It will be Region Seven against Region Four and Region Ten against Region Five as the four teams left in the Digicel Secondary Schools U-18 football tourney clash in the semi-finals today, each vying for a spot in the finals and a chance at glory and the million dollar prize.
The games will be played at the Beterverwagting (BV) and Burnham Park grounds commencing simultaneously at 4pm.
At the BV ground on the East Coast of Demerara, first time semi-finalist and Region Four winners BV Secondary will oppose the always formidable Region Seven title-holders and two-time national finalist Waramadong Secondary, in what promises to be an exciting affair.
Defeating Leonora Secondary 4-1 to seal their fourth consecutive semi-final appearance, Waramadong will attempt to ensure a third successive national final’s appearance and will look to the likes of Ashton Ward, Myles Albert and Reyon Naughton to power them to victory when the opening whistle sounds.
Defeating St. Georges 1-0 to seal a berth in final four, BV will depend on the attacking trio of Darrel Jones, Kurt Adams and Paul Kingston to pilot them to victory.
Waramadong’s coach Louie Thomas in a brief comment to Stabroek News said: “We expect to play better than our first three games. We looking forward to perform better. It’s BV Secondary’s first time into the semi-final but we don’t see any team as a weak opponent.
“We just go and put out our best, that’s how we start our play. We expecting a good game, but we are here to win, nothing else. Definitely looking forward to clash with Christianburg/Wismar in the finale. We need revenge against them,” he added.
In the second showdown, two-time defending national champions Christianburg/Wismar Secondary will attempt to secure their fourth consecutive final’s appearance when they face off with maiden semi-finalist and Region five champion Bush Lot Secondary.
Crushing Vryman’s Erven 8-0 in their quarterfinal matchup, the Linden unit will once again look to their attacking trio of Shane Luckie, Donovan Francis and Amoniki Buntin to pilot them to victory.
Brimming with confidence following their 3-1 victory over Annai Secondary, the Berbice outfit will require another collective showing led by the likes of Marlon Nicholson, Adrian Price and Enlon Fordyce, if they are to create the biggest upset to date.
Delon Peters, coach of Christianburg/Wismar Secondary, in an invited comment said: “We are going into hostile territory and the location of the ground, in terms of the condition we don’t know. We can’t go into the game underestimating anyone. The opponent they faced is a decent team from my knowledge.
“We are expecting a good game from the semi-final. Our guys are most confident since from the inception of the tournament. It’s the best we always play because you just want to get to the final in a convincing fashion,” he added. “We won’t get too cocky because we know how the game goes. We have to keep the confidence but we also have to give consideration to the other team because they are not here by fluke, they have to play and win to get there,” Peters said.
Coach of the Berbice unit, John Gordon, meantime, said “so far, we are practising. I have never really seen the current champs in action but I am confident enough. I think it will be a fair fight. Christianburg/Wismar is not an easy team to (face). It’s a good game and the better man is going to win.
“I don’t think we are going to be a walkover for them or they will be a walkover for us because both teams are playing well. I am going to win, I know it’s going to be hard but I am looking for the championship. Christianburg/Wismar is in our way to win the Championship so we have to play to get them out,” he asserted.
