Isaiah Chase and captain Ronaldo Boyce scored two goals each to fire San Juan North Secondary past Signal Hill Secondary, 5-0, in their National Secondary Schools Football League Coca-Cola Inter-Col semifinal at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima, Thursday.
With the win, San Juan North, two-time National Inter-Col champions in 2006 and 2016, booked a spot in Tuesday’s final against the winner of Friday’s other semifinal, a mouth-watering match between Naparima College and St Anthony’s College, who have a combined 23 national crowns between them, at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 3.30 pm.
At Couva on Tuesday, North Zone champion, St Anthony’s led by a brace from captain Haile Beckles brushed aside Central Zone kings, Carapichaima East Secondary 4-1 while Naparima, also this year’s Premier Division winners got the better of South Zone rivals Presentation College of San Fernando 4-3 on sudden-death penalty-kicks after a 0-0 full-time score at Marabella on Monday. Yesterday at Malabar.
San Juan North held a comfortable 2-0 advantage after strikes from Chase in the 26th minute and four minutes later through Darion Warner. The burly Boyce then banged in a second-half double with Chase also netted another to complete the one-sided contest
Friday though, a much closer contest is expected with both teams boasting a few standout players. For Naparima coach, national Under-20 midfielder Mark Ramdeen, Seon Shippley, Isa Bramble, Jeron Pantor and goalkeeper Levi Fernandez are all expected to start while for the “Westmoorings Tigers” Beckles, Jesse Williams, Kiron Manswell, Ian Cowie, Zion Williams and Jahmia George are also due to start.