Another chapter in their budding rivalry will be written tonight when four-time winners and defending champions Wismar/Christianburg Secondary tackle Chase Academy in the final of the Digicel Schools Football Championships at the National Stadium from 18:00hrs.
While it is no secret that the Lindeners have held a stranglehold on the tourney evident by their sixth consecutive finals berth.
Unlike previous editions of the final, they will not be the favourite entering the contest despite defeating the same opposition in last year’s showcase and only losing once in six years of the tourney’s history.
Today’s encounter will pit the resilience of the defending champs against the statistical might of the challengers.
For Wismar/Christianburg, their path to the semi-final was clinched unspectacularly as they edged South Georgetown titlist Sir Leon Lessons 2-1 despite being outplayed and outclassed for the majority of the fixture.
Prior to that, hard-fought wins were recorded against New Silver City Secondary, Kwakwani Secondary and Region #1 winner North West Secondary, making their campaign a battle tested one.
In numbers, the Wismar/Christianburg offensive line has recorded a decent 18 goals from six fixtures at a rate of three conversions. Although kept quiet for most of the semi-final until the game winning penalty kick, national U17 forward Omar Brewley is the main threat for the Lindeners alongside the hardworking Shaquille Campbell, Amar Jones and Antwoine Gill.
On the defensive end is where the champs true strength lies as they have only conceded once. This trend will need to be maintained against the best offensive team that is the North Georgetown winner.
Indisputably Chase Academy has been the most complete team in the tourney and anything else but a victory would be considered a disappointment given that the Lindeners are in the rebuilding process.
Their passage to the final was at the expense of Berbice unit Bush Lot Secondary who was humbled 10-0.
That score-line has been the pattern for the Kingston-based unit which has dismissed several opposition with relative ease, with only Region seven champs Annai Secondary and Morgan Learning Centre showing resistance being beaten by 2-1 and 3-1 margins respectively.
Offensively, Chase Academy has recorded an astonishing 67 goals from their six matches at an average of 11.1 goals per contest.
Responsible for these numbers are junior national players Kelsey Benjamin, Jobe Caesar, Ryan Hackett, Jeremy Garrett and Nicholas McArthur alongside the emerging talents of Reshawn Ritch, Stephon Reynolds and Joshua Williams.
On the defensive end, the Georgetown unit marginally trail their opponents as they only conceded two goals.
Meanwhile, in the third place playoff at 16:00hrs, South Georgetown winners Sir Leon Lessons will oppose four time Region #5 winner Bush Lot Secondary.
The winning team is set to receive $1,000,000 towards funding a school project and a trophy while the second place unit will receive $700,000 and a trophy also.
The third and fourth placed teams will receive $400,000 and $350,000 and trophies while $100,000 will be awarded to each zone winner.
