Mason Hall Secondary of Tobago and Carapichaima East Secondary of Central will be favourites to wrap up a successful defence of it respective zonal BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League crowns when matches resume today, from 3.45 pm.
Over in Tobago, current table leader, Scarborough Secondary has completed it campaign with eight points from four matches. However, Mason Hall with six points from three matches, and Signal Hill, third with four points from two matches, are in with a realistic chance of overtaking the leader.
Today, though, both teams face off with Mason Hall needing full points to retain the crown as a draw will leave it a point short of Scarborough.Signal Hill, on the other hand, can dethrone Mason Hall, but must avoid defeat today and win its rescheduled match with cellar-placed Speyside Secondary also.
In the Central Zone, a win for Carapichaima at home over struggling Presentation College will see it keep hold of its title. Carapichaima heads the five-team table with seven points followed by Gasparillo (six points) and Waterloo (five points) with only today’s final round of matches left.
In the other match, Waterloo hosts Gasparillo, which had a chance to dethrone Caps’ on Wednesday with a victory in its meeting but instead was humbled 6-0.
Should Presentation manage to deny Caps’ full points, then the winner of the Waterloo and Gasparillo encounter will have an outside chance of securing a first title.
St Anthony’s College (North) and Naparima College (South) can also seal it titles while the East Zone will go down to the final round of matches on Wednesday.
In the North, unbeaten leader St Anthony’s College with maximum 15 points from five matches, is on a bye today.However, the “Westmoorings Tigers” can claim their fifth zonal crown since 2002 if second placed East Mucurapo failed to beat Trinity College at Moka, Maraval, this afternoon.
East Mucurapo, the only team which can catch the “Tigers,” has nine points with two matches left to play. For East Mucurapo to deny St Anthony’s another zonal title it must win its final two matches by wide margins and hope St Anthony’s go under to Fatima in its final match on Wednesday to have any chance.
In the two other matches, today, Fatima is at home to dethroned champion, St Mary’s College in a clash of fourth and third placed teams while Queen’s Royal College, second from bottom on the seven-team table with three points, hosts pointless Malick, which needs a miracle to avoid relegation.
Down South, pacesetting Naparima with 12 points from five matches can also claim yet another zonal title by taking full points over Pleasantville at Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.Pleasantville is currently joint second in the standings with Shiva Boys’ on eight points each and a match in hand.
However, Naps will need Shiva Boys’ to lose its encounter with St Benedict’s, which is still in with an outside chance, at the David Williams Recreation Ground, Penal, to do so.
Any other result in both matches will see the title race being decided on Wednesday’s final day of zonal action. Vessigny entertains dethroned Presentation at Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin, in the other match.
In the East Zone, reigning zonal and national champion, St Augustine leads with 11 points from five matches, three ahead of rivals San Juan North while third placed El Dorado East is on six points, as the title race looks headed for a final day finish.
Today, San Juan will have a chance to go top of the table or at least grab a share of the lead when its meets “El Do” on the El Dorado West Ground.
A San Juan win or drawn result will set the stage for an interesting battle on Wednesday with St Augustine. However, victory for El Dorado will also keep the “Blue Thunder” in the hunt as it meets cellar-placed Barataria South in a rescheduled match on Monday at San Juan.
FIXTURES
Today’s matches. All kick-off at 3.45 pm
North
Trinity vs East Mucurapo, Moka.
Fatima vs St Mary’s, Fatima Ground.
QRC vs Malick, QRC Ground.
East
Trinity East vs Toco, Trincity.
Arima vs Barataria, Arima.
El Dorado East vs San Juan, El Do West Ground.
South
Shiva Boys’ vs St Benedict’s, David Williams Ground, Penal.
Vessigny vs Presentation, Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin.
Naparima vs Pleasantville, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Central
Waterloo vs Gasparillo, Waterloo.
Carapichaima vs Presentation, Carapichaima.
Tobago
Roxborough vs Speyside, Roxborough.
Signal Hill vs Mason Hall, Signal Hill.
STANDINGS
North
Teams P W D L F A Pts
St Anthony’s 5 5 0 0 11 2 15
East Mucurapo 4 3 0 1 7 4 9
St Mary’s 4 2 1 1 5 2 7
Fatima 4 2 0 2 8 5 6
Trinity 4 1 1 2 3 8 4
QRC 4 1 0 3 4 6 3
Malick 5 0 0 5 3 14 0
East
Teams P W D L F A Pts
St Augustine 5 3 2 0 14 2 11
San Juan 4 2 2 0 10 4 8
El Do 4 2 0 2 4 5 6
Trinity East 4 1 2 1 2 2 5
Arima 4 1 2 1 5 6 5
Toco 4 0 2 2 4 7 2
Barataria 3 0 0 3 1 14 0
South
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Naparima 5 4 0 1 6 2 12
Shiva Boys 4 2 2 0 3 0 8
P’ville 4 2 2 0 4 2 8
P/Town 4 1 0 3 4 6 3
St Benedict’s 3 1 0 2 2 3 3
Presentation 3 0 1 2 2 4 1
Vessigny 3 0 1 2 1 5 1
Central
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Carapichaima 3 2 1 0 12 3 7
Gasparillo 3 2 0 1 4 6 6
Waterloo 3 1 2 0 9 5 5
Presentation 3 1 0 2 3 8 3
Tabaquite 4 0 1 3 5 11 0
Tobago
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Scarborough 4 2 2 0 6 2 8
Mason Hall 3 2 0 1 10 3 6
Signal Hill 2 1 1 0 6 1 4
Roxborough 3 0 1 2 0 12 1
Speyside 2 0 0 2 3 7 0