RBNYL: Rangers show off shooting boots, QPCC holding firm and Uprising Youths warm to the occasion

The youngsters from St Ann’s Rangers were not in a playful mood last weekend. On Saturday 25 June, their Under-14 and Under-16 teams combined to score a whopping 14 goals as North Zone action got underway in the Republic Bank National Youth League (RBNYL).

Photo: La Horquetta SA attacker Aydan Williams (left) takes on a Trincity Nationals opponent during Republic Bank National Youth League action on 4 June 2016. Williams scored the equaliser as the teams played to a 1-1 draw. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/CAI Sports/All Sport)
Photo: La Horquetta SA attacker Aydan Williams (left) takes on a Trincity Nationals opponent during Republic Bank National Youth League action on 4 June 2016. Williams scored the equaliser as the teams played to a 1-1 draw.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CAI Sports/All Sport)

Rangers’ senior team finished bottom of the 2015/16 Pro League standings despite some really battling performances. However, owner Richard Fakoory may be smiling at the promise coming through his team’s academy.

Although Fakoory will not be able to summon these youngsters for senior duty just yet, their respective teams were able to give Santa Cruz United and T&T Maestros International the runaround on Saturday afternoon.

Keron Manswell and Jean-Neim McFee starred for Rangers, playing major roles in both the Under-14 and Under-16 games.


The duo combined for five goals in Rangers’ 9-4 thumping of Santa Cruz’s Under-14s, with Manswell bagging a hat-trick. They netted a goal apiece in the 5-1 rout of the Maestros International’s Under-16 team.

Rangers aren’t having things all their own way in the North though, as their teams still sit in second spots despite their emphatic performances.

Photo: St Anns Rangers attacker Kaviel Bennett sprints down the flank during their quarterfinal win over Cap Off Youths in the 2015 Republic Bank National Youth Cup. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: St Anns Rangers attacker Kaviel Bennett sprints down the flank during their quarterfinal win over Cap Off Youths in the 2015 Republic Bank National Youth Cup.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Police FC hold the edge on goal difference in the Under-16 category thanks to an 8-1 mauling of Laventille United, while Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) Football Academy has slight control in the Under-14 category having played one game more than their St Ann’s counterparts.

The boys in sky blue have shown that they have much more than just cricket skills, and they too routed Maestros International in style as they walked away with a 5-2 victory. Zachary Welch and Andrew De Gannes both bagged braces as the young Parkites edged to the top of the four-team Under-14 group with four points from two games.

QPCC’s Under-12 team had a more difficult task against Trendsetter Hawks as they battled to a 3-2 victory. Trendsetter has risen to become one of the more popular names in TT youth football under the stewardship of Anthony “Dada” Wickham.

Their tenacious spirit was not enough though to stop a game-winning double by Aalon Wilson-Wright. Trendsetter’s Abdul Hypolite scored a double of his own, but his team is now three points off of the pace set by the Parkites after two games in group play.

Photo: A Pinto United SC player (right) prepares to strike the ball, despite the attentions of an Adrenaline FA opponent, during Republic Bank National Youth League East Zone Under-12 action on 4 June 2016. Pinto won 4-0. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/CAI Sports/All Sport)
Photo: A Pinto United SC player (right) prepares to strike the ball, despite the attentions of an Adrenaline FA opponent, during Republic Bank National Youth League East Zone Under-12 action on 4 June 2016. Pinto won 4-0.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CAI Sports/All Sport)

In the South, last year’s national Under-11 winners, Uprising Youths, are showing that they are ready for another prosperous run, as their Under-12 and under-14 teams both got off to successful starts.

Shemar Ramlal and Simon Modeste were able to seal a 2-nil victory over WEZ Pro S.A.F.E. in the Under-12 action, while the Under-14s managed a healthy four points from their games against Club Sando and WEZ Pro.


Ezekiel Kejar managed a double in Uprising’s 4-0 win over Club Sando, but his lone item was not enough to squeeze past a battling WEZ in the subsequent encounter as the game finished 1-1.

Palo Seco FC and Gasparillo Youths got off to winning ways in the Under-16 division as they registered respective 3-1 and 7-0 wins. Palo Seco goals came from Terrance Carter, Kervon Telesford and Trevon Augustine as they came from behind to defeat St Mary’s SC.

The Gasparillo contingent just swatted away their Ste Madeleine Strikers opponents a commanding seven times.

Photo: Uprising Youths substitutes get excited as their team clinches the Republic Bank 2015 National Youth Cup Under-11 crown at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar. (Courtesy Sinead Peters/Wired868)
Photo: Uprising Youths substitutes get excited as their team clinches the Republic Bank 2015 National Youth Cup Under-11 crown at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar.
(Courtesy Sinead Peters/Wired868)

Republic Bank National Youth League: Saturday June 25

North Zone Under-12

  • QPCC FC 3 (David Rodriguez 7, Aalon Wilson-Wright 13, 33), Trendsetter Hawks 2 (Abdul Hypolite 12, 35)

North Zone Under-14

  • QPCC 5 (Zachary Welch 5, 49, Andrew De Gannes 9, 45, Aaron Moruf 29), T&T Maestros International 2 (Naeem Bisnath 25, Kyle Ramdoo 36);
  • St Ann’s Rangers FC 9 (Kaylon Taylor 5, Keron Manswell 13, 18, 31, Jean-Neim McFee 24, 26, Alec Benny 27, 42), Santa Cruz United FA 4 (Kyle Phillip 17, 22, Tyrique Perouse 29, Tyrese Winchester 34)

North Zone Under-16

  • Police FC 8 (Jurel Baptiste 3, Corey Ambrose 13, 22, Mattheas Marquez 36, 52, Leshawn Joseph 44, Lyndon De Leon 48, 56), Laventille United 1 (Jabarry Richards 24)
  • T&T Maestros International 1 (Antonio Graham 41), St Ann’s Rangers 5 (Jean-Neim McFee 2, Jerrell Hibbert 23, Keron Manswell 36, Naphali Carrington 39, 55);

South Zone Under-12

  • Marabella Crisis Centre 0, Ste Madeleine Strikers 0
  • WEZ Pro S.A.F.E. 0, Uprising Youths 2 (Shemar Ramlal 28, Simon Modeste 33);

South Zone Under-14

  • Uprising Youths 4 (Joshua Joseph 15, Ezekiel Kejar 22, 45, Kanye Francis 48), Club Sando 0
  • WEZ Pro S.A.F.E. 1 (Keston Joseph 35), Uprising Youths 1 (Ezekiel Kejar 26)

South Zone Under-16

  • Palo Seco FC 3 (Terrance Carter 34, Kervon Telesford 50, Trevon Augustine 55), St Mary’s SC 1 (Christin Smith 17)
  • Ste Madeleine Strikers 0, Gasparillo Youths 7
Photo: A Memphis FC player (centre) gives the boot to a Trendsetter Hawks opponent during North Zone Under-11 action at the 2015 Republic Bank Youth Cup in the Queen's Park Savannah.  (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: A Memphis FC player (centre) gives the boot to a Trendsetter Hawks opponent during North Zone Under-11 action at the 2015 Republic Bank Youth Cup in the Queen’s Park Savannah.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Upcoming fixtures

Saturday July 2 

South Zone Under-12 (Brighton Sports Grd & La Brea Recreation Grd)

  • WEZ Pro S.A.F.E. vs Gasparillo Youths, 10am;
  • Uprising Youths vs Marabella Family Crisis Centre, 11am;
  • Gasparillo Youths vs Ste Madeleine Strikers FC, noon;

South Zone Under-14 (Brighton Sports Grd & La Brea Recreation Grd)

  • Uprising Youths vs Gasparillo Youths, 11am;
  • Club Sando vs WEZ Pro S.A.F.E., noon;

South Zone Under-16 (Brighton Sports Grd & La Brea Recreation Grd)

  • Palo Seco F.C. vs Uprising Youths, 10am;
  • Ste Madeleine Strikers F.C. vs St Mary’s S.C., 11:30am;
  • Gasparillo Youths vs Uprising Youths, 1pm;
Photo: A WEZ Pro player (left) battles for the ball with an Uprising Youth opponent during Under-11 South Zone action in the 2015 Republic Bank National Youth Cup. (Courtesy Amigo Garraway/Republic Bank)
Photo: A WEZ Pro player (left) battles for the ball with an Uprising Youth opponent during Under-11 South Zone action in the 2015 Republic Bank National Youth Cup.
(Courtesy Amigo Garraway/Republic Bank)

Sunday July 3

Central Zone Under-12 (Edinburgh 500 Recreation Grd)

  • Crowne Trace FC vs New Settlement S&C, 10am;
  • Cap Off Youths vs Edinburgh 500 S&C, 11am;
  • Crowne Trace FC vs Edinburgh 500 S&C, noon;

Central Zone Under-14 (Edinburgh 500 Recreation Grd)

  • Cap Off Youths vs Crowne Trace FC, 10am;
  • Crowne Trace FC vs Edinburgh 500 S&C, 11:30am;
  • Cap Off Youths vs Edinburgh 500 S&C, 1pm;
Photo: Crown Trace attacker Jevaughn Humphrey (second from right) was a handful against FC Santa Rosa in Republic Bank National Youth League action on 11 June 2016 in Macoya. Humphrey scored one and set up another as Crown Trace won 3-0 the East Zone Under-16 fixture. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/All Sport)
Photo: Crown Trace attacker Jevaughn Humphrey (second from right) was a handful against FC Santa Rosa in Republic Bank National Youth League action on 11 June 2016 in Macoya.
Humphrey scored one and set up another as Crown Trace won 3-0 the East Zone Under-16 fixture.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/All Sport)

East Zone Under-12 (Constantine Park, Macoya)

  • Trincity Nationals vs Pinto United SC, 11am;
  • Adrenaline FA vs Malabar Young Stars, noon;
  • Pinto United SC vs La Horquetta XF, 1pm;

East Zone Under-14 (Constantine Park, Macoya)

  • Pinto United SC vs Adrenaline FA, 10am;
  • Febeau Government Primary School vs FC Santa Rosa, 11am;

East Zone Under-16 (Constantine Park, Macoya)

  • Mafeking United FC  vs FC Santa Rosa, 10am;
  • Crowne Trace FC vs Malabar Young Stars, 11:30am;
  • Crowne Trace FC  vs Mafeking United FC, 1pm.
Photo: Malabar Young Stars attacker Jorel Grant (centre) squeezes between Mafeking United players Tamaar Williams (second from left) and Kirby Stewart (second from right) while goalkeeper Marc Mahabir gets ready during Republic Bank National Youth League action on 11 June 2016. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/All Sport)
Photo: Malabar Young Stars attacker Jorel Grant (centre) squeezes between Mafeking United players Tamaar Williams (second from left) and Kirby Stewart (second from right) while goalkeeper Marc Mahabir gets ready during Republic Bank National Youth League action on 11 June 2016.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/All Sport)
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About Roneil Walcott

Roneil Walcott is an avid sports fan and freelance reporter with a BA in Mass Communication from COSTAATT. Roneil is a former Harvard and St Mary's College cricketer who once had lofty aspirations of bringing joy to sport fans with the West Indies team. Now, his mission is to keep them on the edge of their seats with sharp commentary from off the playing field.

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