Fireworks are expected when Tucville and North Georgetown Primary clash in the semi-finals of the Courts schools pee wee championship tomorrow at Thirst Park.
Tucville’s Coach Terrence Clarke in an interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday said the boys are fully prepared for their encounter with North Georgetown. “I think we are poised to win this competition right now,” Clarke said at the Tucville School Ground where the team was training.
He disclosed that from the first game he knew his team could win the championship. “Since the competition started they have improved a great lot,” he added. A few of the boys are members of football clubs which is a plus for the team, he said.
Simon Hackett who is among the top goal-scorers in the tournament is a member of the Fruta Conquerors Club. Hackett who is also the team’s goalkeeper scored 14 of the 20 goals that the school amassed since the competition started. The other scorers are Turston Gordon with three, Deandre Linton, two, and Brando Matthews, one.
Over at the GNIC Sports Club Ground where North Georgetown Primary was in training, Coach Godfrey Denny said he will be using the same strategy Redeemer Primary used which was to shut down Hackett. “I will get one of my guys to mark him just as Redeemer did to him. Redeemer marked him, but he was lucky to equalize due to him being a club player. But I am not worried about Tucville, I will take care of them,” he said.
According to Denny he is working on free kicks, corner kicks and penalty, “basically I am getting them fit for this game because I know this game is a tight, tight game. I already have it.” Denny said when the competition started he never thought that they would have gotten this far along. “After the second game I realized if I keep working with these guys I could reach right through, I am already through.” Like Tucville, Denny said his team comprises a number of clubs players from Sunburst Camptown and Grass Roots.
The second semi-final will feature Marian Academy and West Ruimveldt. At the West Ruimveldt Primary the boys were preparing for practice under the watchful eyes of Teacher/Coach Sherwin Jaisingh.
“We stand a good chance of going through to the finals because the boys have been practicing every day and based on preparation we stand a good chance,” he said. According to Jaisingh, the boys don’t have a lot of work to do, but he is working on tightening the defence, midfield and scoring.
He also noted that it was not difficult to get this far in the competition as the boys are determined and the few club players in the team have been a great addition. “They just have to play the game, take the guidance and they will do well,” he said.
Marian Academy and Tucville have played unbeaten while North Georgetown and West Ruimveldt won three of their four games and also drawing one game each.
Sixteen primary schools from Georgetown and East Bank are contesting the tournament.
