Kingston College moved to fourth place in Zone A after clipping Calabar 1-0 for their first win of the season in the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup.
Zone leaders Hydel were leading Camperdown 5-1 at halftime before the rest of the game was called off due to lightning. Charlie Smith, who are second in the Zone, also had their game against Penwood called off at halftime with a 3-0 lead.
In Zone D, STATHS got their second win in as many games with a 4-0 win over Clan Carthy.
In Zone F St. George’s College secured a 2-1 win over Campion College while Waterford beat Ardenne 3-0.
A Zone G clash between St. Jago and Wolmer’s Boys was also called off at halftime due to lightning with St. Jago leading 2-0.
In a celebration of legacy and the beautiful game, the 13th edition of the David “Wagga” Hunt (DWH) Football Classic is set to ignite the Mona Bowl, UWI in St. Andrew, Jamaica, on Saturday, August 12, 2023. A thrilling triple-header will kick off at 2:00 p.m., promising a day of football fervor and camaraderie that transcends rivalries.
Amid the picturesque backdrop of the Mona Bowl, fans will witness a captivating display of football prowess, kicking off with a scintillating clash between Shortwood United FC, a 2023 KSAFA Major League Semi-Finalist, and JDF, the 2023 KSAFA Major League Winner. This encounter is anticipated to set the stage ablaze, setting the tone for an electrifying afternoon.
As the sun dips below the horizon, the stage will be set for the masters’ game, pitting Pelicans FC against the Kingston Commissioners. It's a clash that promises nostalgia and passion, as seasoned players bring their skills to the field.
However, the crescendo of the afternoon will resonate through the much-anticipated annual showdown for the DWH trophy. Kingston College (KC) and Calabar High School (C’bar) will lock horns in a Manning Cup clash that transcends mere competition. This timeless rivalry holds a special place in the hearts of fans, with the winner not only claiming victory but also embodying the spirit of unity and respect.
A significant highlight of the event will be the presentation of the Paulette C. Rhoden trophy to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Manning Cup game. The late Mrs. Rhoden, former patron of the event, left an indelible mark on the football community. This year, Ambassador Stewart Stephenson, Past-President of KSAFA, assumes the role of patron, adding to the event's prestige.
Amidst the excitement, the classic will pay homage to the late Bancroft "Banky" Gordon, a true football luminary. As a former Excelsior High School Manning Cup player, his legacy transcended the field, with academic brilliance and a humanitarian spirit. His memory will be etched into the proceedings, with a plaque presented to Shortwood United FC, a team he graced with his exceptional talent.
The DWH Football Classic isn't just a day of thrilling football; it's a testament to the power of sport in shaping lives. Established in 2009 by the David "Wagga" Hunt Scholarship Foundation, the event is both commemorative and a fundraiser. It serves to honor the legacy of David "Wagga" Hunt, an alumnus of Kingston College, who revived Calabar High School's football program, guiding them to their first Manning Cup title in 28 years.
As the games unfold, the spirit of unity and camaraderie will flourish. The mantra "we can be rivals but not enemies," echoes the late David "Wagga" Hunt's philosophy, fostering a culture of friendly rivalry and respect. Beyond football, Hunt's legacy extends to various sporting disciplines, including track and field, where he pioneered the Champs Preview Magazine, chronicling the achievements of athletes at the ISSA High School Boys & Girls Championships.
The younger brother of David Hunt, Christopher Hunt, Co-Chair of the foundation, shared his pride in the Foundation's accomplishments. In an exciting development, the annual scholarship disbursement per recipient will increase from J$100,000 to J$150,000 in the upcoming school year, along with grants of J$500,000 to each school for a project of their choice.
The anticipation is palpable, as Jamaica-based Co-Chair Arnold "Dullo" McDonald expressed gratitude to faithful supporters over the years. Overcoming the challenges of the past three years, the event is set to shine brighter than ever. The afternoon promises to be an unforgettable blend of football, memories, and shared purpose, a fitting tribute to a great Jamaican and a meaningful cause.
Corporate donors like VM Group, Supreme Ventures Limited, Proven Wealth, and overseas sponsors like GraceKennedy Foods (USA), Steuart Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and Spencer Financial have rallied behind the foundation's mission.
The public is invited to partake in this afternoon of camaraderie, with a contribution of J$1,000 for adults and J$500 for students with ID.
Kingston College successfully defended their Championship of America High School Boys 4x400m title on day two of the 127th Penn Relays at the Franklin Field.
The team of Amal Glasgow, Marcinho Rose, Raheem Richards and Emmanuel Rwotomiya combined to run 3:15.62 to take the title ahead of New Jersey’s Seton Hall Prep (3:16.06) and Calabar (3:16.54).
KC also found themselves on the podium in the 4x800 where they finished second in 7:47.68, narrowly being beaten by New Jersey’s Chatham (7:47.66) while St. Elizabeth Technical were third in 7:49.45.
Rugby League Jamaica wrapped up its 13-a-side high school championships on Monday when both the U14 and U16 finals were played at Campion College.
The games marked the first time since the Covid pandemic that the Championships have been played in full and saw over 200 student athletes participate. The Cedar Grove Academy placed teams in both finals, a remarkable achievement, seeing they had already won the U19 title last November. However, they were denied the sweep as opponents Calabar High (U14s), and Campion College (U16s) craved out narrow victories.
In the U14 finals, Calabar were chasing their own piece of history as they sought to become the first High school team to win 5 consecutive age grade Championships. They achieved this with a narrow and hard fought 18-14 score line. The match had several lead changes and was tied 14-14 at fulltime.
The contest was decided in overtime by Amare Anderson who scored a break away try on Calabar’s first set of six. Other scorers for the winners Jhaidan Williams with a try and finals MVP Tevez Tulloch with10 points from 2 tries and a goal. Meanwhile, for Cedar Grove, Laquan Burton, Christian Campbell and Shamar Cunningham each scored a try and Nathan Brown kicked a goal.
Calabar coach Derone Davis said, “We are extremely proud of our performance. Cedar Grove is a very good team and played a great match, they’d beaten us in the round robin stage and so we knew we had to dig deep in the finals. We held our composure well in the second half and overtime and it paid off, it means a lot to have one more Championship in this age grade.”
The U16 finals was also a hotly contested affair as both Campion and Cedar Grove chased their maiden U16 National title. Campion took an early first half lead through prop Ehinome Ehikhametalor, but Cedar Grove immediately hit back through Tajay Brown. The scores remained tied until late in the second half when Ehinome crashed over for his second and decisive try, his performance cementing him as the finals MVP.
Campion’s coach Andrew Dixon said, “The boys worked hard throughout the season, and it all came together for them. Our season was built on being able to defend well and this enabled us to overcome a very talented Cedar Grove outfit today. Overall, we are just happy to bring Campion its first U16 rugby league Championship, it means a lot to this team.”
Defending champions Kingston College are still undefeated in the 2022 ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup after securing a comfortable 3-0 win over rivals Calabar at Calabar on Saturday.
KC now leads Group A with 12 points after four games, two points ahead of Waterford who hammered Meadowbrook 5-0 at home. KC’s North Street neighbors and 22-time Manning Cup winners St. George’s College are third on nine points after a 3-0 win at Ardenne.
30-time champions Jamaica College got their third straight win and fourth in five games with a 10-0 demolition of St. Mary’s College at St. Mary’s College. JC now leads Group B with 13 points, the same amount as St. Catherine High who beat Holy Trinity 3-0 at the Spanish Town Prison Oval on Friday. Cedar Grove scored an upset 2-1 home win over St. Jago in the group’s other Saturday game.
Charlie Smith beat Haile Selassie 2-1 in a Group C top of the table clash at the Tony Spalding Sports Complex to move to 14 points from five games, one ahead of their opponents. The group’s other games saw Bridgeport and Edith Dalton play out a 1-1 draw at Dunbeholden and Vauxhall lose 1-2 to Tivoli at home.
STATHS moved to 14 points to remain at the top of Group D after a 2-2 draw with Norman Manley at home. Jonathan Grant is still second after a 3-1 win over Dunoon at Excelsior while Spanish Town beat Tarrant 2-1 at the Spanish Town Prison Oval in the other game.
Mona High continued their red-hot form in Group E with a 6-0 win over Kingston High at Breezy Castle, their sixth win in as many games. Mona are now six points ahead of their closest challengers, Wolmer’s, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Camperdown on Friday at the Alpha Institute, their second straight loss after winning their first four games. Hydel beat Papine 3-0 at Royal Lakes to move to 10 points from their six encounters.
Group F play saw Excelsior go to Kingston Technical and scrape a 2-1 win to move to 13 points from five games, maintaining a two-point lead over Campion College who beat Clan Carthy 1-0 at home. Jose Marti is third on seven points after a 5-1 win over Cumberland at home.
Andrew Price has been appointed as Head Coach of Calabar’s Manning Cup team, the school announced in a statement on Friday.
Price is a seasoned coaching professional with over 30 years of experience as a player and coach.
He was the National Premier League’s Coach of the year in 2012 and was the assistant coach of the Reggae Girlz team that participated in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Additionally, Price continues to mentor and support youngsters through the Boys’ Town Football Club, with whom he has been associated for the past 20 years.
According to the statement released by Calabar on Friday, Price will be “responsible for the overall football programme and for coaching the Under-19 football team to develop students’ skills so that they may excel in football.”
The statement continued: “He is expected to deliver a competitive programme that contributes to the holistic development of the students in keeping with the school’s objective of producing rounded, capable young men with excellent leadership skills.”
Calabar are three-time winners of the Manning Cup with their latest triumph coming in 2005.
Corey Bennett has been appointed the head track and field coach at Calabar High School, the school announced Wednesday.
Bennett replaces Michael Clarke, whose tenure at the Red Hills Road high school, ended with his resignation in March. Clarke led Calabar High to nine of their 28 titles at the ISSA Boys and Girls’ Championships.
Bennett was head coach at Hydel High School, transforming them into a perennial contender challenging Edwin Allen’s dominance of the championships over the last decade. He was also an assistant coach at St Jago High School and Wolmer’s Boys.
Bennett has big shoes to fill at Calabar, the second most successful high school at Boys Champs if he is to equal or surpass Clarke’s legacy.
According to a statement released by Calabar on Wednesday, the new head coach will be responsible for “leading and managing the track and field programme and for coaching the team within the established school guidelines.”
The statement continued: “It is expected that he will build on the well-established foundation laid by his predecessors to hone and execute, along with his team, a competitive programme that is marked by exemplary sportsmanship, athletic excellence and unquestioned integrity while safeguarding the educational welfare of the student-athletes, all within the framework of the school’s mission.”
In recent years, Bennett has been instrumental in the development of some of jamaica's most outstanding junior athletes including NCAA 400m silver medallist Charokee Young, Carifta 2022 200m champion Brianna Lyston, Kerrica Hill and Alana Reid.
Bennett was recently the head coach of Jamaica's team for the 49th edition of the Carifta Games held in Kingston in April.
Jamaica won a record 92 medals at the championships including 45 gold medals.
Edwin Allen’s Class I Girls 4x100m team stole the show at Saturday’s staging of the 2022 Gibson/McCook Relays at the National Stadium in Kingston.
The quartet of Serena Cole, Tina Clayton, Brandy Hall and Tia Clayton had a string of flawless baton exchanges to eventually cross the finish line in a time of 43.37 seconds, a new meet record and high school world record.
They finished more than a full second ahead of Hydel who ran 44.40 for second place while St. Jago finished third in 45.50.
Edwin Allen also took the girls Class 4 4x100 in 48.81 and the 4x200m Open in 1:35.91.
Hydel High girls won the Girls Class 2 4x100m in 44.62 and the 4x400m relay in 3:33.76.
Holmwood Technical was also in record-breaking form in the Girls Sprint Medley with 3:55.77 to better the previous meet record of 4:00.83.
Meanwhile, Jamaica College’s 4x800m team was also in fine form, running a new meet record of 7:24.30 to finish almost 12 seconds ahead of second-place finishers Kingston College who ran 7:36.21. St. Jago was third in 7:45.46.
JC smashed the previous meet record of 7:31.71.
Kingston College won two of the four sprint relays, running 44.36 and 45.99 to win Classes 3 and 4, respectively.
The Class 1 4x100m was won by St. Jago in 40.26 ahead of JC (40.40) and St. Catherine High (40.50) while Calabar stormed to victory in Class 2 in 42.19 ahead of KC (42.26).
St. Jago also won the final event of the meet, the boys’ 4x400m in 3:10.48 ahead of KC (3:11.43) and JC (3:12.49).
JC won the Boys’ Sprint Medley in 3:30.82 ahead of KC (3:31.53) and Calabar (3:38.40).
There were also some standout performances from the seniors on display, namely Tissana Hickling and Lushane Wilson.
Hickling won the Women’s Long Jump in 6.70m and 100m in 11.85 while Wilson leapt to a new personal best 2.21m to win the Men’s High Jump.
Jamaica College hammered Kingston High 7-0 at home for their third win of the season.
The Old Hope Road-based school now moves to the top of Group A with 10 points from their five games, ahead of Kingston Technical who have nine points from four games.
In a stunning result in the other Group A encounter at JC, Calabar High beat St. George’s College 7-1, the biggest defeat the North Street-based school has had under coach Neville Bell.
Calabar moves to fourth place in the group with seven points from five matches, while St. George’s falls to fifth with six.
In the only Group B fixture on the day, St. Jago High and group leaders, Camperdown, played out a 0-0 draw at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.
Camperdown remains at the head of the group with 16 points from six matches, while St. Jago moves to fourth on eight.
Mona High returned to second place in Group C after a 1-0 win over Wolmer’s at Stadium East.
In Zone A Dacosta Cup action, Cornwall College got a 1-0 win over Herbert Morrison at William Knibb to move to second in the zone on 13 points, one point more than their opponents today.
In the second game at William Knibb, the hosts were stunned 1-0 by Holland High to ruin their unbeaten record.
It is only the second win for Holland this season and moves them to fifth in the zone on six points while William Knibb remains top of the zone with 15 points from six matches.
In a rescheduled Zone E fixture, Clarendon College scored a mammoth 16-1 win over Claude McKay to move to second in the zone ahead of their quarterfinal playoffs.
The quarterfinal playoff round fixtures for Zone E will now be held on Saturday, December 4th, and Tuesday, December 7th while for Zones C, F, and G, they will be played tomorrow and Saturday.
Charlie Smith defeated Calabar High 1-0 in game one of a group A doubleheader at Stadium East as ISSA Digicel Manning Cup action continued today.
Andre Gibbs got the goal for Charlie Smith in the fourth minute.
Charlie Smith now have three wins in five games and join group leaders, Kingston Technical, on nine points.
Jamaica College got their second win of the season in the second game of the doubleheader with a 6-0 thrashing of St. Georges College, who lost their second game in a row and are now in danger of missing out on qualification to the quarterfinals.
Captain, Duncan McKenzie, got a hat trick for JC with goals in the 11th, 25th, and 39th minutes with the other goals coming from Marlon Pennicooke in the 15th, Dwight Merrick in the 52nd, and Tarick Ximines in the 63rd minutes.
That win now moves JC to third in group A on seven points, one more point than St. Georges on fourth.
Kingston High and Bridgeport played out a 0-0 draw in the third group A game of the day at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.
In group C, Wolmer’s officially got their first points of the season with a 3-0 win over Clan Carthy at Jamaica College.
They originally won their first game against St. Mary’s College 13-0 but that result was deemed null and void after St. Mary’s College withdrew from the remainder of the competition.
They are now fourth in group C on 3 points with three matches left.
In daCosta Cup action, Garvey Maceo and Vere Technical officially booked their spots in the next round from zone F.
Garvey Maceo won five out of five for a perfect 15 points after beating Foga Road 3-1 at Foga Road in their 3:30 match.
Earlier, at Foga Road, Vere secured their spot in the next round with a 3-1 win over Kemps Hill.
Old Harbour beat Central High 3-1 in the other zone game at Garvey Maceo.
Garvey Maceo topped the zone with 15 points and will be joined in the next round by Vere who finished second with ten points.
In zone B, Mannings and Godfrey Stewart were both winners in a doubleheader at Llandilo.
Mannings got by Petersfield 2-0 in the 1:15 pm game, while Godfrey Stewart beat Green Island 3-0 in the 3:30 pm encounter.
Rusea’s beat Frome 1-0 at Wespow Park in the other zone game.
Mannings lead zone B with 10 points followed by Frome on nine with Petersfield third on seven.
Bellefield clipped Belair 1-0 at Manchester in zone D action.
A beatdown at Kirkvine saw Manchester High put 12 past Alston while conceding none in their 3:30 pm fixture.
Manchester now leads zone B with 10 points and are still yet to concede a goal in the group stage.
Christiana are second in the zone, also with 10 points while Bellefield are third with eight.
In the lone zone H match of the day, Brown’s Town beat St. Mary High 7-0.
Kingston Technical produced another impressive performance to remain at the top of group A as Manning Cup action continued today.
Goals from Worrell Nelson in the 2nd minute, Beeko Smythe in the 21st minute, and Tadane Williams in the 63rd minute propelled them to a 3-1 win over former champions, St. Georges College, in the first match of a doubleheader at Stadium East.
Lamonth Rochester got the goal for St. Georges College in the 11th minute.
Kingston Technical head coach, Shaun Charlton, pointed to his team’s discipline as a reason they were able to get the job done.
“We have discipline within the team and persons who want to show Jamaica, and by extension abroad, that there is talent in the inner city,” he said.
The second game of the doubleheader saw Kingston High beat Calabar 1-0 to register their first win of the season.
Bridgeport beat Charlie Smith 1-0 in the other group game at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.
Kingston Technical remains on top of the group with nine points followed by Charlie Smith in second with six and St. Georges College in third, also with six.
Meanwhile, in zone B Dacosta Cup action, a doubleheader at Llandilo saw one goal being scored between four teams.
Green Pond and Petersfield played out a 0-0 draw in the first encounter while the second game saw Godfrey Stewart secure a 1-0 over former champions, Rusea’s.
Frome Technical beat Green Island 4-0 in the 3:30 kick-off at Wespow Park.
Frome now moves to the top of the zone with nine points followed by Mannings in second with seven and Petersfield in third, also with seven points.
In zone D, Bellefield thrashed Alston 7-0 and Manchester beat Belair 2-0 in a doubleheader at Manchester.
In the other zone D game, Christiana secured a 2-1 win over Holmwood at Kirkvine.
Christiana still leads zone D with 10 points. Manchester and Bellefield are second and third with seven and five points respectively.
In Zone F, Garvey Maceo maintained their perfect record in the group stage so far with a 3-0 win over Central High at home.
The second game of the day at Garvey Maceo saw Vere Technical get a 2-1 win over Foga Road.
Garvey Maceo leads zone F with 12 points and Vere are second with seven.
McGrath beat York Castle 4-1 in the first game of a zone H doubleheader at Drax Hall.
Charlemont got a 5-2 win over St. Mary High in the second game.
With the win, Charlemont move to the top of the zone with eight points while Dinthill sits second on seven and Ocho Rios are third on five.
Proper time management and self-discipline might sound like clichés, but it is exactly what has propelled Jamaica College’s Digicel Manning Cup Captain Duncan McKenzie to nine CSEC Subjects – all grade 1s with eight straight A profiles.
The 17-year-old player, who as a precocious 15-year-old netted three goals and had eight assists as Jamaica College (JC) won their 30th Manning title in 2019, is now trusted with the task of leading the “Dark Blues” this season to defend their crown and to lead his school’s pursuit of a record 31 Manning Cup titles.
The pressure has never been an issue for McKenzie based on his ability to successfully balance school work and sports over the years even as he is expected to lead with distinction on the field as he did in the classroom.
While in third form, he aced his Human and Social Biology CSEC examinations with a Grade 1 and a straight-A profile and followed up with passes in English A, English B, Mathematics, Spanish, Physics, Information Technology, Principles of Business and Principles of Accounts.
“I believe the key to balancing school work and football is proper time management and self-discipline. From a very young age, this has been emphasized by both my parents and I have learnt to structure my time well,” said McKenzie.
“Yes, it is difficult to strike the balance but it can be achieved. My advice to the younger generation is to practice good habits from early so that they become routine”.
Young McKenzie who idolizes Lionel Messi and loves Barcelona, one day hopes to play football at the highest level.
“I aspire to play football professionally. However, I would still like to pursue a degree in Accounting or Business Management,” he explained.
JC drew their opening match against Calabar 0-0 on Saturday and is joint third in what is arguably the group of death that includes five former champions in early group leaders St George’s College and Charlie Smith High School.
However, McKenzie is confident his team will rise to the challenge.
“I believe that we have a talented and highly motivated squad that is capable of defending our title,” said McKenzie.
“Playing without spectators is a new and strange experience. I believe that it lessens the performances of all teams in the competition.
“We are all aware of how important it is to have fan support at matches. They spur teams on and provide additional motivation for players to perform well. I hope that in the near future, we will be able to bring back fans safely to the games.”
JC has again been tagged as favourites but McKenzie is not taking any team lightly.
“As a result of the pandemic, there are a lot of unknowns. Consequently, I regard all teams in the competition as challengers for the title,” he said.
Calabar High and Legacy Track Club coach Nicholas Neufville is being remembered as a brother and best friend by members of the track and field fraternity mourning his tragic passing.
Jamaica’s Track and Field community, especially at Calabar High and Legacy Track Club are in mourning today following news of the death of respected track and field coach, Nicholas Neufville.
Track Coach Omar Hawse believes the Legacy Athletics is beginning its journey as a track club with one of the best group of athletes any club in Jamaica has ever started with.
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