Excelsior Eagles eyeing Manning Cup glory
Published:Friday | December 5, 2025 | 12:09 AMGregory Bryce/Staff Reporter
It has been 17 years since Excelsior High last lifted any schoolboy football title, and 21 years since they last lifted the coveted Manning Cup trophy, a fact head coach Keon Broderick and his charges are keenly aware of.
Excelsior have built a reputation as one of the top teams in schoolboy football, but their last hold on a title came in 2008 when they won the Walker Cup knockout competition.
Their last hold on the Manning Cup title came in 2004, when they defeated Calabar High 3-1 at the National Stadium.
Broderick said the school community is hungry for another taste of schoolboy football glory, and believes his players have what it takes to go all the way.
“The target is to go all the way this year,” Broderick said.
“Of course they are hungry and the coaching staff and management team are hungry to get a title here at Excelsior High.”
Excelsior are into the final eight of this year’s competition after topping their group in the round of 16.
The Broderick-led team started the round with a 3-0 win over Wolmer’s Boys, but stumbled in their second match, falling 1-0 to St Andrew Technical (STATHS).
They recovered quickly to claim the group’s top spot by edging Tivoli Gardens High 3-2 in a close affair.
Broderick said their goal was the make it to the quarterfinals, before they start dreaming of success.
“We ticked one of the boxes ... and that was to get into the quarterfinals and once we reach into the last eight then we can look into how we approach each game,” Broderick said.
“We’re in the quarterfinals now and we’re moving on to bigger and better things.”
They are drawn in Group A of the quarterfinals, alongside Charlie Smith High, Hydel High and many-times champions Jamaica College (JC).
Excelsior will first play hosts to JC tomorrow at Stadium East, before an away fixture against Hydel on Wednesday, December 10 at Spanish Town Prison Oval.
They will close out the round with a home fixture against Charlie Smith on Friday, December 12 at their school field.
The top two teams in the group will advance to the semi-finals of the Manning Cup and also qualify for the ISSA Champions Cup.
The next two teams will instead compete in the quarterfinals of the Walker Cup competition.
GETTING IT RIGHT
Excelsior are no strangers to a deep-runs in schoolboy football, having made it to the final of the Walker Cup last year, but were turned back by Mona High 4-1.
Added with missing out on the under-16 title last year when they fell to STATHS, Broderick said his players are ready to go one step further.
He said the team is more balanced and a better defensive unit than last year, which will serve them well in crucial games.
“Last year we were in the Walker Cup final and in terms of the strength of the team, we’re now very solid and balanced. Defensively we’re better this year and the statistics show that,” he explained.
“As it relates to the hunger, of course these boys are hungry. A lot of these boys lost the Walker Cup final last year. A lot of these boys as well lost the under-16 final last year so they are hungry.”