Intercol 23: Morris stars—again!—as St Anthony’s penalise QRC in North final

It has to be some sort of record. One goalkeeper, two divisions, two penalty shootout wins and two zonal titles in 24 hours.

Josiah Morris, who came on at nearly full time specifically to face the dreaded penalty kicks, stepped up and made two big saves to earn St Anthony’s College a dramatic North Zone Intercol crown, beating QRC 4-3 from the penalty spot after a lacklustre 90 minutes of football.

Just 24 hours prior, the 16-year-old Morris helped St Anthony’s reserves beat Fatima College to the North Zone Senior title while also contributing two big penalty saves.

“We worked so hard for this and, in the end, we got the result we wanted so we are going forward [to try to win the National] Intercol,” said St Anthony’s College head coach Ronald Daniel. “We are heading straight into the Intercol finals. We have the momentum. It’s just for us to keep the focus.”

Even though St Anthony’s exacted revenge against QRC—coached by their former star forward Kenwyne Jones—following a 1-0 defeat in their second league match, the “Westmoorings Tigers” were unconvincing in the final third today.

St Anthony’s enjoyed more spells of possession than their opponents and outshot them 22-7, although most of those efforts were hopeful, bordering on wasteful. (The Tigers had nine shots on target, compared to five from QRC.)

“As you can see, the ball wouldn’t go in the net—we are creating the opportunities,” said Daniel. “We’re [doing well in] both defensive and creative but [lack] the finishing, so we need to go back to the drawing board and work on that.”

The coach heaped praise on Morris, who replaced Germany Jackson in goal at the death.

“He made us so proud,” Daniel beamed. “They (the players) are proud of him.”

Midfielder Theo Crovador was heavily influential and seemed to spark almost every move going forward for the Tigers, although QRC defenders repeatedly found a last-ditch challenge when he snuck through.

St Anthony’s got their first real scoring chance in the seventh minute when Joshua Miller, fed the ball at the top right hand corner of the penalty area, glided past a QRC defender and swept a shot across the face of the goal, with no attacker to put it away.

Fifteen minutes in, QRC enjoyed one of their best chances of the match after right winger Stephon James trapped the ball with his head in midfield, dropped a shoulder to beat his defender to the byline, before crossing to Tau Lamsee.

But Lamsee was unable to keep his header down and on target, to Jones’ frustration.

At the half-hour mark, QRC attacker Micah Nelson got another meaningful chance, as he beat one player on the halfline and charged past another before squaring for James in the penalty area. But the latter player slid and scuffed his effort, which the St Anthony’s defence was able to clean up.

Captain Aalon Wilson-Wright finally seemed to put St Anthony’s ahead just before the end of the first half, but referee Crystal Sobers ruled that his calm finish came after Miller touched the ball from an offside position.

QRC, backed by a noisy and energised support, entered the second half with far more conviction.

But it wasn’t long before St Anthony’s again took control and came close to scoring when Andell Fraser found Crovador in the box in the 53rd minute. Crovador had three bites of the cherry, as he shot against a defender, then was denied by QRC custodian Jaheim Affan, before he finally hit overbar.

Affan made several close range saves in the match, and produced his moment in the 74th minute, when he saved a penalty from St Anthony’s defender Russel Francois.

Francois, St Anthony’s designated free-kick and penalty taker, took a powerful shot, but with little direction and at the right height for Affan, who got a strong hand to it and kept QRC in the game.

At that point, St Anthony’s, though technically superior, must have felt they were never going to score.

Affan’s many saves and calm demeanor seemed to make the favourites for the shootout. But the heroics came from his opposite number, Morris.

“It’s a very cruel way to go out,” said Jones, in the post-match interview. “We can’t feel too sad though because we had chances and should have, at least, put one in the back of the net.”

The loss brings a close to a mixed season for QRC, who entered the North Zone final off a stunning 2-1 victory against Premier Division champions, Fatima College.

QRC, however, struggled for much of their league campaign and placed 11th in the standings, four places behind St Anthony’s.

“Intercol is a different story, though,” said Jones, whose team were also losing zonal Intercol finalists in 2022. “There’s a different spirit and energy that comes with it and, to be very honest with you, we held out in the game; but I don’t think we came with that [level of] energy from the beginning.

“We weren’t clinical. The service—that didn’t happen. So, we have to say congrats to St Anthony’s.”

Jones had words of support for his goalkeeper, Affan.

“I think he was absolutely fantastic today,” Jones said. “He’s been growing over the past few months […] and he has showed it tonight. Unfortunately, penalty shootouts are a lottery but he was absolutely fantastic and, for me, the man-of-the-match.”

The last zonal champion will be determined tomorrow when St Benedict’s College take on Presentation College (San Fernando) at Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin from 5.15pm.

St Anthony’s face Chaguanas North Secondary next Tuesday in the only quarterfinal fixture from 4.15pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. The winner will face Tobago champions Speyside High in the National Intercol semifinal from 4pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday 1 December.

Speyside snatched zonal honours on Wednesday, after midfielder Shyon George grabbed the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Bishop’s High School at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet.

East Zone champions Arima North Secondary will face the South Zone winners in the other semifinal from 4.15pm in Mahaica on Thursday 30 November.

The National Intercol final is scheduled for Thursday 7 December from 5.30pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

(Teams)

St Anthony’s College (4-2-1-3): 30.Germany Jackson (GK); 19.Daniel Rose, 13.Jeremy Bobb, 5.Russel Francois, 18.Rondell Harewood; 8.Amari Dunbar, 16.Davoure Thomas; 10.Aalon Wilson-Wright (captain); 17.Andell Fraser, 7.Theo Crovador, 11.Joshua Miller.

Substitutes: 22.Josiah Morris (GK), 2.Ishmael Castang, 3.Obadiah Eyeadelrosiyhia, 4.Lemuel Hercules, 9.Mordecai Ford, 14.Jean-Marc Thomas, 20.Jamarli Mootoo, 23.Tyrell Voisin, 24.Keemali DeCaine, 25.Kanye Glasgow, 26.Malik Addley, 28.John Abdul.

Coach: Ronald Daniel.

QRC (4-1-2-1-2): 22.Jaheim Affan (GK); 16.Isaiah Isaac, 4.Shea Dolly, 5.Zakari King, 20.Jkwan Debique; 8.Aydon Caruth (captain); 25.Teshaun Frankyn, 21.Seth Eve; 6.Tau Lamsee; 11.Micah Nelson, 19.Stephon James.

Coach: Kenwyne Jones

Central Intercol final

(Monday 20 November)

Chaguanas North Sec 1 (Nekayse Moore), Miracle Ministries PHS 0 at Edinburgh 500;

East Intercol final

(Tuesday 21 November)

San Juan North 0, Arima North Sec 0 at Larry Gomes Stadium;

*–Arima win 15-14 on kicks from the penalty mark

Tobago Intercol final

(Wednesday 22 November)

Speyside High 1 (Shyon George), Bishop’s High 0 at Dwight Yorke Stadium;

North Intercol final

(Thursday 23 November)

QRC 0, St Anthony’s College 0 at Hasely Crawford Stadium;

*–St Anthony’s won 4-3 on kicks from the penalty mark

South Intercol final

(Friday 24 November)

St Benedict’s College v Presentation (San F’do), 5.15pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex

National Intercol quarterfinal

(Tuesday 28 November)

St Anthony’s College v Chaguanas North Secondary, 4.15pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

National Intercol semifinals

(Thursday 30 November)

St Benedict’s/ Presentation (San F’do) v Arima North Sec, 4.15pm, Mahaica Oval;

(Friday 1 December)

St Anthony’s/ Chaguanas Sec v Speyside High, 4pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

National Intercol finals

(Thursday 7 December)

Finals, 5.30pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium.