A highly anticipated Walker Cup final matchup is set after both defending champions Mona High and St. Catherine High secured dramatic 3-2 victories in their respective semifinal clashes at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
In the opening semifinal, Mona High secured their place in a second consecutive final by edging past a tenacious Charlie Smith side. The victory was fueled by goals from Franklyn Mitcham in the 38th minute, Savi-K Morton just four minutes later in the 42nd, and a decisive strike from Joenaldo Payne in the 59th minute. Charlie Smith demonstrated remarkable resilience, twice equalizing through Orlando Grant (39th) and Anthony Bryan (44th), launching a relentless offensive in the final stages. However, Mona’s defense held firm under intense pressure to clinch the narrow win.
The second semifinal saw St. Catherine High exact a measure of revenge against Kingston College (KC), the team that had defeated them in last year’s Manning Cup final. St. Catherine’s triumph was spearheaded by a brilliant brace from Dwight Gentles, who found the net in both the 7th and 69th minutes. The impressive Kadean Young added a crucial third goal in the 44th minute. Despite a valiant late effort from KC, which included a spectacular long-range goal from Jamal Fraser in the 85th and a first-half stoppage-time strike from Kajay Fletcher, their comeback fell just short. KC was criticized for a performance lacking urgency and intent for large portions of the match, ultimately missing a golden opportunity to equalize in the final seconds.
The stage is now set for a captivating final this Friday. Mona High, the 2024 champions, will be pursuing their second Walker Cup title, while St. Catherine High aims to claim its third crown, adding to previous victories in 2019 and 2021.