St Mary’s fails Shiva Boys exam; Penal pupils star in St Clair


First, the good news for St Mary’s College football fans. The Shiva Boys Hindu College team eventually gave the “Saints” their ground back this evening.

But, just to be on the safe side, perhaps CIC coach Ryan Shim should have a priest and trauma counsellor on hand for their next trip to Serpentine Road, St Clair.

The final score read 3-1 to Shiva but, for those who witnessed the affair, it was so much worse.

Photo: Shiva Boys HC mdifielder Yohannes Richardson (left) controls the ball while St Mary's College forward Chinua Bernard looks on at Serpentine Road. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC mdifielder Yohannes Richardson (left) controls the ball while St Mary’s College forward Chinua Bernard looks on at Serpentine Road.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

“It was very very difficult for us today,” Shim told Wired868. “Once we got behind, we chased the game a bit but it just didn’t happen for us in the end…


“We did all we could do today.”

St Mary’s striker Chinua Bernard put in a good shift and, fittingly, got the lone goal for the hosts. But they lacked the poise and purpose of a Shiva team that is now third in the 15-team table.

Shiva Boys trail leaders, San Juan North Secondary, by two points, although the Penal-based school has a game in hand.

“We have a lot of work to do,” said Shiva coach Hayden Ryan. “We are seeing in spurts what we can do. And sometimes things just falling apart.”

There are indeed occasions when the Shiva Boys outfit looks like a make-shift, extempore band of liming partners.

But the beauty of Ryan’s outfit, which was crafted over the years by former “Strike Squad” defender Dexter Francis, is that, on the ball, his troops play with a single philosophy.

Photo: Shiva Boys HC left back Isaiah Garcia (right) blasts a shot at goal while St Mary's College goalkeeper Kristopher Donaldson (centre) prepares to save. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC left back Isaiah Garcia (right) blasts a shot at goal while St Mary’s College goalkeeper Kristopher Donaldson (centre) prepares to save.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

Their style of play could be summarised as: pass, pass, pass and wait for a winger to get possession while facing his marker. And then Shiva goes from zero to 100 really quickly.

Quinn Rodney, who started on the right flank but ended the match at centre forward, was decisive today although he did not get on the score summary. Tyrell “Pappy” Emmanuel, as always, was peerless in central midfield. And the two combined for the opener in the 24th minute.


Rodney zipped past two opponents on the touchline and whipped in an inviting cross at the far post where Pappy steered his header past St Mary’s custodian Kristopher Donaldson.

“They looked a well knit unit,” said Shim. “They had a lot of pace and power in wide areas and they look good in the middle of the park also.”

St Mary’s did respond though. Bernard was a whisker away from the opener himself, just seconds before Pappy struck, and the versatile 17-year-old attacker conjured up an equaliser for the Saints in the 36th minute.

Photo: Shiva Boys HV star Tyrel "Pappy" Emmanuel (centre) drives towards goal while St Mary's College midfielder Nathan Harte (airborne) makes a vain attempt at a block. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC star Tyrel “Pappy” Emmanuel (centre) drives towards goal while St Mary’s College midfielder Nathan Harte (airborne) makes a vain attempt at a block.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

There seemed to be little on when Bernard glided away from an opponent on the left side of his opponents’ penalty area. But Shiva goalkeeper Denzil Smith’s mind was elsewhere and the St Mary’s student surprised him at his near post.

The scoreline flattered the hosts, though, and Tyrell “Sexy Man” Baptiste corrected that, three minutes before the interval, as he spun between his markers and drove Shiva back into the lead with a finish into the far corner.

Baptiste started the season on Shiva’s bench but yesterday’s strike was his third in as many matches. Maybe Ryan has found his ‘number nine.’

The Saints were a shell of their old selves in the second half as Shiva players strode around the St Clair ground as though they had just bought the place.

By then, Pappy had begun to fade and he eventually left the field on a stretcher and clutching his heart. He seemed okay after the whistle and Ryan insisted that it was a gas pain.

Photo: Shiva Boys HC midfielder Mark Ramdeen (left) holds off St Mary's College player and fellow substitute Joshua Joseph. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC midfielder Mark Ramdeen (left) holds off St Mary’s College player and fellow substitute Joshua Joseph.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

“He didn’t eat properly (over the years), so he would sometimes get gas pains,” said Ryan. “But he will be okay.”

After the tragic deaths of former Trinidad and Tobago World Youth Cup defender Akeem Adams and CONCACAF Gold Cup player Kevon Carter, one hopes that Ryan’s prognosis is supported by a doctor.

There was nothing in blue and white stripes to worry Shiva in the second half.

Attacking midfielder and stand-in captain Shaquille John picked up where Rodney left off.

In the 56th minute, John cleared the bar by inches with a left footed drive, after a pass from Baptiste. A minute later, he crashed a swerving 25 yard free kick off the bar.

Then, in the 58th minute, John finally got his goal, as he prodded home from close range after Donaldson spilled a Rodney effort.

Photo: Shiva Boys HC stand-in captain Shaquille John (right) holds off St Mary's College player Joshua Joseph during SSFL Premier Division action at Serpentine Road. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC stand-in captain Shaquille John (right) holds off St Mary’s College player Joshua Joseph during SSFL Premier Division action at Serpentine Road.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

Ryan immediately introduced 15-year-old Judah Garcia, the younger brother of national youth players and former Shiva stars Nathaniel “Spanish” Garcia and Levi Garcia. (Shiva Boys could probably open a Garcia wing at the school since their cousin, Isaiah Garcia, played at left back yesterday).

As chants of “Judah! Judah!” went up from Shiva Boys supporters, there was a feeling that Serpentine Road was about to witness something special.

The pint-sized Garcia, who actually made his SSFL Premier Division debut last year under Francis, did not lack confidence and he buzzed around in centre midfield, looking for passing opportunities and defenders to take on.

His elder teammates passed him the ball on request without fail. But, despite some flashes of potential and neat touches, he did not quite produce anything really memorable. There is little doubt that it will come though.

“It is the first time he got a ‘wet’ (this season),” said Ryan. “We believed this was the right game to give Judah a knock and he didn’t do badly…

Photo: Shiva Boys HC substitute Judah St Louis (left) beats St Mary's College midfielder Daniel Conocchiari to the ball at Serpentine Road. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC substitute Judah Garcia (left) beats St Mary’s College midfielder Daniel Conocchiari to the ball at Serpentine Road.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

“He is a genius in collecting and passing the ball.”

In the other camp, St Mary’s own talisman, Ethan Shim, was a shadow of himself and his father and head coach, Shim, took him off in the 61st minute.

“I don’t want to make an excuse,” said the St Mary’s coach, “but he had his SAT exam today and he came out of it around 1.30 pm.

“He had been studying for it over the last couple of nights as well.”

Hopefully, Shim did better at SAT than he and his teammates did on their Shiva test.

The elder Shim was gracious in defeat.

“I think my boys gave a great effort,” said Shim. “There wasn’t much more that we could do. I must take off my hat to Shiva.”

Ryan suggested his boys have not peaked yet. If they do hit top gear this season, it would be difficult for anyone to match them.

Photo: Shiva Boys HC coach Hayden Ryan (second from left) celebrates his team's third goal while St Mary's College coach Ryan Shim (stooping) looks on at Serpentine Road. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys HC coach Hayden Ryan (second from left) celebrates his team’s third goal while St Mary’s College coach Ryan Shim (stooping) looks on at Serpentine Road.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

“We are getting there,” said Ryan. “We are playing better and better every game.”

Naparima College assistant coach and former Trinidad and Tobago international midfielder Travis Mulraine was at Serpentine Road to witness Shiva’s progress first-hand.

Last year, “Naps” battered Shiva 6-0 at Lewis Street, San Fernando on the final game of the season to win the inaugural Premier Division title. This season, the two southern schools will meet in San Fernando again for the penultimate game of the competition, three weeks from now.

It should be a mouth-watering clash.

(Teams)

Shiva Boys HC (4-2-3-1): 24.Denzil Smith (GK); 15.Jabari Graham, 13.Ryan Davis, 5.Jerome Samuel, 8.Isaiah Garcia; 11.Yohannes Richardson, 6.Tyrel Emmanuel (17.Mark Ramdeen 76); 7.Quinn Rodney, 33.Shaquille John, 14.Ronaldo Edwards (10.Judah Garcia 60); 19.Tyrell Baptiste.

Coach: Hayden Ryan

 

St Mary’s College (4-2-1-3): 1.Kristopher Donaldson (GK); 13.Nicholas Emmanuel, 4.Jerome Dempster-Babb (captain), 3.Emilio Saunders, 6.Samuel Affonso; 21.Nathan Harte (5.Howard Sabga 90), 7.Matthaeus Granger; 8.Daniel Conocchiari (22.Kyle Mowser); 10.Aaron Skeene, 9.Chinua Bernard, 19.Ethan Shim (18.Joshua Joseph 61).

Coach: Ryan Shim

 

Referee: Kern De Souza

Man of the Match: Quinn Rodney (Shiva Boys HC)

Photo: Shiva Boys Hindu College winger Quinn Rodney (left) tries to escape from a Carapichaima East Secondary defender during a previous SSFL contest. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Shiva Boys Hindu College winger Quinn Rodney (left) tries to escape from a Carapichaima East Secondary defender during a previous SSFL contest.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

SSFL Premier Division results

(Saturday Oct 3)

St Mary’s College 1 (Chinua Bernard 36), Shiva Boys HC 3 (Tyrel Emmanuel 24, Tyrell Baptiste 42, Shaquille John 58) at St Mary’s;

San Juan North 2 (Brent Sam [2]), Speyside High 0 at San Juan.

Trinity College East 0, Fatima College 3 (Jahreed Murray 6, Jonathan Casimire 12, Keyon Williams 30) at Trincity;

St Anthony’s College 3, St Augustine 3 at St Anthony’s;

QRC 0, Presentation San F’do 0 at QRC;

San Juan North 2 (Brent Sam [2]), Speyside High 0 at San Juan;

St Benedict’s College 3 (Shemar Ravello, Kerwin Mitchell, Levi Crawford),  Carapichaima East 0 at Mahaica Oval;

Trinity College Moka 1, Fyzabad Secondary 0 at Moka.

Photo: St Benedict's College midfielder Tyrik Eastman (left) tussles for possession with Fatima College midfielder Kyon Williams during previous SSFL action. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: St Benedict’s College midfielder Tyrik Eastman (left) tussles for possession with Fatima College midfielder Kyon Williams during previous SSFL action.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

Standings (Tabulated as Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

San Juan North      8-6-0-2-15-6-18

Presentation SF      8-5-2-1-16-10-17

Shiva Boys HC         7-5-1-1-11-4-16

Naparima College  7-5-1-1-10-3-16

St Benedict’s             7-4-2-1-10-7-14

St Mary’s College    8-4-1-3-15-9-13

St Anthony’s              7-3-2-2-11-12-11

St Augustine Sec     8-3-2-3-11-12-11

QRC                               7-2-4-1-7-5-10

Trinity Moka              7-2-2-3-13-14-8

Fatima College          8-1-3-4-13-14-6

Fyzabad Sec               6-2-0-4-6-11-6

Speyside High           7-1-1-5-9-15-4

Carapichaima E        8-0-3-5-5-16-3

Trinity East                 7-0-0-7-4-17-0

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About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

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54 comments

  1. Why everyone keep saying south teams are the best isn’t San Juan leading the table in the league

  2. Tyler he control tha ball dey..in d pic?

  3. ..LOL…ok pal. Archie and de Leon were two of our greatest players. PEACE…

  4. There was no “slew of over age players”. Warren was over age by months. Thank God for your degrees and stop toting.

  5. ..LOL..thanks Lasana. All i did was state the fact that when Bemedicts was a big school side they had their titles rescinded for playing a slew of over age players. That is a fact. I eh make it up. I also said i never lost to Benedicts in my four years of school football. Next this is a personal attack. LOL..My days gone but i had days. And i got two university degrees from them days to use long after them days done
    LOL..

  6. You northerners need to come out of your bubble and take a drive past the light house and grand bazaar before y’all start talking about football lol

  7. No I really wonder how the conversation got here.
    Please remember we are discussing a wonderful performance by Shiva Boys HC against St Mary’s College. ??

  8. On the national team..since you dont wish to remember.. Leroy DeLeon was voted best player in concacaf tournament in Guatemala. Archibald was the hero in Haiti in 1974..7playera were in the national squad for years. Keith Look Loy you were not nearly as good ss those guys and that seems to be a problem with you.
    L

  9. ..Dont you mean how many went on scholarship?..

  10. How many went on to play on the National team

  11. ..LOL..St. Benedict’s supporters right to hark back to their over age team. Nutten of note since then. O played for Saints from 1968 to 1971. Benedicts never beat my side…LOL…

  12. Lol thank you counselor …. I gracefully withdraw said comments lol

  13. Actually it was Pinard who raised the St Benedict’s team Malik Johnson.

  14. Interesting way to deflect from the fact that St Mary’s were soundly beaten on their home ground LookLoy ….by bringing up an issue that occurred umm 30 odd years ago …well played.

  15. And the star players were mostly from Point Fortin, my old home town.

  16. ..LOL..Further comment would be useless pal. They were the best..

  17. Even so. St Benedicts were beating teams like Malvern, Regiment,Maple..name them all fell at the feet of the most brilliant players ever to assemble in Trinidad and Tobago.Admit if even grudgingly.

  18. Shiva honestly didnt impress me as a team when they played Fatima. Pappy, 1 of the stoppers and the rightsided midfielder (who i believe is a national wingback)impressed me with their individual talents and confidence on the ball. But as a team they did not really impress me. That said, they were deserved winners on the day and since then they have gone on to win many other games so that must say something so im willing to aaccept that they have improved .

    Sm

    • Well, those are the main players you mentioned there Sheppy. The stopper you referred to was absent. But Pappy and Rodney were on fire and that made it a lot easier for their teammates to play. Shaquille John, who plays in the number 10 role, is useful too.
      But Rodney and Pappy were on fire and that made the game easy for Shiva.

  19. Dexter Francis is coaching them? Shiva? If so then they are in good hands and no wonder they are whipping CIC.

  20. South teams very dominant this time around….A few more surprises in store yet

  21. I’m sure they are. That was the generation of players that caught my attention though.

  22. Shiva around longer than that Lasana.

  23. Lol. I think they won something with Leston Paul and Sean De Silva. But not sure. Maybe it was just a zonal title.
    I never heard of Shiva Boys before about two years ago Gabre Cummings.
    Dexter Francis starting finding these great kids from Deep South and drafting them in.
    Levi Garcia who got signed by a Dutch Eredivisie club played there last year.
    And Tyrel “Pappy” Emmanuel was one of two players in the country that got selected by Chelsea scouts earlier this year.
    That tells you the kinda talent they are scooping up.

  24. …No comment on the North/South business but lets’ not ignore facts That Benedicts team had their titles rescinded for playing over age players (big men with baby face like Archibald) under the priest Dom Basil Matthews. So they were the best yes…

  25. Best school team ever was from the south…St. Benedict’s College in the late 60s.

  26. Great game , Two Shiva boys players for the future are # 17 Mark Ramdeen and # 10 Judah Garcia , They are of small structure but will surely make up for that with talent. Naps , Shiva boys clash is a game not to miss .

  27. Who is Shiva boys? Lol.

    Haven’t looked at a SSFL game in ages but has CIC lifted any trophy since the 1991 big 8?

  28. Goals scored for tally for Fatima should read 13 and not 12
    Fatima scored:
    3 vs Pres
    1 vs Shiva
    1 vs CIC
    1 vs QRC
    1 vs San Juant
    2 vs Trinity Moka
    1 vs Benedicts
    3 vs Trinity East
    Total =13
    This may prove very important in the relegation battle

  29. Hope they check out Pappy !!! Think that’s his second goal this season. I believe he needs to develop other aspects of his game, instead of being “a passer”.

  30. Blame it on the media lol….since back in my day media always blowing up the North teams etc …so we waited patiently to play you guys and beat your asses lol …

  31. Really nice photos again Chevaughn Christopher. Well done. ?

  32. That south team could play Briggsie. I watched the game with Gordon Perkins and another national coach. We were all impressed with the individual talent.

    • I saw Shiva play CAPS they have great individual talent and a decent synergy. I just found that the individual talent got in the way of the overall team benefit at times. In that game they wasted many goal scoring opportunities in the name of flare. However, I think they are a good team.

  33. ’til this day we still have a problem with South teams….

  34. All i can say is, Shims, John Andalcio. LOL

  35. St Mary’s still has good players. Chinua Bernard, Aaron Skeene, Ethan Shim, Matthaeus Granger and Daniel Conocchiairi can play although I don’t know how I would rate them with the likes of Nakhid.
    The reality is that Shiva was just better.

  36. When I attended St. Mary’s college, David Nakhid, Dexter Skeene, and Adrian “Don” Mora – all classmates, were the names to reckon with, but times have changed it seems.

    • My father told me about those days. Said St Mary’s vs St Augustine was like watching national teams play. Besides those three I think he mentioned Tam and Henderson. And he said the big player for Gustine was Pollonais.

  37. That’s St Mary’s days; fast starts and then the inevitable happens. And after Chelsea’s defeat, I takin’ a break from football.

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