The inaugural staging of the First Half Only 45 Schoolboy football Extravaganza, is expected to ignite the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall on Saturday, as six Manning and daCosta Cup schools will vie for cash prize and a title to boost their confidence ahead of the upcoming ISSA schoolboy football season.

This groundbreaking tournament, set to take place under the patronage of Mayor of Montego Bay, Richard Vernon, promises an exhilarating day of competition and community spirit, beginning with an exciting “kickoff” ceremony led by the Mayor.

The evening's highlight features electrifying matches between St. Catherine High, Rusea's High, William Knibb High, Cornwall College, Manchester High, and Irwin High Schools. Each team is prepared to showcase their best in this specially curated tournament, with the winning school set to pocket a grand prize of JMD$500,000.

Dr. Dean Weatherly, Head coach of Irwin High School, welcomed the initiative, which aims to revitalize interest in schoolboy football across Jamaica, broaden its fan base, and attract investment from football governing bodies and corporate entities into grassroots football development.

“The 45 Minutes tournament is a great concept and is one where we can see the other talents that exist in Western Jamaica as well as to see where we are in our training sessions. As far as the tournament goes, it is one that people need to come out and watch as they’ll be seeing some great young minds at work and talent on the field,” Weatherly declared.

St. Catherine High’s Anthony Patrick echoed similar sentiments.

“It's a welcomed opportunity, one we are looking forward to, and one that will benefit our players immensely, especially the youngsters we want to showcase this schoolboy season, ones who will be graduating this year. The 45-minute format is crucial—winning in the first half is always crucial so this concept encourages a different type of sportsmanship, we'll be putting our best foot forward to make an impact and allow the young talent to shine,” Patrick shared.

For Mayor of Montego Bay, Richard Vernon, the sport presents limitless opportunities for community and individual development in Jamaica, particularly in the Western part of the island.

“The sport has experienced a significant decline in Western Jamaica in recent years, evidenced by the success of teams at the national and schoolboy levels. Therefore, all support is needed to revitalize the discipline and provide an outlet for youngsters to be meaningfully engaged,” the Mayor said.

“It also provides unique advantages for sports tourism in western Jamaica, with Montego Bay being among the top destinations globally. As such, I'm vested to reimagine and rebuild Western football by playing a key role,” he added.

Meanwhile, Erin Mitchell of sponsors Wisynco, pointed out that lending support to the initiative was a no-brainer.

“Schoolboy Football is a crucial pillar for many of our brands, and we are proud to support this initiative in the west, reinforcing our commitment to schoolboy football in Jamaica,” Mitchell noted.

Pre-sold tickets are $1,000 and $2,500 for Bleachers and Grandstand, while tickets at the gate, are $1,500 and $3,000. Pre-sold tickets are available at Western Sports,