Adrian Frater, News Editor
Michael Lee (left), sales manager of Pepsi-Cola Jamaica and Dr Walton Small (right), president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association, jointly present the Ben Francis KO title to St James High's captain Fabian McHarthy (centre). St James blanked Dinthill 4-0 to lift the trophy at Jarrett Park yesterday. Other members of the victorious team look on. - Photo by Adrian Frater
Western Bureau:
St James High School won the first major title of the 2008 ISSA/Pepsi/ Digicel schoolboy football season yesterday afternoon when they scored an emphatic 4-0 win over Dinthill Technical at Jarrett Park, in Montego Bay, to crown themselves Ben Francis KO champions.
In a dominant performance that had their fans in a cheering frenzy for most of the 90 minutes, the St James High team, which remains unbeaten in all competitions this season, scored through Allan Ottey (two), Nicholi Barrett and Ricardo Morrison.
"It was the kind of performance that we came here hoping for this afternoon and I am absolutely elated that it happened for us," said Pastor Hugh Solomon, coach of the St James High team. "This one is for the entire school family because they have supported the boys all the way."
Attacking start
St James High signalled their attacking intentions within the first minute when Ottey cracked a savage 45 yards shot, which whistled past the right upright. Two minutes later Morris shook up the goalkeeper with his close range shot, which rebounded into play.
Dinthill came to life briefly in the seventh minute when Andrae Bennett capitalised on a defensive error, sped towards the goal, but with a clear shot on goal, he struck the ball wide of the advancing goalkeeper much to the disbelief of his teammates.
With St James dictating the pace of the game, they continued to breach the Dinthill defence with regularity, but their attacks on goal were either wayward or were well handled by goalkeeper Tradis Berry, who continued to look more flustered with each attack.
Down into the 39th minute of play, St. James finally took the lead. Morris broke out of midfield and after dribbling several paces, cracked a savage left-footer that kept swinging away from the diving goalkeeper before striking the back of the net, making the half-time score 1-0.
St James High started the second half on the attack, however, Dinthill got the first chance of the half when Allister Redden found himself with space some 20 yards from goal but under relentless pressure, he gave up possession.
With Dinthill struggling to come to grips with the pace of the St James team, they went further behind in the 55th minute.
On a fast break down the right flank, Ottey dropped a superb pass at the feet of Barrett, who fired powerfully into the roof of the net, making the score 2-0.
After surviving a Dinthill attack in the 69th minute when Tevin Skyers deflected a corner unto the cross bar, St James High struck yet again in the 77th minute with a gem of a goal.
A brilliant exchange of passes between Barrett and Ottey left the Dinthill defence in tatters and Ottey calmly fired in his eleventh goal of the season.
Icing on cake
With time running out in the game and Dinthill looking a well-beaten team, Ottey put the icing on the cake for St James in time added on. He won possession on the edge of the penalty area, fumbled initially but managed to compose himself and rolled the ball passed the helpless goalkeeper, making the final score 4-0.
"We came here wanting this trophy too much not to have won today," said Fabian McHarthy, captain of the St James team. "I am too happy to say anything else except to say thanks to my coach and my teammates."
