In a thrilling conclusion to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premiership division season, Naparima College captured their sixth league title under the current format with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Signal Hill Secondary on November 27th. The championship marks a triumphant return for head coach Angus Eve, who previously guided the southern school to back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 before his stint with Trinidad and Tobago’s national teams.
The title race came down to the final matchday with three teams separated by just three points. Naparima’s victory at Lewis Street in San Fernando propelled them to 37 points, narrowly edging out southern rivals St Benedict’s College (36 points) and Signal Hill Secondary (34 points). The Tobago-based Signal Hill squad saw their championship hopes dashed despite a late consolation goal from Raevion Marshall via an 83rd-minute penalty.
Eve, who concurrently coaches TT Premier Football League side Club Sando, acknowledged the challenges of returning to school football after his time with national teams. ‘There were a lot of adjustments for me,’ Eve told reporters amid the celebrations. ‘I thought there were a lot of good teams in the league. There are a lot of well-organized teams and you saw that with four teams fighting for the title up to the last day.’
The veteran coach implemented a strategic shift in his approach this season, emphasizing both defensive solidity and attacking freedom. Naparima conceded just eight goals in 15 matches while scoring 42—the fourth-highest total in the division. ‘We want to play efficient football,’ Eve explained. ‘We allowed the players in the front part of the pitch to express themselves and have the freedom to play within the structure of the team.’
Eve paid tribute to previous Naparima coaches Reynold Carrington, Travis Mulraine, and Anthony Sherwood while emphasizing the importance of understanding the school’s football culture. ‘Sometimes, if you don’t know the culture of the place, you may not perform to the optimum in the environment,’ he noted.
The championship victory demonstrates Eve’s continued coaching prowess as he balances multiple roles while maintaining his reputation for developing organized, difficult-to-beat squads capable of delivering results when it matters most.