir square off

Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Western Bureau:It's down to one final game in the 2012 ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup football competition and it promises to be a thrilling affair, as two of the country's leading schools in rural high football, Glenmuir High and St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), clash this afternoon at the Montego Bay Stadium in Catherine Hall starting at 4 p.m.

It has been a long, hard road to the final with both schools outshining their respective opponents, while fine-tuning their skills for the big day.

Now that that day is here, only one thing rests on their minds, and that is to win the most coveted of all schoolboy rural football titles.

mental capacity

"We cannot underestimate our opponents but we are going to win it," explained Omar 'Rambo' Wedderburn, the STETHS coach.

"This has been our aim all season. It means that if we don't win the cup, they are champions, and that would have meant we failed. So coming into this game our mental capacity is high. The players know what is expected of them, that Glenmuir will be tough opponents, but we are ready to win," reasoned Wedderburn.

While STETHS, the Ben Francis KO winners, hunt a rare three titles for a daCosta Cup team in one year, Glenmuir are hoping to lift their first title since 2006.

The Jackie Walters-coached Glenmuir last made the final a year later in 2007 but lost out on the big prize to Garvey Maceo. This time, however, they are bent on taking the trophy home.

"A win for us would signal that we are a successful team and it would mean a lot to all associated with Glenmuir," stated Walters.

"The players are eagerly awaiting it (the final) and are ready for a keenly contested game," he said.

For STETHS it's simple, defeat Glenmuir and keep alive their chances of lifting all three titles on offer this year, having already locked away the Ben Francis KO title.

STETHS will look to top goalscorer Khesanio Hall for victory, while Ricardo Dennis is expected to be one of the leading players for Glenmuir.

Past winners

1950 Munro College

1951 Munro College

1952 Munro College

1953 Cornwall College

1954 No competition (polio epidemic)

1955 Cornwall College

1956 Cornwall College

1957 Munro College

1958 Cornwall College

1959 Cornwall College

1960 Abandoned because of attack on referee

1961 Munro College

1962 Munro College

1963 Cornwall College

1964 Munro College

1965 Vere Technical

1966 no competition

1967 Vere Technical

1968 Vere Technical

1969 Vere Technical

1970 Vere Technical

1971 Vere Technical

1972 Abandoned (shooting in MoBay)

1973 No competition

1974 STETHS

1975 Vere Technical

1976 Vere Technical

1977 Clarendon College

1978 Clarendon College

1979 Dinthill Technical

1980 Vere Technical

1981 Dinthill Technical

1982 Cornwall College

1983 Cornwall College

1984 Rusea's Comprehensive

1985 Rusea's Comprehensive

1986 Herbert Morrison

1987 Rusea's Comprehensive

1988 Herbert Morrison

1989 Rusea's Comprehensive

1990 Rusea's Comprehensive

1991 Clarendon College

1992 Rusea's Comprehensive

1993 Rusea's Comprehensive

1994 Clarendon College

1995 Cornwall College

1996 Clarendon College

1997 Abandoned (teachers' death threats)

1998 Clarendon College

1999 St Elizabeth Technical

2000 Cornwall College

2001 Cornwall College

2002 Rusea's High

2003 Frome Technical

2004 Glenmuir High

2005 Godfrey Stewart

2006 Glenmuir High

2007 Garvey Maceo

2008 St James High

2009 St Elizabeth Technical

2010 Rusea's Comprehensive

2011 Rusea's Comprehensive