The ISSA Wata Manning Cup has reached a pivotal stage as the round of 16 teams have been determined following a series of intense matches on Saturday. Defending champions Kingston College (KC) experienced their first setback of the season, settling for a 0-0 draw against Tivoli Gardens High School. Despite this, KC secured the top spot in Zone B with 28 points, while Tivoli Gardens claimed second place with 21 points. Meanwhile, Charlie Smith clinched third place in Zone B with an 18-point tally after a narrow 2-1 victory over Haile Selassie High, who finished fourth with 14 points and missed the cut for the next round. In Zone A, St George’s College edged out Hydel High in a thrilling 4-3 encounter, securing second place with 21 points. Hydel, despite their fourth defeat, advanced as the best fourth-placed team with 16 points. Excelsior High emerged as Zone A leaders with 24 points after a hard-fought 2-2 draw with St Jago High, who slipped to third but still progressed. In Zone D, St Catherine High maintained a flawless record with 10 wins from 10 games, finishing top with 30 points after a 1-0 victory over Eltham High, who secured second place with 24 points. Campion College, third in Zone D, also advanced. The round of 16 has been divided into four groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. Group 1 features Excelsior High, Tivoli Gardens, St Andrew Technical High, and Wolmer’s Boys. Group 2 includes KC, Calabar, Campion, and Hydel. Group 3 comprises St Catherine High, St George’s College, Charlie Smith, and Vauxhall High. Group 4, arguably the toughest, pits Mona High, Jamaica College, Eltham High, and St Jago against each other. The round of 16 kicks off on Tuesday, October 21, promising exciting matchups.