walter.alibey@guardian.co.tt
New Coca-Cola National Intercol champions will be crowned today for both Boys and Girls divisions. Premier Division and South Intercol winners Naparima College will be aiming at a treble when it takes on San Juan North Secondary in the feature match at 5 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain Couva, for the boys' title.
And in the girls' contest will take place two hours before, between Pleasantville Secondary and Signal Hill Secondary at the same venue.
Williams Wallace, the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) president urged the teams to go out and play for the titles, but ensure in the end that sport wins. "Let people come out and really be entertained by positive and good football," Wallace advised. Naparima, being coached by Angus Eve, a former national midfielder, has not won the Intercol since 2015, despite being the most consistent team in the league.
Eve told a large gathering at the Ato Boldon Stadium yesterday that his players have been preparing for the title since the beginning of the season, having not won it in three years. He called on the crowd to come out and support the young players, saying 'May the best team win."
But San Juan manager Stephen Clarke admitted his team faces a daunting task against a team that has won three out of five Intercol titles. He was quick to point out, however, his team has also been fairly consistent, having made it to three Intercol finals. The Bourg Mulatresse lads won it back in 2016 but failed to retain it last year, when they were beaten in the final by Shiva Boys Hindu College.
Clarke said his team wants back its title. The team, led by influential striker Renaldo Boyce, has won the East Intercol title for the last three consecutive years, and for all their impressive performances in the premier division, they left empty-handed. The easterners endured a physical contest in last week's east Intercol final and have since been in recovery mood. "We want our players to be physically ready for the game today," Clarke said.
Meanwhile, Joel Maloney, the Pleasantville coach said his girls are determined to make up for last year's demoralizing defeat by Bishops Anstey in the final. "Since that defeat the girls have really worked hard, conceding just three goals for the season, as they are determined to bring home the title."
Pleasantville has displayed an extremely explosive attacking force this year, scoring an amazing 139 goals in just 11 matches, but in just two Intercol finals, last year and this year, they are hoping to hit the target, having never won it before.
They face a Signal Hill outfit that has also been lethal in the offense. Signal Hill, coached by Ray Mitchell has scored 105 goals in 25 matches and will be hoping to win the title a second time, since their triumph in 2007.
Their manager Syandene Blackman-Walsh said she is confident of winning the title after a number of positive changes were made to her team recently.