St Augustine Secondary Comprehensive successfully defended their RBTT Intercol East Zone title with a comfortable 2-1 victory over their biggest zonal rivals, San Juan Secondary Comprehensive, yesterday at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
St Augustine put paid to San Juan's ambition to clinch the East Zone double with the win, condemning them to the runners-up spot.
But San Juan, who claimed the East League title earlier in the season, are still in the hunt for national glory, as they progress as the second-best East team.
The Bourg Mulatresse side had the most excellent of starts to the season, but have failed to bear fruit from their wealth of potential, losing out to South champions Naparima College 1-0 in the national "Big Five" final.
The "Green Machine" had the brightest of starts when Kempess Villafana put them ahead in the second minute for a 1-0 advantage, which they maintained to the interval.
In the 58th minute, Mark Alibey scored what turned out to be the winner, extending St Augustine's lead.
San Juan received a lifeline inside the final 15 minutes with an Akeem Joseph strike, but could not find the equaliser, St Augustine retaining the title they took from Arima Senior Comprehensive last year.
San Juan will now face Tobago Zone Intercol winners Scarborough Secondary, while St Augustine await the second-place North Zone team for a chance at the national Intercol "semis".
In the North Zone, Fatima College and St Anthony's College will square off for a zonal final berth tomorrow in the first match of a Hasely Crawford Stadium double-header from 3 p.m.
Then at 5 p.m., Malick Secondary Comprehensive battle with defending champs Mucurapo for the other place in the North Zone final.
17