Youth football history was made on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia over the weekend, as Mabouya Valley turned in a dominant performance to secure back-to-back Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA) Under-12 Boys’ Championship titles, capping off a remarkable three-season unbeaten streak in regulation play. The clash, held Saturday at the SLFA Technical Centre in Grande Riviere, Dennery, ended in a resounding 2-0 victory for Mabouya Valley over final opponent Desruisseaux, with dynamic midfielder Zackin François delivering a match-winning second-half brace to carry his side to glory.
What makes Mabouya Valley’s latest title win even more impressive is the team’s roster turnover heading into the tournament. Only two players from the previous championship-winning squad returned to compete this year, but the retooled side never looked out of step, with François stepping up as the undisputed leader of the group. The playmaker broke the game open early in the second half, netting his first goal of the match in the 38th minute, before extending the lead just six minutes later. On the second goal, François showcased his poise and clinical ability by rounding Desruisseaux goalkeeper Jerlani Neptune – who would later be honored as the tournament’s best goalkeeper – to put the result beyond doubt.
François’ dominant tournament performance earned him a haul of individual accolades to go alongside his team title. He finished the competition with eight total goals, tying Gros Islet’s Keemany Ferdinand for the tournament’s Golden Boot. In his third and final eligible year competing in the U-12 championship, François also took home honors for best midfielder and the overall most valuable player (MVP) of the tournament. He was not the only individual award winner from Mabouya Valley, either: defender Zaied Willie, François’ schoolmate at Richfond Combined School, retained his title as the tournament’s best defender, matching his honor from the previous year.
This latest title adds to Mabouya Valley’s already impressive recent record in the competition. In 2024, the side reached the final but fell to Canaries in a penalty shootout after a drawn match in regulation. Last year, they cruised to a 3-0 regulation win over Vieux Fort to claim the title, with François notching the third goal of the contest to seal the victory.
In the tournament’s third-place playoff, Marchand pulled off one of the most dramatic comebacks in the competition’s recent history to claim bronze over Gros Islet. Gros Islet jumped out to a commanding 3-0 lead by halftime, with goals from Lionel Hippolyte and Ferdinand, plus an own goal from Marchand’s Keegan Joseph. But Marchand turned the tide completely in the second half, with strikes from Jamal Edward, Messiah John, and Keylan St Juste leveling the score at 3-3 by full time. The match went to penalties, where Marchand held their nerve to claim the third spot in the final rankings.