Cornwall ready for title charge

WESTERN BUREAU:

Thirteen years. That is how long daCosta Cup's most successful school, Cornwall College, have not lifted a title.

All that could change if everything aligns as planned this year by head coach Dr Dean Weatherly.

"Based on the experience of the team which is there now, I believe we can win the title this year," he said confidently.

Weatherly is right in that this Cornwall College squad is the strongest it has been in almost a decade, featuring 96 per cent of the players from last year.

With the likes of the ultra-talented Peter-Lee Vassell and captain Jourdain Fletcher among the standout players from last year, Cornwall are featured as one of the schools with an outstanding chance to win their 12th lien.

COMPETITIVE YEAR

The bulk of the squad is built around their success at the Under-16 level, where they won the national title in 2012.

"It will be competitive this year, and we have a good chance to go deep into the competition based on the fact these players have matured and are more experienced, plus we have seen the players become more mature, which bodes well for the season," said Weatherly.

"Cornwall should be in a position to break the drought this year," reasoned the doctor, whose team has won 11 championships, one more than Rusea's.

"This season, we hope to put things right, having had to deal with a number of issues last season that derailed our plans. But we are back with the majority of our starting 11, minus two players, and are in a position to do really well," said Weatherly.

TITLES

While they thirst for another daCosta Cup title, there is little doubt how much Weatherly and his talented squad of players will also want to cap the season by winning the Ben Francis KO crown, as well as the Olivier Shield and the (FLOW) Super Cup to underline their longstanding status as one of Jamaica's best.

DaCosta Cup wins (11): 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1982, 1983, 1995, 2000, and 2001-02.

Ben Francis KO wins (6): 1983, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2001, and 2003.

Olivier Shield wins (11): 1929, 1930, 1931, 1940, 1953, 1955, 1958, 1959 (shared), 1963, 1983 and 2000.