MONTEGO BAY, St James — Former champions St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and Rusea’s High scored big wins as they started their quest for honours in the ISSA/FLOW daCosta Cup football competition yesterday.

DeMar James scored four times for STETHS in their 8-0 thrashing of Maggotty High in Zone E, while Leonardo Fogarthy got a hat-trick for Rusea’s High, as coach Vassell Reynolds got his stint at Rusea’s High off to a good start beating Hopewell High 8-1 in their Zone B game in Lucea.

Also scoring for STETHS were Alex Thompson, Tahjae Palmer, Shemar Murray and Roberto Webb as STETHS took the lead in Zone E over Munro College, who edged Lacovia High 3-2 with Reno Edmondson scoring twice for the winners.

Two other former winners — St James High and Frome Technical — were also winners yesterday.

In a game that started almost an hour late, St James High were 3-0 winners over Irwin High, who ended the Zone A game with 10 players after Joel Roberts was sent off in the second half.

Ewan Barton scored two early goals to give St James High the lead, but they had to wait until late before Jowell Powell gave them a third goal against a tired Irwin High.

Andre Cunningham scored a hat-trick for Frome Technical as Aaron Lawrence got his stint at the western Westmoreland school off to a good start, beating Cambridge High 3-0.

Meanwhile, seven schools including former champions Dinthill Technical and Glenmuir High will be seeking back-to-back wins today when the competition continues with 15 games.

Two games will be at the top of the list today — the Zone G game between Alston High and Spalding High who were winners on Saturday, and the Zone J game between Oracabessa and St Mary Technical, all of whom won their opening games on Saturday.

Spalding High, who finished second in the zone last year, one point behind Holmwood Technical, beat Alston High 4-0 in their first-round game last year and drew the return-round match-up 0-0.

Alston High are off to a better start, however, after beating newcomers Troy High 5-0 and will hope to continue their winning trend with Nicholas Bennett, who scored a hat-trick on Saturday, leading the way.

Oracabessa High moved from Zone L this season and are off to a good start in Zone J and will be playing St Mary Technical for the first time in first-round action.

Both are tied on statistics after winning their first games 2-0.

Dinthill Technical, quarter-finalists last season, will face Ewarton High, who they have beaten three out of their last four meetings and who drew 0-0 with Guys Hill on Saturday.

Bog Walk High, last season’s Zone K runners-up, will seek to stay in touch when they take on McGrath High, who they have beaten once in the last two seasons while drawing three times.

Glenmuir High, who are coming off a 3-1 win over Bellefield in Zone M, face Foga Road High, who were held 0-0 by Denbigh.

Ocho Rios High were one of the surprise teams from last season and got off to a good start on Saturday, beating York Castle 2-0 and will face perennial zone winners Marcus Garvey High at Drax Hall.