SMS, JPEMSS win, as schools’ football kicks off

Defending champions of the Under-16 Division of the Secondary Schools’ Football Tour-nament St Martin’s and last year’s runners-up in the senior division Dr JP Eustace Memorial were in winners’ row when the 2016 edition opened last Friday at the Arnos Vale One Playing Field.

Featuring the finalists from 2015, St Martin’s again showed their class over Bethel High School, as the two squared off for the Tyrone “Tweety” Spence shield. St Martin’s easily trumped four-nil, with Aeron Collis hitting a hat-trick and the other from Jerron Dopwell. Collis’ triple strikes were registered in the 13th, 44th and 58th minutes, while Dopwell’s item came in the 27th.

Dr JP Eustace Memorial then took revenge on Georgetown Secondary 2-1 in the senior play-offs, as the two institutions vied for the Sylvester “Scobie” Taylor.

A penalty converted by Marcus Dennie in the 7th minute, then a strike from open play by Cordell Franklyn in the 11th, saw DJPEM off to an early 2-0 lead.

Terris Joseph, the Georgetown Secondary’s captain, pulled a goal back in the 27th minute, to add some fight to the proceedings.

Dennie was ejected in the 34th minute for two bookable offences, to leave DJPEM down to 10 men; however, the numerical disadvantage was not capitalized on by the Georgetown Secondary, who won last year’s championship match 2-1, when the two faced off for title honours at the Victoria Park.

When referee Moeth Gaymes blew the final whistle, it was the DJPEM who celebrated the win and the hold on the Sylvester “Scobie” Taylor shield.

Spence and Taylor have contributed to St Vincent and the Grenadines football, both as players and in administrative capacities. Spence was a stalwart defender, who later served as national coach, while Taylor was a nippy striker, who went on to be manager of the senior national team in the 1970’s and was president of the then – St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Association.

Spence died in 2015, while Taylor departed this life in 2010.

Last Friday’s secondary openers were preceded by the primary schools’ version, which began in earnest at the same venue.

For the 2016 tournament, 21 schools, divided into four zones, will compete for honours in the primary schools’ division; 17 contest the junior category of the secondary schools, and 21 are listed in the senior component.

The Lodge Village Government is the reigning primary schools’ champion.(RT)