It’s down to the top eight in the INSPORTS National Primary Schools’ Netball and Football competitions with four football games set to kick off on Thursday.

Defending all-island netball champion St Patrick’s of Kingston will be joined in the quarterfinal round by Corinaldi (St James), Savanna-La-Mar (Westmoreland), Brompton (St Elizabeth), Bethabara (Manchester), Half-Way-Tree (St Andrew), Lyssons and White Horses (St Thomas).

St Patrick’s brushed aside Golden Grove of St Ann and will meet Brompton Primary, who defeated Flankers of St James. Corinaldi dismissed New Hope of Manchester to book their date with Savanna-La-Mar, who turned back Irwin Primary of St James.

Former champions Bethabara defeated Black River (St Elizabeth) and will meet Half-Way-Tree who defeated Nazareth of Manchester.

The fourth matchup will be an all-St Thomas affair between Lyssons and White Horses. Lysson dismissed Oracabessa of St Mary, while White Horses defeated Pot Maria also of St Mary.

Meanwhile, a new champion will be crowned in the football competition, as last year’s winners Pembroke Hall were eliminated in the first round.

The teams that made the top eight are St Aloysuis and Rosseau (Kingston), Port Antonio and Port Maria (St Mary), Corinaldi (St James), Clarke’s Town (Trelawny), Mandeville Primary (Manchester) and Holland (St Elizabeth).

There will be four games on Thursday, with St Aloysius and Rosseau set to lock horns at Jamaica College field starting at 11:30am, and Mandeville play Holland at STETHS at 10:00am.

At Annotto Bay MPSC field, Port Antonio tackle Port Maria at 11:30am, while Corinaldi and Clarke’s Town will meet at William Knibb High School at 2:00pm.

In the round of 16, Corinaldi turned back Unity (Westmoreland) 3-0 in their second leg encounter, for a 4-0 aggregate scoreline, while Clarke’s Town beat Bethel (Hanover) 3-0 winning 4-2 on aggregate.

Mandeville defeated Brompton (St Elizabeth) 2-0 on aggregate after playing to a 0-0 draw in the first leg, while Holland defeated Ballars Valley (St Elizabeth) 2-0 for a 3-2 aggregate win.

St Aloysius were the most impressive, as they dispatched Denbigh (Clarendon) 3-0 for 6-0 on aggregate scoreline, while Rousseau registered a hard-fought win over Spanish Town on penalties after both legs ended goalless.

Elsewhere, Port Antonio defeated Enfield of St Mary 4-1 in their second-leg meeting, after a goalless stalemate in the first leg, while Port Maria were impressive in destroying Norwich of Portland 5-0, to win 6-0 on aggregate.

The stage is set for some epic encounters. 

Football Games on Thursday

Mandeville Primary vs Holland Primary @ STETHS at 10:00 am

St Aloysius Primary vs Rousseau Primary @ JC at 11:30 am

Port Antonio Primary vs Port Maria Primary @ Annotto Bay MPSC at 11:30 am

Corinaldi Primary vs Clarke’s Town Primary at William Knibb High School @ 2 pm

Lyssons Primary of St Thomas easily retained their INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits National Primary Schools Athletics title and walked away with a whopping $500,000 at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Lyssons amassed 188 points and were well clear of the St Catherine-based teams Spanish Town (168), Naggo Head (160) and Greater Portmore (105). Harbour View of St Andrew completed the top 5 with 88.5 points.

Lyssons, who won the regional Eastern championship and pocketed $250,000 has now garnered $750,000 for their efforts while Spanish Town, who won the Central title but finished second here, collected $250,000 and $500,000 overall.

Naggo Head collected $200,000 for third while the teams finishing fourth to tenth will get $100,000 each.

The impressive Jevaney Findlay of Spanish Town and Shaquan Reid of Glen Stuart were the Male champions with 18 points while Danelia Clarke of St Patrick’s and Shanayah Jacques of Red Hill were the female overall champions.

Findlay, who has all the high school scouts at his doorstep, won the 200m in style, stopping the clock at 24.63 running into a headwind of -2.1 mps as the record of 24.02 held by Christopher Taylor since 2012 remained intact.

Daniel Buchanan of St Jude’s Primary was second in 26.28 ahead of Andre Genus of Mountainside Primary (26.45).

Clarke captured the girls’ 200m in 26.44 ahead of Rihanna Scott of Rock Hall in 26.60. Chelseann Samuels of Half Way Tree Primary was third in 27.01.

Woodlands Primary secured their first gold courtesy of Rihanna Gayle in the girls Class Two 200m.

Gayle who was sixth in the 100m on Friday, won comfortably in 27.62 (-3.4) ahead of Shanice Williams of Greater Portmore (27.95). Lyssons’ Khalia Raymond was third in 28.10.

Rousseau Primary’s Deandre Parker struck gold in the boys’ Class Two 200m in 26.85 (-2.8), denying Daniel Glave of Red Hills Primary who was second in 27.10, the 400, 200m double. Mercado Williams of Naggo Head was third in 27.13.

Red Hills Primary secured another win as Shanayah Jacques won the Class Three 150m in 21.08 (2.2). Sarah McDonald of Naggo Head was second in 21.39.

Shaquwan Reid of Glen Stuart Primary won the Class Three boys 150m in 20.55 (-3.3) ahead of Davere Walker of Lyssons (20.64). Zidon Morgan of Ascot Primary was third in 21.25.

John Mills showed that they are doing something right in the vertical jumps following Sanique Watt’s victory in the girls’ section and Daquan Dawk’s win in the boys’ equivalent with a leap of 1.54m. Jamar Edwards of Lyssons was second with 1.49m.

In the girls 70m hurdles event, John Mills continued their good form, securing the quinella as Rememha Dixon won in 11.86 and was followed home Kayla Lewis in 12.04.

Hanif Jones of Glen Stuart won boys’ 70 hurdles in 10.74 (-2.0) ahead of Nique Barnes of Naggo Head in 10.77. Daquan Dawkins of John Mills was third in 11.45.

In an impressive display of speed and endurance, Obrian Clarke of Glen Stuart Primary won the boys 800m open in 2:22.76, well clear of Jaylon Campbell of Polly Ground Primary in second with 2:27.50. Rajuan Morgan of Carisbrook Primary finished third in 2:28.16.

Lyssons’ Christassia Pearce took the girls’ 800m in 2:32.60 in a close battle with Renica Coombs of Spanish Town (2:32.76). Christina Clarke of Harbour View was third in 2:35.43.

Spanish Town won the Sprint Medley in 2:00.45 and was just outside the record of 1:58.56 held by New Providence since 2012. Lyssons was some way back in 2:07.48 after battling the winners until the last 200m before fading. St Richards’ closed fast and finished third in 2:07.48.

New Providence struck gold in the 4x200m relay winning in 1:53.20 and held off Naggo Head who were second in 1:53.45. St Patrick’s finished third with 1:53.61.

Fittingly the outstanding boy athlete of the meet, Jevaney Findlay secured his third gold running a scorching second leg setting the stage for an easy win for Spanish Town in the final event, the boys’ 4x200m in 1:47.31.

Naggo Head was second with 1:48.08 and third went to St Jude’s Primary with 1:49.07.

Defending national champions Lyssons Primary of St Thomas, surged to a sizeable 24-point lead after 22 finals entering the final day of the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary School Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Lyssons, the Eastern champions, amassed 110 points to be well clear of Central winners Spanish Town Primary of St Catherine in second on 86 points. Naggo Head and Greater Portmore also of St Catherine are third and fourth with 84 and 77 points, respectively.

St Andrew’s Harbour View Primary rounds out the top five with 57 points.

On a day when news broke that Jamaican star Christopher Taylor faces a possible ban from the sport, 11-year-old Daniel Glaves of Red Hills Road Primary equalled his 300m record of 41.81 set in 2011. Mercado Williams of Naggo Head Primary was second in 42.62 ahead of Chidane Gayle of Lyssons in 43.63.

It was one of two records set on the day as Sanique Watt of John Mills broke the Girls High Jump with a leap of 1.49m in an exciting showdown with Afharia Anderson of Spanish Town, who was second with 1.47m. Zodieon Baker of Lyssons was third with 1.45m.

Lyssons got off to a brilliant start copping 16 points in the first final of the day, the girls’ Cricket Ball Throw courtesy of Taheisha Brown (44.50m) and Aliyhana Alford (43.35m) who were first and second respectively. Jada Adlam of Harbour View was third with 41.22m.

The much-anticipated clash in the Boys Class One 100m between Jevaney Findlay of Spanish Town and Omeco Henclewood of Holy Rosary failed to materialize as Henclewood was disqualified for a false start.

In his absence, Findlay destroyed the field clocking 12.12 (-1.7 m/s) and was just outside the record of 11.90 held by Roje Fearon of St Francis since 2010.  Jahvado Samuels of Barracks Road was second in 12.86 with Ishmael Wilkins of Howard Cooke Primary third in 12.93. 

St Patrick’s Danelia Clarke won the Girls Class One 100m in 12.90 (-1.3m/s). Rihanna Scott of Rock Hall Primary was second in 12.97 with Half-Way Tree’s Chelseann Samuels third in 12.98 in a close and exciting race.

Eric Edwards of Barracks Road won the Boys Class One 400m in 58.02 ahead of Malrick Thomas of Spanish Town with 58.23. Khieme Campbell of St. Catherine finished third in 58.71.

Spanish Town Primary were crowned champions of the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Central Athletics Championship after seeing off Naggo Head Primary and Greater Portmore Primary in a thrilling three-way battle to the line at the GC Foster College in St. Catherine.

Spanish Town amassed 313.50 points as after winning the final two 4x200m relays, emerged 10 points clear of a fighting Naggo Head Primary on 303 with dethroned champions Greater Portmore Primary finishing third with 273 after fading a bit in the latter stages.

St Catherine Primary finished fourth on 110 points with Jericho Primary surprised many with their fifth-placed finish on 98 points. Angels (90), St John’s Primary (77), Homestead Primary (49), Kensington Primary (36) and Bridgeport (35) completed the top 10.

It was a much-improved display from Spanish Town Primary that finished third last year with 225 points, 125 behind Greater Portmore. Having turned it around they walked away with JMD$ $250,000 winning prize.

Naggo Head which led seven points at the start of the final day and held a lead for most of the day, were awarded JMD$200,000 while third-placed Greater Portmore got $150,000. The teams finishing fourth to 10th each get $75,000.

Jevaney Findlay (Spanish Town), Zandane Banton (Greater Portmore) and Mercadco Williams were the Overall Champion Boys with 18 points each. While four girls, Shanice Williams (Greater Portmore), Moesha McLaren, Sarah McDonald (Naggo Head) and Jamilia Alves (Spanish Town), were named Overall Champion Girls.

Each girl also scored 18 points.

Principal Roogae Kirlew, principal of Spanish Town Primary, praised his team and the coaching staff for the extra effort this year fueled by the additional sponsorships.

“I am very, very happy,” he said.

“We have put a lot of work into it and I must thank my PE department and I must name the coach and the parents because we actually camped out this year and put proper nutrition in place for our runners this time around.”

With two of the three regional championships decided with Lyssons Primary of St Thomas winning the Eastern Championship and St Catherine’s Spanish Town the Central champions, the focus now turns to the Western Championship which starts on Thursday (May 11) at the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and concludes on Saturday.

Sixteen teams have already qualified for the National Championship set for May 25-27 and another eight teams will earn spots from the Western Championship.

Lyssons Primary are the defending National champions.

Just as they did last year, Lyssons Primary Schools of St Thomas successfully defended their INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools Eastern Championship amassing a massive 300.50 points and won by nearly 100 as second-placed Harbour View of St Andrew were well back on 201.33 points.
Lyssons Primary, who is also the 2022 National champion, walked away with the JMD$250,000 winning prize while Harbour View collected JMD$200,000. Kingston’s St Patrick’s Primary were third with 112.33 and got JMD $150,000.
Windward Road Primary with 111 points were fourth while John Mill Primary completed the top five with 98.33 points. Teams placed fourth to 10th will get JMD$75,000 each.
Omeco Henclewood of Holy Rosary and Davere Walker of Lyssons were joint overall male champion boys after winning two events and amassing 18 points each. Kayla Lewis of John Mills was the Girl’s overall champion amassing 18 points as well.
The INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools series moved to GC Foster on Monday for the three-day Central Championship (May 8-10) of which Greater Portmore are the defending champion.
Following the Western Championship (May 11-13) there will be the all-island National Championship to be held on May 25-27.

 Teams Combined Rankings - 40 Events Scored
1) Lyssons Primary School 300.50
2) HARBOUR VIEW PRIMARY 201.33
3) St. Patrick's Primary 112.33
4) WINDWARD ROAD PRIMARY 111
5) John Mills Primary 98.33
6) Half Way Tree 91
7) St Richard’s Primary 85
8) Rousseau Primary School 73
9) New Providence 60
10) St Jude’s Primary 55