Reigning champions Mona High produced a six-star performance to start the second round of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel Manning Cup as they hammered St Jago High 6-0 in a lopsided Group One affair at Stadium East Field on Friday.

A brace from Javier Dunn (30th, 56th), and one each from Denzel McKenzie (11th), Demarion Harris (37th), Carlton Brown (67th), and goalkeeper Riquelme Edwards with an 83rd-minute penalty conversion, did the damage for Mona High.

The win saw them take an early lead in the group, which also includes Campion College and St George’s College.

Earlier, St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) came from behind to hold Wolmer’s Boys to a 2-2 stalemate in the curtain-raiser of the double-header. Both STATHS and Wolmer’s Boys have a point in Group Three, with Hydel and Kingston College set to lock horns in the other group fixture on Saturday.

In the feature contest, Mona were always favoured to come out tops given their impressive run of form so far this season, while St Jago progressed as one of the best third-placed teams.

It took Mona little time to assert their authority on the encounter as McKenzie drove home a firm effort from just over 20 yards out for his 13th of the season.

The lead was doubled in at the half-hour mark when Dunn slammed home a right-footer past Adriano Lawrence in goal for St Jago to finish off a decent build-up.

Harris then got in on the act seven minutes later as he fired home after St Jago failed to clear their lines from a corner to put Mona 3-0 up at the break.

The one-way traffic continued on the resumption as St Jago’s lone clearest shot on target was Reece Roman’s 54th-minute shot from a distance.

Two minutes later, Dunn extended Mona’s lead when his intended cross swirled towards goal and left the hapless Lawrence beaten all ends up.

As if things couldn’t get worse for St Jago, Brown struck what might arguably be the goal of the season as he unleashed a delightful drive from the top of the centre circle that gave Lawrence no chance at a save.

Edwards then capped the win with an easy conversion from the 12-yard spot after Brown was felled inside the danger area.

Earlier, STATHS came from behind twice, including a stoppage time equaliser to deny Wolmer’s Boys three points.

Wolmer’s opened the scoring in the seventh minute when captain Daquan Duhaney comfortably slotted home from close range.

However, the lead was short-lived as STATHS pulled level through Kennardo Gordon, whose deflected effort flew past Wolmer’s goalkeeper Yuri Dryden.

Wolmer’s regained the lead in the 34th minute courtesy of Alex Wright’s easy tap-in.

STATHS launched a series of attacks in the hunt for the equaliser and would have had on a few occasions, but for some excellent glovework by Dryden, who literally three his body on the line to keep Wolmer’s in front.

But, STATHS were not to be denied, as they inevitably got back on level terms when Ajetai Marshall fired home in the 90+5 minute to keep his team in the hunt for a quarterfinal berth.

The top two from each group will contest the quarterfinals.

It was certainly a Wolmer's reunion when Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce came to the JOA's Commonwealth Manor at the very "vibes" Edgbaston Hotel and Conference Centre in Birmingham where the Commonwealth Games is taking place. 

JOA President, Christopher Samuda, and JOA Secretary General/CEO, Ryan Foster, who both hail from the prominent Marescaux Road educational institution, Wolmer's Boys' School, welcomed their "sistren' Shelly-Ann, who attended Wolmer's Girls' School, and was on a doctor's visit to Birmingham. 

The Commonwealth Manor in Birmingham is the second edition of the current administration of the JOA, the first having been held at the snazzy and popular Helm Bar in the Gold Coast, Australia, where the 2018 Games took place. 

Shelly-Ann said "yes this is Wolmer's" in an evident show of scholastic camaraderie as she identified with the governors of JOA. 

Samuda, in embracing the collegiate and national spirit, stated: "We are Wolmerians, the maroon and gold champions, and black, green and gold patriots" while Foster, inspired by the enviable history of his alma mater, was moved to say "changemakers and innovators we are and servant leaders we will always be"

Defending champions Edwin Allen hold a 12-point lead over St. Jago High after 14 finals on day two of the 2021 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Kingston College failed to add to their point tally but still hold a sizeable lead over their rivals.

The Clarendon-based juggernaut began the day on 71 points, trailing both Hydel, who 76 points and leaders St Jago High on 81. However, Edwin Allen picked up 10 points in the early exchanges in the Class I shot put competition where Monifa Allen picked up seven points for finishing second with a throw of 12.79m and her teammate Daveina Watson got three more for her sixth-place finish after throwing 11.88m.

Rusea’s High School’s Leonie Samuels won the gold medal with her put of 13.21m while St Jago’s Kayla Davis-Edwards won the bronze with her effort of 12.67m.

At the conclusion of the event, St Jago had 87 points but Edwin Allen had climbed into second place with 81 points. Hydel remained on 76 points.

Meanwhile, Edwin Allen picked up an additional six points when Toniann Allen jumped 5.22m in the Class 4 long jump that was won by Natrilia Campbell of Wolmer’s Girls, who leapt out to a mark of 5.42m. Rihanna Campbell of St Catherine High was the silver medalist having jumped 5.40m.

The defending champions then extended their lead over St Jago when Rashida Samuels cleared 1.73m to win the Class 2 Girls High Jump to defeat Malaika Cunningham of Wolmer’s who cleared 1.70m for the silver medal and Anishka McDonald of Vere Technical who claimed the bronze with 1.65m.

The Class 2 discus was won by Cedricka Williams of Holmwood Technical who established a new record of 47.04m breaking the record of 46.69m set by Vere’s Marie Forbes in 2018.

Damali Williams of Edwin Allen won the silver medal with her best mark of 43.72m while Brittanie Johnson of Camperdown secured the bronze medal throwing 42.32m.

At the conclusion of that competition, Edwin Allen had amassed 108 points to St Jago’s 96. Hydel was further back in third on 82 points. Wolmer’s are in fourth place on 42 points while Holmwood Technical lies fifth with 30.50 points.

Kingston College remained atop the standings despite failing to add to their overnight points tally in the only boys' final today.

The Class 2 long jump was the only boys final on Wednesday and St Jago used the opportunity to close the gap on the leaders as Balvin Israel gave the St. Catherine-based school nine valuable points when he leapt 7.32m to claim victory.

His victory has St Jago on 40 points, just 15 behind KC.

Amari Officer of St George’s College took the silver medal with his jump of 7.16m while Nathan Wade of Calabar was third with 7.13m.

The third-place points mean Calabar ended the day on 37 points. St Elizabeth Technical and Jamaica College as 30 points for joint fourth place.