STETHS daCosta Cup programme goes into recovery overdrive

ST ELIZABETH Technical High School’s (STETHS’) daCosta Cup programme is picking up the pieces left in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa marked by the 4-0 thrashing of St George’s College (STGC) in a practice match yesterday at Winchester Park.

In the first of three practice games in Kingston, STETHS returned in tip-top shape to lead a first-half goalscoring frenzy.

Kaieem Lewis’ brace, alongside goals from Kenoy Banton and Justin McPherson, saw STETHS racing to a 4-0 lead within the first 30 minutes, a lead they held until the end of regulation time.

The practice match is the first in a series of games being used as preparation for the return of the daCosta Cup.

STETHS will next face Jamaica College (JC) on Tuesday before taking on Kingston College (KC) on Friday.

Neil Harrison, a member of STETHS’ coaching staff, said it was important for the players to return to the field as soon as possible following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Harrison said, although one game is not enough to get a true test of the players’ readiness, he was pleased with the team’s performance in spite of a disruption in their training.

“I’m pleasantly surprised. This is our first game after the disaster and, to see the kind of spirit in which the boys played, it shows the physicality is still there,” Harrison said.

“The importance of this game is to see where their mental state is, and they pretty much have showed some grit. They have showed that they have not lost everything,” he continued.

“It will take more than a game per se in order to have a real look in. You want to play different oppositions based on their strengths, weaknesses, and things like that, to see how best we can capitalise going forward.”

Harrison said STETHS are hoping to keep their momentum rolling as they target a successful daCosta Cup season.

STETHS are in the round of 16 of the rural competition and stand as one of the title contenders.

They have enjoyed a strong run-in to the last 16, finishing atop their first-round group with five wins and four draws.

STETHS extended their unbeaten run into the second round, where they finished atop their group with a perfect record of three wins.

Something to lift the spirits

Before the daCosta Cup’s postponement, they had started the round of 16 with a 4-0 win over Kemps Hill.

“The physical, the mental and the psychosocial aspect has had a serious impact, and I think we needed something like this to really lift the spirits,” he said.

“We were on a momentum before Melissa and we want to ensure that we are still in that state when the real competition restarts.”

He added, “We know what it was before Melissa, so we want to see what it is like after.”

Harrison said the decision to resume the daCosta Cup has also been well received by the players, who were eager to return to normalcy.

“They have always been asking us if the competition is going to continue, so we know they are looking forward to it,” he said.

“Even coming out from the country, driving out from where the devastation is, to come into the city and to see a different light and to have this kind of spirited game from St George’s, I think they are very enthusiastic and looking forward for the competition to start again.”

His words were echoed by ISSA president and STETHS’ principal, Keith Wellington.

Wellington assured the decision to restart the daCosta Cup was made following discussions with the various schools impacted by the hurricane, and taking the players’ feelings into account.

“The schools were involved in the discussion and they would be fully aware of what our decision was, and they would have been fully involved with the decision-making process,” Wellington said.

“The players are happy. They are really happy, and the decision was made in their interest and we can see that they’re happy to play. They wouldn’t have played in about three weeks, so we’re happy they can get the chance to come out and blow away the cobwebs.”

The Manning and daCosta Cups are to return on November 28 and November 29, with the round of 16 for both competitions.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com