Team captain Michael Basdeo picked the right time to get his first goal of the season as it earned Naparima Colllege a 1-0 triumph over Shiva Boys to sucessfully retain its BGTT/First Citizens Secondary Schools Football Premier Division League crown, yesterday.
Going into the match, Naparima held a five-point lead over Presentation College of San Fernando with one round of matches left after yesterday and needed only to win one of its remaining encounters.
And Basdeo came up trumps when needed as his tenth minute item proved decision for the Angus Eve-coached Naparima to move to an unassailable 32 points from 14 matches, five more than Presentation College of San Fernando which hammered host and relegated Trinity East 5-0 at Trincity led by a double from Kareem Riley.
The trio of St Benedict's College (25 points), St Anthony's College (24) and St Augustine Secondary (23), all took advantage of Shiva's defeat by moving ahead in the race to secure the remaining two Big-Four places with contrasting victories.
At the Mahaica Oval, Pt Fortin, St Benedict's blanked St Mary's College 3-0; St Anthony's slipped past Queen's Royal College 1-0 in Westmoorings and St Augustine spanked Fyzabad 3-1 at home.Down at the foot of the table, Trinity East is certain to be relegated and will be joined by two from the Fyzabad, Fatima, Speyside or Carapichaima when the final round of matches takes place on Wednesday.
Signal Hill takesTobago boys crown
Meanwhile, Signal Hill captured the Tobago Zone of the Championship Division after a 1-1 draw in a top-of-the-table clash with last year's winner Scarborough.Akeem Benjamin netted for Signal Hill to lead 1-0 while Kareem Agard equalised for Scarborough.
The point earned took Signal Hill to 26 points from its 12 matches, three ahead of Scarborough which needed a win. Signall Hill will now host Chaguanas North in its Championship Division "Big-Five" opener on Tuesday while East Mucurapo is at home to Five Rivers, both from 3.30 pm.
On Friday, East Mucurapo edged Chaguanas North 3-2 and Five Rivers slipped past Pleasantville 2-1 in round one matches.
Today, at the Mannie Ramjohn Stdaium, Marabella from, Fyzabad and Scarborough will face off in the National Girls "Big-Four" semifinal with the winner to face St Augustine which outclassed Diego Martin Central 5-2 on Thursday led by a Laurelle Theodore hat trick.The final is carded for Tuesday.
STANDINGS
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Naps 13 10 2 1 25 6 32
Prs S/F'd13 8 3 2 26 14 27
St Ben 13 7 4 2 19 12 25
St Anth13 7 3 3 21 18 24
St A/tn 13 7 2 4 24 17 23
Shiv B 13 6 5 2 18 11 23
QRC 13 5 6 2 17 11 21
S/Jn N 14 7 0 7 20 16 21
Teams P W D L F A Pts
StMrys 13 6 1 6 22 17 19
Trini M 13 3 5 5 21 23 14
Fyzbd 13 4 1 8 15 23 13
Fatima 13 2 4 7 17 24 10
Spysde 13 3 1 9 15 30 10
C/East 13 1 5 7 9 21 8
Trini E 13 1 0 12 11 35 3
RESULTS
Trinity Moka 1 (Isaiah Pryce 20th) vs San Juan North 0
St Augustine 3 (Jesse Joseph 3rd, Tyriq Alexander 4th, Joshua Marshall 17th) vs Fyzabad 1 (Alaric Williams 12th)
St Benedict's 3 (Shermar Ravello, Tarylll Coutou, Kerwin Mitchell) vs St Mary's 0
Fatima 2 (Kyon Williams, Anrdew Abraham) vs Speyside 1 (Rickel Stewart)
St Anthony's 1 (Shem Clauzel) vs QRC 0
Naparima 1 (Michael Basdeo 10th) vs Shiva 0
Presentation 5 (Kareem Riley 2, Nate Brooks, Jarod Gordon, Nion Lamey) vs Trinity East 0