THE fast-paced, gripping, manic and widely anticipated ISSA/LIME schoolboy football competitions kick off today with the traditional double-header at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex on the outskirts of Montego Bay today.

In the first contest, Manning Cup champion Jamaica College (JC) will tackle Jonathan Grant High in Group G at 2:00 pm.

In the feature of the double-bill, daCosta Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) will start the defence of their rural title when they meet BB Coke at 4:00 pm in Zone E.

For the first time in the history of the Manning Cup, all the zones will be in action on the opening day, and some teams will have their second match just two days later on Monday in what will be a hectic schedule of games this time around.

However, the Manning Cup format remains the same and will be contested by 38 teams consisting of seven groups. Four zones will have five teams each, while the other three zones will have six combatants.