Jamaica’s All-Schools national youth team commenced their CASA Youth Classic title defense in impressive fashion on Friday, securing a commanding 4-0 victory against Tekkerz FC at Lauderhill Sports Park, Florida.
The young Reggae Boyz demonstrated remarkable adaptability and finishing prowess, with St Catherine High’s Kadean Young leading the offensive charge with a brace in the 8th and 76th minutes. Excelsior High’s Kimarly Scott extended the lead shortly after halftime in the 50th minute, while STETHS’ Kaieem Lewis completed the comprehensive victory with a 62nd-minute strike.
Head coach Keon Broderick emphasized the strategic importance of the opening match triumph, noting initial challenges with the artificial turf surface. “The first half began somewhat tentatively as most players were unfamiliar with the astroturf conditions,” Bronderick explained to the Jamaica Observer. “However, once they adjusted to the playing surface, the team settled into an effective rhythm.”
Broderick elaborated on the tactical shift that enabled their second-half dominance: “Our opponents performed commendably in the first period, but our lead forced them to adopt a higher defensive line after halftime. This created exploitable spaces behind their defense which we instructed our players to target with penetrating runs – instructions they executed perfectly.”
While praising the overall performance, the coach maintained perspective: “This represents a solid foundation that we can certainly build upon as the tournament progresses.”
The defending champions continue their campaign against ESP in their second group stage match Saturday evening at 8:30 PM local time, with qualification for Sunday’s championship final as their primary objective.