Defending champs Lodge Secondary sealed their berth to the knockout round downing Cummings Lodge 8-2 when the third annual Milo/Petra Organization Secondary Schools U-20 football tourney continued yesterday.
Played at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue, Lodge broke the deadlock in the fourth minute as Sylvester Richardson scored, finishing into the empty net after an initial strike from the centre of the field was parried into his onrushing path
The score line would then increase to 2-0 one minute later as Richardson sealed his double with a strike into the left hand corner from within the area.
Cummings Lodge would then pull one back in the 11th minute as Elroy George scored, placing his effort into the left hand corner from within the penalty area. Lodge would reclaim their two goal lead as Kevin Boters scored two minutes later through a curling strike into the back of the goal.
However, Cummings Lodge would pull within one once more as Zeemario Johnny scored in the 17th minute, rounding the goalkeeper and finishing into the left corner from inside the centre of the box, after being in a one-on-one situation.
It would then become 4-2 in the favour of Lodge as Jarel Grannum scored in the 33rd minute through a finish through the legs of ‘keeper, following one-on-one with ‘keeper within the left side of the box.
The defending champs would then increase their lead six minutes later as Grannum sealed his double with a lobbed shot from the left side of the field that went through the hands of the ‘keeper and rolled into the back of the net.
Boters would then complete his double in the 43rd minute, slotting home into the lower right hand corner, after collecting a Grannum cross within the centre of the box.
Ryan Hackett would then make it 6-2 in the 55th minute compliments of a powerful left footed strike from the top of the box, which struck the left upright and settled into the right hand corner.
The defending champs would then suffer a unlikely setback as Richardson was sent off in the 65th minute for violent conduct.
Despite their numerical handicap, Lodge would find the back of the net once again as Leon Blake scored with a powerful strike down centre of the net, after an initial strike was parried into his path within the left side of the box.
The fourth matchup of the day witnessed Charlestown Secondary being booted from the tourney as they went down to Richard Ishmael 2-1. An own goal opened the scoring for the winners in the 34th minute while Rondel Peters sealed the win in the 54th minute through a penalty kick conversion.
On target for the loser in the 20th minute was Tidel Bailey while Ravin Naughton was sent off in the 56th minute for abusive language to the referee.
In the opening fixture, North Ruimveldt Secondary crushed Freeburg Secondary by a 6-0 margin.
Tyrese Rowley led the way with a double in the 28th and 40th minutes while Deshawn Jones, Carl Griffith, Matthew Harrison and an own goal in the sixth, 13th, 20th and 36th minutes completed the result.
The second fixture of the day witnessed St. Roses High defeating St. Joseph’s 3-0. Loncel Martin, Jumain Jack and Patrice Agrippa scored for the Church Road unit in the 22nd, 31st and 43rd minutes respectively.
Winners of the event will pocket the championship trophy and $500,000 towards the building of any school project while the second, third and fourth placed sides will pocket $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively towards the funding of a school venture and the corresponding accolade.
On the individual side, awards will be given for the event’s most valuable player, highest goal scorer and best goalkeeper while four full scholarships to attend Chase Academy free of cost will also be up for grabs.
The action is set to continue today at the same venue with four fixtures. In the opening fixture at 11:00hrs, Morgan Learning Centre will oppose Houston Secondary while School of the Nations will tackle Mae’s Secondary from 12:30hrs.
In the third fixture, North Georgetown Secondary will oppose Queens College from 14:00hrs while the final fixture will witness David Rose opposing Kingston Secondary from 15:30hrs.
