It would not be inaccurate to describe the RBTT InterCol South Zone final as the "Thriller in Marabella". It ended 2-1 in favour of Naparima College, but only after a last gasp Andre Quashie item in the final minutes of injury time ended the strong resistance put up by their opponents, Presentation College San Fernando at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium.
Naparima looked set for a comfortable triumph to complete the South double, when they opened with the better attacking play, including a header from Nigel Wright which was only slightly awry.
And it took them 41 minutes to get on the scoresheets, though fortuitously so, after defender Akeem Goolie who, under pressure and trying to clear the ball, only succeeded in heading into his own net.
Halftime was anything but dull, with a sizeable school crowd chanting in delight as former international Brazil football star Cafu left the stands and headed down to the sidelines to address them, and sign a few autographs.
Naps went into the second period trying to kill off the game, but the Pres defence stifled an attempt by Isaiah Smith in the 47th, and Wright missed a sitter in front of goal in the 62nd.
The bulk of the pressure, though, was on the Naparima defence, coming from raids led by Pres skipper Akeem Marshall, striker Jamal Clarence and winger Arvid Applewhite.
Things got worse for Presentation when, in search of the all important equaliser, national youth defender Stephan Campbell was sent off for a tackle on Wright, which ended the Naps striker's season with a badly broken leg. Campbell may have considered himself unfortunate, as Wright came across for a tackle while he was sizing up for a volley on goal. The resultant kick sent Wright to the floor, and Campbell to the showers.
Presentation showed their resilience to put one past the toughest defence in the Southland in the 86th, when the diminutive Applewhite rose above two defenders to head past Curtis Julien in the Naps goal. Julien had not been convincing between the uprights in the second period.
But just as the match seemed destined for extra time, in the final minute of injury time, Quashie was put through on the left with the perfect through ball, and he planted the decider beyond Pres 'keeper Terrence Ramsaroop.
The result means Naps are the new South InterCol champs, and they will next meet Carapichaima Secondary Comprehensive. But it comes at a price; they will be without Wright, one of their most dependable goalscorers, for at least the rest of 2007.
Teams
Naparima: - Curtis Julien, Sherrick Hilaire (capt), Isiah Smith, Akeems Grant (Christopher Joseph), Dwayne Edwards, Keston Smith, Jayson Joseph, Anthony Parris, Nigel Wright, (Brandon Neptune), Shahdon Winchester, Cory Cyrus (Amale Quashie).
Presentation: - Terrence Ramsaroop, Akeem Marshall (capt), Akeem Adams, Akile Jeffrey, Jamal Clarence, Arvid Applewhite, Renefor Martin (Aaron Hector), Jerome Diaz (Stefan Spears), Stephan Campbell, Neshav Gookool, Aleem Goolie.
17