PONDSIDE, Hanover — Aaron Lawrence got his tenure as head coach of former champions Rusea’s High off to a winning start as they blanked Merlene Ottey High 3-0 in their ISSA/LIME daCosta Cup Zone B game played at Pond Side, Hanover, yesterday.

Deshawn Beckford, Christoffe Young and Farakan Wilson scored for the 10-time champions as they lead the zone ahead of Frome Technical, who beat Green Island High 2-0.

Jermaine Clarke and Ekron Scott scored for Frome as they avenged a loss to Green Island late last year that cost them an automatic place in the inter-zone round.

Muschett High and William Knibb got their Zone C campaigns off to positive starts with wins over Herbert Morrison High and Spot Valley, respectively.

Muschett High won 3-1 to lead the zone, while William Knibb scored early and held on to beat Spot Valley 1-0.

In one other game, Steer Town beat Brown’s Town 2-1 at Drax Hall in a Zone I game.

Twenty-seven more games will be played today with seven schools seeking a third straight win and an eighth school — Old Harbour High — going after three wins from four games.

Defending champions St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and Lacovia from Zone E, Mile Gully in Zone F, Clarendon College in Zone H, Marcus Garvey and Cedric Titus in Zone I and Charlemont High in Zone K will all be seeking to join St Mary Technical, who won their third straight on Thursday.

Marcus Garvey Technical and Cedric Titus will meet each other at Drax Hall in what is expected to be a close game.

Marcus Garvey won both games between the two teams last season and should have the edge today against Cedric Titus, who came into the season after a shorter-than-usual pre-season and are still trying to get into a rhythm.

STETHS and Lacovia High should stay tied on points after today’s games as they will face Maggotty High and Newell, respectively, two schools with one point combined from four games played so far.

Last year STETHS beat Maggotty 6-0 and 4-0, while after drawing their first game last year, Lacovia beat Newell 3-0 in the return round.

Also in Zone E, former champions Munro College will seek to rebound from their shock loss to Lacovia on Wednesday with a win over BB Coke.

Mile Gully will have things tough in their quest for a third-straight win as they will face Manchester High in Mandeville. Mile Gully has scored four goals in the two games played so far, while Manchester have matched that tally in their lone win, against DeCarteret College earlier this week.

Clarendon College, winners of two games, will take on Lennon who have drawn both games played in Zone H.

Charlemont High are one of the surprise teams in the daCosta Cup this season and after scoring just three points last season, will start favourites to win a third game when they take on Ewarton in Zone K.

Old Harbour High have already played three games but drew one and will go after a third win that will see them at least maintain their lead in Zone N.

Vere Technical are unbeaten after three games played to be on five points and will face Tacius Golding.

A number of other schools will be seeking to protect winning starts and two of them, Cornwall College and Anchovy High, who both won their first games, will meet at Jarrett Park in a Zone A game.

The winners will take over the lead from St James High as Green Pond and Irwin will also meet as they both seek their first win of the season.