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Trinity College East and San Juan North Secondary booked their places in the East Zone Intercol final in contrasting style today at the Arima Velodrome.
San Juan North, the most dominant east Trinidad team of the Premier Division era, walloped second tier outfit El Dorado Secondary 5-0 to advance to a remarkable seventh straight zonal Intercol final.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
The Bourg Mulatresse Boys have won five zonal Intercol titles from eight competitions since the Premier Division was launched in 2014. The next best teams in that period (St Augustine Secondary, Trinity College East and Arima North) have one trophy each.
San Juan North’s last two appearances in the East Zone showcase ended in misery. But there was plenty for their fans to feel optimistic about tonight, as attackers Lindell Sween and Jahdel Chase-Charles cut through a plucky but outmanoeuvred El Dorado outfit.
El Dorado East, runners-up in the East Zone Championship Division, took a giant scalp in the quarterfinal round, as they eliminated Premier Division side, St Augustine Secondary. But coach Trevor Spicer’s boys could not repeat the trick against a rampant San Juan outfit, who are on a five-game winning streak at present.
The Trinity “Blue Hawks”, who are still in danger of relegation from the top flight, kept their Intercol run going with a second successive penalty shootout triumph.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
Last week, coach Dwayne Davis’ troops held off Hillview College. Today, it was the turn of defending champions Arima North Secondary.
The “Dial Dynamos” had the lion’s share of possession but rarely troubled opposing custodian Alexis Ambrose as the game petered out to a goalless stalemate. And it was Trinity East who held their nerve in the end, with Arima missing penalties from Criston Gomez, Jaquan Aguilleria and Keston Richards in a 5-4 defeat.
Remarkably, it was Arima North’s third shootout defeat in as many days—all at the Velodrome—after they lost the East Zone Under-14 and Senior Division finals via the same route against Holy Cross College and San Juan North respectively.
TCE will try to keep their Cinderella run going next Wednesday when they square off against San Juan North from 5.30pm at the Velodrome.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
Intercol heads north tomorrow as Fatima College take on Malick Secondary from 3.30pm while St Anthony’s College and Queen’s Royal College—the defending zonal champion and runners-up respectively—clash from 5.30pm in a doubleheader at the Diego Martin Complex.
Today’s Intercol results
(Wed 13 Nov)
Arima North 0, Trinity College East 0 at Arima Velodrome;
*–TCE won 5-4 on kicks from the penalty spot
San Juan North 5 (Jahdel Chase-Charles 16, 81, Lindell Sween 18, 28, Jaheem Danclar 45+2), El Dorado East 0 at Arima Velodrome.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
Upcoming fixtures
(Thu 14 Nov)
Fatima College vs Malick Secondary, North, 3.30pm, Diego Martin Complex;
St Anthony’s College vs QRC, North, 5.30pm, Diego Martin Complex;
(Fri 15 Nov)
St Benedict’s College vs Pleasantville Secondary, South, 3.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex;
Presentation (San F’do) vs Naparima College, South, 4.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
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