Western Jamaica’s most anticipated youth football competition is poised to get underway this Tuesday at Wespow Park in Tucker, St James, where one program will chase a milestone no other local primary school has ever reached. Hosted by the St James Football Association in partnership with the Victoria Mutual Foundation, the annual Under-13 championship will open with a tightly scheduled double header that puts the tournament’s most dominant dynasty front and center from the first kick.
Corinaldi Avenue Primary School, the three-time reigning back-to-back-to-back champion of the competition, will launch its bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title in the opening match of the 2024 season. The program has built a legendary legacy over the past three tournaments, not only claiming the title every year but doing so in extraordinary fashion: Corinaldi Avenue finished its last championship run undefeated and did not allow a single goal against any opponent throughout the entire tournament. Their opening test will come against Maldon Primary, with kickoff slated for 10:30 a.m. local time.
The day’s second matchup will feature another exciting clash between two top contenders, as 2023 tournament runners-up Chetwood Primary will face off against Irwin Primary at 11:45 a.m. This year’s iteration of the championship has drawn a total of 20 participating primary schools from across the region, who have been divided into four five-team groups for the preliminary round robin stage. Following the conclusion of zone play, the top two finishing teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinal round, where the remaining competition will shift to a single-elimination knockout format that leaves no room for error for squads vying for the crown.
The 2024 tournament also brings notable changes to the field of participants. Winners Prep will mark its debut as the only first-time entry to the competition this year, while three familiar programs are making their return to the tournament after time away: DMP Academy, Montego Bay Prep, and Adelphi Primary all rejoined the field for this season’s championship, adding new layers of competition to what is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting editions of the regional youth football event.