As many as nine schools could secure their places in the last 16 of the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Wata daCosta Cup football competition when the second set of games in the round of 32 is played this afternoon.

The top two teams from each of the eight second-round groups will advance to the next round. The winners will participate in the lucrative ISSA Cup competitions, while others will get a second chance at silverware in the Ben Francis Cup.

Two of the 16 games scheduled will feature teams that won their opening games and are now pitted against each other. St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) are set to face Manchester High in Group 3 and Garvey Maceo High are to battle McGrath High in Group 8.

Former champions Rusea’s High from Group 1; Frome Technical from Group 2; Munro College from Group 4; and Glenmuir High from Group 7 can advance with wins. Happy Grove High from Group 5; and Paul Bogle High from Group 7 can also progress.

After a shaky start to the first round, STETHS appear to have settled down. They have won their last four games, including beating nemeses Munro College last weekend and William Knibb Memorial on Wednesday.

Manchester High, enjoying a good season, ended Manning’s School’s perfect win record on Wednesday, and will be hoping to beat STETHS in Santa Cruz to secure their progress.

A draw between these two giants could, however, open the door slightly for Manning’s, if they can rebound against William Knibb at the Trelawny Multipurpose stadium.

McGrath High recorded the biggest margin of victory in the first set of second-round matches when they hammered St Mary High 8-1, but are likely to find Garvey Maceo to be much tougher.

Clarendon-based Garvey Maceo are coming off wins over Glenmuir High and Christiana High and will have the advantage of playing at the Wembley Centre of Excellence in their home parish.

Both Paul Bogle High and Glenmuir High can book their spots from Group 7 with wins over champions Clarendon College and Titchfield High, respectively, after positive results in the first set of games.

While Glenmuir High will start favourites against Titchfield High, Paul Bogle High will be bracing for a Clarendon College team, desperate for a win to keep hopes of a title defence alive after losing to Glenmuir on Thursday.

After winning the last two daCosta Cup titles, Clarendon College have been below their usual high standards and must step up if they are to stay in the competition.

After escaping with a narrow win on Thursday against the previously unbeaten Spot Valley High, Zone 1 leaders Rusea’s High will clash with long-time rivals Cornwall College at the Collin Miller Sports Complex.

A subplot will see former Seba United and Jamaican national teammates Paul “Tegat” Davis and Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore facing off for the first time on opposite benches in schoolboy football. Both coaches are in their first season at their respective schools.

Davis had a few speed bumps to negotiate in Zone B at the helm of Rusea’s High, while Whitmore won his first eight games with Cornwall College who are winless in their last three outings.

Hanover-based Rusea’s High will be on a high after winning their last three games and they will be playing at home.

Frome Technical are expected to get by Black River High in their game at STETHS Sports Complex, the first of the double-header to get out of Group 2.

But Munro College could face a stern test at Drax Hall where Browns Town will be waiting to set a trap.

— Paul A Reid