Isaiah Hudson scored a welcomed hat trick as reigning Premier Divisioon League and Big-Four champions Naparima College climbed back to the top of the BGTT/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football League with an emphatic 5-1 thrashing of Trinity East at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, yesterday.
Coming off a 1-0 loss to St Anthony's College and a bye round, coach Angus Eve and his players were eager to rebound in style and that they did with Hudson scoring in the 17th, 34th, and 77th minute.
Renaldo Francois added a double for "Naps" in the 26th and 53rd while Trinity East briefly reduced the deficit to 3-1 in the 36th thanks to Keshorn Hackshaw's lone item.
However, Naparima will have to thank their southern rivals Fyzabad for ensuring its return to top spot after the latter, stunned previous leader San Juan North 3-1 at home.
San Juan North started brightly and took the lead through the prolific former national Under-17 striker Brent Sam in the 14th minute which it held until the break.
Five minutes after the restart, Daryl Jones got the host level and a minute later Jones added another, before Simon Pierre made it 3-1 in the 67th minute after which his team held on for a valuable three points to move away from the relegation zone while demoting San Juan North to second spot.
Down at the David Williams Recreation Ground, Penal, Shiva Boys with 17 points, the same as idle Presentation College of San Fernando missed a chance to move above San Juan North as it was held 1-1 by visiting Queen's Royal College which improved to 14 points, after it was awarded a 3-2 win over Fyzabad by the SSFL Disciplinary Committee for its match which ended due to a brawl last month.
In fact, Shiva needed a 74th Yohannes Richardson equaliser after the Royalians led through Jean-Paul Rochford's fifth minute strike.
Over in Speyside, Tobago, St Mary's revived its title and Big-Four ambition with a 5-0 thumping of Speyside led by a hat-trick from Ethan Shim in the 25th, 28th (penalty) and 60th minutes.
Joining QRC on 14 points, were St Augustine and St Anthony's which won 3-0 and 2-1 over St Benedict's and Fatima, respectively.
Yesterday's results:
Naparima 5 (Isaiah Hudson 17th, 34th, 77th, Renaldo Francois 26th, 53rd) vs Trinity East 1 (Kishorn Hackshaw 36th)
Shiva Boys 1 (Yohannes Richardson 74th) vs QRC 1 (Jean-Paul Rochford 5th)
St Anthony's 2 (Gyasi Moore 4th, Kathon St Hillaire 70th) vs Fatima 1 (Krishorn Alexander 72nd)
St Mary's 5 (Ethan Shim 25th, 28th pen, 60th, Aaron Skeene 65th, Darrion Campbell o.g 90th) vs Speyside 0
St Augustine 3 (Jesse Joseph 2nd, 75th, Isaiah Lee 10th) vs St Benedict's 0
Fyzabad 3 (Drayl Jones 50th, 51st, Simon Pierre 67th) vs San Juan North 1 (Brent Sam 14th)
Carapichaima East 1 (Dejourn Charles 57th pen) vs Trinity Moka 1 (Josiah Joseph 51st)