Shiva Boys Hindu College were confirmed as champion of the South Zone after the SSFL Appeals Committe threw out a complaint by runner-up Presentation College of San Fernando, yesterday.
The decision to throw out the complaint was taken by a three-member committee following a meeting held at Queen’s Royal College, yesterday involving North Zone secretary, Rudolph Hope and the vice principals of QRC and East Mucurapo.
Last week the Disciplinary Committee was mandated by the SSFL Appeals Committee to review a case involving last year’s zonal winner Naparima College and this year’s runner-up Presentation College.
On September 17, Presentation secured a 3-1 win over Naparima at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella. However, Naparima protested claiming a breach of SSFL rules.
Naparima objected to Presentation use of a player, who was supposed to serve a one match suspension after picking up yellow cards in their two previous matches against St Benedict’s College (September 7) and Shiva Boys’ Hindu School (September 10), respectively.
Following the hearing of the disciplinary committee which was chaired by its secretary Gerald Elliot, the SSFL, assistant secretary of administration, it was decided to award Naparima a 3-0 win.
But, Presentation College appealed the outcome and as a result the SSFL Appeals Ccommittee chaired by SSFL president Ewing Davis mandated the Disciplinary Committee to undertake a totally new hearing as they found the original hearing tainted with bias.
However, at the end of yesterday’s meeting it was decided to uphold the outcome of the original hearing, thus declaring Shiva Boys’ as the South Zone winner and with it a national Big-Five semifinal date with the winner of today’s quarterfinal encounter between Carapichaima East (Central Zone champion) and Tobago winner, Scarborough Secondary.
The clash between Carapichaima East, unbeaten in ten matches this season enroute to its eight straight zonal crown and Scarborough, yet to taste defeat in eight matches kicks off at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva from 4 pm.
Yesterday’s SSFL Zonal Results
Arima North 2 (Rondell Elie, Tevin Figaro) vs San Juan North 0
Central
Gasparillo 1 (Anderson St Clair) vs Presentation 0
Today
National Big-Five quarterfinal
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, 4pm.
Carapichaima East vs Scarborough Secondary.
El Do pip Green Machine for SSFL semi-final berth
By Kern De Freitas (Express).
El Dorado East Secondary's "Blue Thunder" shut down the "Green Machine" of St Augustine to take the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) East Zone title yesterday at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar.
Dwight Quintero opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Jameel Forde restored it with a beautiful solo effort with 20 minutes to go, after St Augustine captain Jamal Creighton equalised with a ferocious free kick at the start of the second half.El Dorado controlled the midfield from the opening whistle and it allowed them to transition quickly into attack.
Although St Augustine had the first shot in attack--a second minute attempt hit wide of the mark by Ricaldo Castellano—El Dorado were quick on the counter.
They got their reward in the 15th minute through Quintero.
St Augustine gave up the loose ball in midfield and Quintero collected the pass wide on the right, sprinted past his marker and, with time and space, side-footed past St Augustine goalkeeper Kerron Jones.
In the first half, El Dorado's Nicolas Castellanos was lively, but his two shots on goal lacked power.
St Augustine's best chance in the half came off a Triston Hodge throw deflected to Akeem Garcia, who headed wide.
St Augustine brought new life into the match with the equaliser soon after the break, a beautiful free kick from captain Jamal Creighton in the 47th that took a slight deflection and nestled beyond El Do goalie Hakeem Lucas's left hand.
They searched desperately for the go-ahead goal after that, Creighton trying his luck from close to half line and in the 67th, Shaquille Smith misdirected his header from 12 metres.
El Dorado were more clinical, another counter attack in the 76th bearing fruit as Forde dribbled three defenders and beat Jones from point-blank range.
From there the "Green Machine" started to stutter.
El Dorado had a few chances to kill off the match, none better than the final minute when Quintero slammed a shot against the crossbar, only for Forde to mis-kick into the gloves of Jones.
Still, it was victory for El Dorado and a berth in the "Big Five" semi-finals opposite North Zone champions St Anthony's College.
17