SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — STETHS coach Omar Wedderburn said he always knew Zone E would be a difficult group to navigate in this season’s ISSA/Flow daCosta Cup competition.

Last season, upstarts Lacovia High broke the STETHS-Munro College duopoly on Zone E after beating the latter for the second inter-zone spot.

And after five games this season, Lacovia, plus the other surprise package BB Coke High, are again playing spoilers, this time sitting at the top the group, while STETHS and Munro struggle for form.

But Wedderburn said: “I’m not surprised. I’m always telling people that this is one of the most competitive groups, but they are only just seeing the evidence now.

“That is why we have to rise our game every time we go out on the field.”

And he argues that this experience, having to catch up, can only make STETHS a better team going forward.

He said: “Look at what we have been through this season and still have the belief? I mean, we are not really used to this, and a maybe another team would give up. But we don’t know how to do that.

“So I think this should make us stronger as a unit and give us the confidence to push on.”

STETHS, who are third on eight points, will look to regain control of Zone E when they host leaders Lacovia, who have a game in hand, in a return fixture in Santa Cruz.

A victory could see them topping the group for the first time this season.