SSFL 23: QRC, Trinity East make late surge; Webb nears scoring title

Queen’s Royal College and Trinity College East were the big winners on the final match day of the 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division season while St Benedict’s College attacker Malachi Webb is on the brink of an individual scoring title with his third hattrick of the season.

With leaders Fatima College already crowned and Pleasantville Secondary, Chaguanas North Secondary and Bishop’s High School long relegated, all that was left was a jostle for league placings and the SSFL’s proverbial golden boot.

QRC ended a lean season on a high note with a deserved 2-0 win over Arima North Secondary in St Clair, courtesy of a second half item by Stephon James and a late Tau Lamsee free kick.

The result saw the Royalians climb two spots from 13th in the 16-team table to 11th. Arima North remained sixth, although the newly promoted eastern outfit missed out a chance to leapfrog Naparima College into fifth place.

Incidentally, “Naps”, under new management after replacing head coach Travis Mulraine with Abdallah Phillips, got their reboot off to a losing start as they failed to hold on to a halftime lead at Westmoorings and lost 2-1 to St Anthony’s College.

Trinity College East applied considerable gloss to a tough season, as they downed Speyside High School 3-1 at Trincity to surge from 12th to 8th—their first appearance in the top half of the table for the term.

At Mahaica Oval, Webb was in the mood as he grabbed another treble in St Benedict’s 4-0 spanking of Malick Secondary. In the process, the powerful forward tallied a league high 16 goals from 15 games, which saw him surpass Malick forward Oba Samuel’s 14 goals at the death.

Webb got hattricks against Chaguanas North, St Mary’s College and Malick this season, while he also scored against Bishop’s High, Naparima, Presentation College (San Fernando), QRC, Pleasantville and Trinity East.

Still, it was a bittersweet afternoon for Webb who was also ejected by referee Andrew Samuel.

Samuel played one game fewer than Webb, since Malick did not face Bishop’s High due to their issues in booking transport to the Sister Isle during the Tobago Carnival period. However, both schools are interested in playing the outstanding fixture.

Fatima closed off their league campaign with a 1-0 win away to St Mary’s College on Serpentine Road.

Next up is the Coca Cola National Intercol competition, which kicks off on Monday with games in the North, East and South Zones.

SSFL Premier Division results

(Friday 3 November)

St Anthony’s College 2 (Aalon Wilson-Wright, Theo Cravador), Naparima College 1 (Josiah Cooper) at Westmoorings;

St Mary’s College 0, Fatima College 1 (OG) at Serpentine Road;

St Benedict’s College 4 (Malachi Webb [3], Adam Pierre), Malick Secondary 0 at Mahaica Oval;

Presentation (San F’do) 5 (Vaughn Clement [3], Adah Barclay [2]), East Mucurapo 2 (Brandon Parks, Atiba Khidr) at Manny Ramjohn Stadium;

QRC 2 (Stephon James, Tau Lamsee), Arima North 0 at Queen’s Royal College Ground;

Chaguanas North 0, San Juan North 2 (OG, Jadiel Joseph) at Edinburgh 500;

Trinity East 3 (Jeremiah Frank-Williams, Nathan Prowell, Deisean Plaza), Speyside High 1 (Daishawn Bradshaw) at Trincity.

2023 SSFL Premier Division

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Fatima	15	13	1	1	50	8	42	40
2	St Benedict's	15	11	2	2	51	10	41	35
3	San Juan	15	10	3	2	37	15	22	33
4	Presentation	15	9	4	2	25	8	17	31
5	Naparima	15	8	3	4	48	14	34	27
6	Arima North	15	7	5	3	24	10	14	26
7	St Anthony's	15	8	2	5	34	21	13	26
8	Malick	15	6	2	7	42	27	15	20
9	Trinity East	15	5	3	7	24	28	-4	18
10	Mucurapo	15	5	3	7	28	40	-12	18
11	QRC	15	5	2	8	30	32	-2	17
12	Speyside	15	4	5	6	18	29	-11	17
13	St Mary's	15	5	2	8	26	40	-14	17
14	Bishop's Tobago	14	1	1	12	9	45	-36	4
15	Chaguanas North	15	1	1	13	5	64	-59	4

National Intercol Preliminary Round

(Mon 6 Nov)

El Dorado West vs Five Rivers Secondary, East, 3.30pm, El Dorado West;

St Mary’s College vs Belmont Secondary, North, 3.30pm, St Mary’s College;

QRC vs Diego Martin Central, North, 3.30pm, QRC;

Blanchisseuse Secondary vs Mucurapo West Secondary, North, 3.30pm, Blanchisseuse;

Trinity College (Moka) vs Tranquillity Secondary, North, 3.30pm, Moka;

Siparia West Secondary vs Princes Town West Secondary, South, 3.30pm, Palo Seco Secondary;

Point Fortin East vs ASJA Boys (San F’do), South, 3.30pm, M/Ramjohn Training Field.

Top Goal Scorers

16—Malachi Webb (St Benedict’s College),

14—Oba Samuel (Malick Secondary),

12—Michael Chaves (Fatima College), Vaughn Clement (Presentation San F’do),

11—Lindell Sween (San Juan North), Kyle Phillip (St Mary’s College),

10—Aidan De Gannes (Fatima College), Tevin Pantor (Naparima College), Daniel Jones, Jaden Grant (St Benedict’s College),

9—Tyrell Stapleton (Arima North), Stephon James (QRC), Jaheem Danclar (San Juan North), Ryan Radellant (St Mary’s College), Khaleem Prince (Trinity East),

8—Kanye Francis (Naparima College)

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