CATHERINE HALL, St James — daCosta Cup champions Cornwall College will kick off the defence of their 13th title today when they take on Green Pond High in a Zone A tilt, in the official opening game set to start at 6:15 pm at Montego Bay Sports Complex.

It will be the second game of a double-header, as Manning Cup champions Jamaica College open their title defence in the first game against St Andrew Technical High School at 4:00 pm.

The most successful team in the history of the daCosta Cup competition will put a 24-game unbeaten run in Zone A — dating back to the 2013 season — at stake, in addition to a perfect 18-win season in 2016 on their way to their record 12th title.

Meanwhile, three fewer schools will be battling for honours in the daCosta Cup after their withdrawal earlier this week.

Aabuthnott Gallimore High from Zone I Annotto Bay High from Zone L and Winston Jones High from Zone M have joined Maude McLeod High, who had withdrawn from Zone D a month ago.

Their withdrawal leaves 87 schools, in the country’s largest football competition that is set to start with 27 games today, including newcomers Troy High and Carron Hall.

Ten schools who were quarter-finalists last year will also kick off their schedules today — the Ben Francis Knockout champions Lennon High, Clarendon College, Manchester High, Ocho Rios, Fair Prospect, Dinthill Technical, Steer Town, Vere Technical, Glenmuir High and Paul Bogle High.

At the Montego Bay Sports Complex, Cornwall College — who are coming off the best season ever by a daCosta Cup team, after breaking the record for the number of games won in a season, 16, held by Rusea’s High — will be hoping to extend their run against a dangerous Green Pond team who was the last school to record a win against them.

Green Pond beat Cornwall College 3-1 in their first-round return-round game in the 2013 season, on their way to topping Zone A and making a run to the semi-finals of the Ben Francis KO, their best-ever season in the competition.

Cornwall College are also seeking to win a third-straight game on the opening day at Montego Bay Sports Complex, after beating Anchovy High 4-0 last year and Irwin 8-1 the previous season.

They will, however, be playing for the first time in four years without the pair of goal- scorer Jourdaine Fletcher and playmaker Peter-Lee Vassell, both of whom have since left school, and the fans will be expecting new heroes to take their places.

Aiden Jokombo and Garnett Hudson, who both scored some crucial goals in Cornwall’s run to the title last year, will be expected to take up the slack, as well as Shavon McDonald and newcomer Trevaughn Walker.

Green Pond are expected to field a young team, having retained the St James Football Association’s Under-17 title two weeks ago. They have been outscored 17-2 by Cornwall College in their last six meetings, with the champions winning five and drawing the other.

The Gregory Daley-coached team has been playing together in various parish competitions since January, however, and could pose a formidable challenge as they seek to mount a challenge for a second-round place of their own.

Games scheduled for today

Zone A

Cornwall College vs Green Pond @ MoBay Sports Complex @ 6:15 pm

Zone F

Mile Gully vs deCarteret

Cross Keys vs Belair

Manchester High vs May Day

Zone G

Alston High vs Troy High

Knox vs Holmwood Technical

Christiana vs Spalding

Zone H

Lennon High vs Thompson Town

Clarendon College vs Claude McKay

Zone I

Marcus Garvey vs Steer Town

York Castle vs Ocho Rios

Zone J

Oracabessa vs Carron Hall

St Mary High vs St Mary Tech

Brimmervale vs Iona High

Zone K

Dinthill Technical vs McGrath

Bog Walk vs Charlemont

Guys Hill vs Ewarton High

Zone L

Happy Grove vs Fair Prospect

Horace Clarke vs Titchfield

Zone M

Foga Road vs Denbigh

Bellefield vs Glenmuir

Zone N

Old Harbour vs Kemps Hill

Vere Technical vs Bustamante

Central vs Garvey Maceo

Zone O

St Thomas Technical vs Robert Lightbourne

Paul Bogle vs Morant Bay

Yallahs vs Seaforth High