CATHERINE HALL, St James — Defending schoolboy football champions St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS) and Jamaica College made impressive starts to their respective competitions at yesterday’s official opening game played at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

STETHS’s Donjay Smith and Jamaica College’s Ackiem Shackleford scored hat-tricks for their respective schools as STETHS, the daCosta Cup champions, welcomed BB Coke back to Zone E with a massive 9-0 whipping. Jamaica College, meanwhile, ran over Jonathan Grant 5-0 in their Manning Cup opener.

All-island champions Jamaica College, fuelled by a first-half hat-trick from new recruit Shackleford and two late goals from Junior Flemmings, overpowered Jonathan Grant in their opening Group G game that started half-hour late due to the late arrival of team gear.

Jamaica College finished the game with 10 players after defender Zeron Sewell was sent off in the 43rd minute after he pulled down the impressive Keshane Bedward, who had got past the defence and was the only bright spot for Jonathan Grant.

Jamaica College coach Miguel Coley said “this was not one of our best performances, but we will get better and build on this”.

Coley, who led Jamaica College to two titles last year in his first season as head coach, said the team played in patches.

“We started positively but lost too much possession in midfield, so in the second half, the aim was not to concede any goals and to keep possession,” he said.

Shackleford, who played for Grange Gill High in the daCosta Cup last season, scored the season’s first hat-trick when he scored from close range in the 15th, 28th and 29th minutes as Jamaica College outclassed their opponents.

Flemmings added two late goals as he scored in the 86th and 88th minutes against a now-tired and frustrated Jonathan Grant team.

In the other Group G game, St Andrew Technical High School got the points after Kingston Technical turned up without their match identifications.

Smith one of the few leftovers from the STETHS starting line-up last season, scored in the 20th, 62nd and 82nd minutes, while Jovoney Brown scored twice in the second half.