The inaugural semifinals of the ISSA Rural Area Burger King Under-14 and Mighty Malt Under-16 football competitions commence this afternoon at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in Santa Cruz. This critical stage of the tournament features a double-header that will determine the first finalists.
Cornwall College enters both matches with undefeated records on the line. Their Under-14 squad faces Garvey Maceo in the 2:00 pm opener, while their Under-16 team clashes with Rusea’s High in the 4:00 pm fixture. All matches are play-to-finish encounters, with victors advancing directly to next week’s championship finals.
The second set of semifinals is scheduled for Thursday at Glenmuir High School, featuring William Knibb Memorial against Belair High in the Under-14 category and Clarendon College versus Glenmuir High in the Under-16 division.
Cornwall College’s remarkable season includes just one draw each for both teams, occurring simultaneously during the quarter-finals. The Under-14 team secured a 1-1 draw against defending champions Glenmuir High, while the Under-16 squad battled to a 2-2 stalemate with Munro College. Both teams demonstrated resilience by winning their subsequent two matches to top their respective zones.
Garvey Maceo, having finished second to William Knibb on goal difference alone in their quarter-final group, aims to return to championship glory after previously securing consecutive titles. Meanwhile, Rusea’s High’s Under-16 team seeks redemption for their junior squad’s twin 3-1 defeats against Cornwall College in both the second round and quarter-finals. The Hanover-based institution accumulated four points in the quarter-finals with one win, one draw, and one loss, maintaining an even goal difference of three scored and three conceded.