Two schools that may not have been expected to get so far, will battle it out for South Zone Coca Cola InterCol glory and a spot in the national playoffs today when they meet from 4.15 p.m. at Skinner Park, San Fernando.
Shiva Boys Hindu College are set to defend their South InterCol title against a team that previously showed no hint of a run to the final.
For over a decade, the “Green Hornets” of Princes Town West have been unable to challenge for a spot in any national playoff; their sixth place finish out of seven South Zone teams, with just eight points from 12 encounters, promised another unremarkable season.
But their upsets of Naparima College (1-0) and St Benedict’s College (3-2 on kicks from the penalty mark) now leave Princes Town West on the fringe of a long-awaited national appearance.
At the other end of the field, Shiva Boys may not have been such a surprise package, given their consistency in the League in the previous three years, and their fierce rivalry against South’s top contenders, Presentation College.
But the Penal-based side edged lowly Mayaro Secondary 1-0 in the “quarters”, and the beat Fyzabad Secondary—who shocked ten-man “Pres” 2-1—to earn a South final return.
The odds are with Shiva Boys for today’s encounter, but as this year’s InterCol competition has shown thus far, the word “favourites” means little. St Augustine Secondary are the only zonal league winners in the zonal InterCol finals, while defending national champions St Anthony’s College had their season ended by East Mucurapo Secondary at the penalty mark.
That fact is not lost on Shiva Boys manager Sheldon Maharaj. His team had been expected to meet Pres in the South semis.
“We were looking at that. We were looking at playing Pres instead of Fyzabad at the semis,” Maharaj told the Express yesterday. “But the results in the prelims, it showed that you can’t take any team for granted in SSFL. It is decided on the day of the game despite the team (you face). You can’t think a team is easy and come at little lackadaisical. Regardless of the team we’re playing, we are going with our best.”
Maharaj admitted that his team had failed to live up to their potential with a fourth place finish in South. But he insists his team is ready to do so now and retain the South crown. Shiva plan to match P Town’s physical game.
“What we saw from Princes Town in the league and InterCol against Benedict’s, they are playing a physical game,” said Maharaj. “We know that and we‘re going out there to play physical. We expect them to come hard at us, and they are going to come hard at our strikers. We are going as hard; we want it as bad as they do.”
Shiva Boys, Princes Town in Coca-Cola final.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Reigning Coca-Cola South Zone InterCol champion Shiva Boys Hindu College will be seeking to defend its title today when it faces underdog Princes Town, in one of the most unusual of finals this season.
Both teams, which failed to challenge for the league crown this season, will meet at Skinner Park, San Fernando, from 4 pm, with the winner taking the coveted zonal prize and a spot in next Wednesday’s National InterCol semifinals, against the East Zone champion which will be determined tomorrow.
Shiva, fourth placed finisher in the league campaign (a drop from last year’s runner-up finish) had the easier of runs en route to the final. The team opened its InterCol account last Wednesday with a narrow 1-0 win over the league’s last-placed team Mayaro Secondary, before dropping South Zone Senior Division winner Fyzabad Secondary, 3-0, in the semifinal stage two days later.
Meanwhile, Princes Town, a team which finished second from last (sixth) in the league enjoyed massive upset wins to advance to the final. Courtesy of a second-half goal from Anderson Toussaint, Princes Town stunned Naparima 1-0, in the quarterfinal, then held out to a goalless draw against league runner-up St Benedict’s in the last four stage, prior to taking a 3-2 spot-kick win.
The two finalists also met twice in league competition, with either side claiming a home win. Shiva Boys won the first leg 2-1, while Princes Town cruised to a 3-0 victory in the second meeting. Today’s winner will meet either St Augustine Secondary or El Dorado West Secondary, two teams which will contest tomorrow’s East Zone final in the first match of a double-header at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Kick off it as 3.30 pm, and will be followed by the North Zone title decider between East Mucurapo Secondary and Fatima College (5.30 pm). Thus far, Speyside and Chaguanas North are into the National competition, and will meet in the only qualifier for the semifinal, next monday.
The East and South Zone clash will play on Wednesday, before the second semifinal of Friday, which will be between the North champion and the winner of the Tobago/Central Zone qualifier. The national final is scheduled for the December 2 at a venue to be determined.
Coca-Cola InterCol Fixture [Today]
South Zone Final
Shiva Boys v Princes Town, Skinner Park, San Fernando, 3pm
Tomorrow
East Zone Final
St Augustine v El Dorado West, Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, 3.30 pm
North Zone Final
East Mucurapo v Fatima College, Hasely Crawford Stadium, 5.30 pm
Monday
National Quarterfinal
Speyside Secondary (Tobago) v Chaguanas North (Central), Shaw Park, 6 pm
Wednesday
National Semifinal
Shiva Boys/Princes Town v St Augustine/El Dorado West, Venue TBD
November 29
National Semifinal
Fatima/Mucurapo v Speyside/Chaguanas, Hasely Crawford Stadium
December 3
National Final
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