Despite losing a second game in the first round for the first time in over a decade, Clarendon College (CC) will continue their defence of the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup title in the Round of 32 after confirming their spot on Saturday.

Seven schools including first time qualifiers Maldon High from Zone A, former champions Frome Technical and Rusea’s High from Zone B, St Elizabeth Technical from Zone E along with Denbigh High and Central High are through to the next round.

Thirty of the 32 spots have now been filled with the last two set to be added on Monday.

On Saturday, Denbigh High avenged their first round loss to Clarendon College, who they defeated 2-1, their first win over the many time champions since 2013. However, both teams along with Central High took the qualifying spots from Zone H.

Central High, who beat Lennon High 3-2, took over the lead in Zone H with 19 points, followed by Clarendon’s 18 and Denbigh High’s 16, each with one game left to be played on Monday.

Maldon High came from behind to record a dramatic 1-1 draw against Green Pond High in their Zone A return round game played at the Granville Community Centre on Saturday to edge Green Pond on goal-difference, both ending on 19 points. Garth-Dane Bromwell had scored what appeared to be the game winner for Green Pond in the 85th minute but second half substitute Domonique Clarke volleyed home from a goal mouth melee in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time to give Maldon High a priceless point.

Stevaughn Spence scored a hattrick with goals in the 77th, 86th and 92nd minutes as Frome Technical beat Anchovy High 3-0 to move to 23 points in Zone B. Rusea’s joined them after a 1-0 win over Green Island High brought them to 20 points, both teams with a game in hand.

STETHS ended their schedule in Zone E on a high with a 2-1 win over early qualifiers and zone winners Munro College to book their spot in the Round of 32. Munro College won the zone with 21 points, three more than STETHS’ 18 which was good enough for second place.

Glenmuir High, one of the first schools to qualify for the Round of 32 and who won their first eight games, were beaten 2-1 by Garvey Maceo High in their Zone I game, losing back-to-back games for the first time in more than two seasons.

Mannings School ended the first round as the only school with a perfect win record, beating Grange Hill High 6-0 to chalk up their eighth win in a row with Gregory Phillips scoring four goals and Keandre Ellis and Zachry Clarke contributing a goal apiece.

Results from Saturday-
Cornwall College 0, St James High 0
Herbert Morrison Tech 2, Irwin High 0
Maldon High 1, Green Pond High 1
Knockalva Tech 1, Cambridge High 5
Green Island High 0, Rusea’s High 1
Anchovy High 0, Frome Tech 3
Grange Hill High 0, Mannings School 6
Black River High 5, Little London High 0
STETHS 2, Munro College 1
Lacovia High 2, BB Coke High 10
Maggotty High 2, Newell High 4
Central High 3, Lennon High 2
Denbigh High 2, Clarendon College 1
Glenmuir High 1, Garvey Maceo High 2
Old Harbour High 1, Kemps Hill High 2

– Paul Reid