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With Naparima College trying desperately to keep parity with St Benedict’s College in this evening’s penalty shootout, defender Darius Procope strode up to the spot short of crucial equipment.
Referee Timothy Derry noticed the lanky player was not wearing shin pads and waved him away.
Photo: Ramsey Prentice/ Wired868
Was it a turning point in the South Zone Intercol final?
Procope walked to the sidelines to get his guards and back again to the penalty box, where he promptly skied his effort. And St Benedict’s College prevailed—as they won 5-4 in the battle of nerves.
The “La Romaine Lions” join Signal Hill Secondary, Fatima College, San Juan North Secondary and Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School as the zonal champions.
One from that quintet will win the prestigious 2024 National Intercol trophy.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Signal Hill snatched the Tobago crown away from second-tier team Scarborough Secondary in injury time today at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, with Damario Henry bundling home the dramatic winner.
In the process, Signal Hill became the third school this year to claim both boys’ and girls’ Intercol titles—as they followed Miracle Ministries and San Juan North.
The Signal Hill girls were emphatic, as they cruised to a 7-1 win over Scarborough, with Ty’Kaiya Dennis netting a hattrick while Kellecia Taylor, Skye Thomas, Madison Campbell and Alliyah Baptiste registered a goal apiece.
Serenity Charles got the consolation item for the Scarborough girls.
Photo: Sean Morrison/ Wired868
The South Zone girls’ final was even more lopsided, with Pleasantville Secondary running out 17-0 winners over Moruga Secondary.
Forward Nikita Gosine scored nine times for “P-ville” while her sister, Natalia Gosine, got one, Janike Ramoutar bagged a hattrick, and Khairiyah Fortune and Tayeann Wylie chipped in with two each.
Today’s Boys South Zone final, like the North final yesterday, needed penalties, though. In fact, at this stage, eight boys’ Intercol games have been decided from the spot, with teams unable to settle things over 90 minutes.
Photo: Sean Morrison/ Wired868
Yesterday, Fatima College edged Queen’s Royal College 4-3 via penalties after a goalless affair at the Diego Martin Complex.
And today, despite the involvement of the top marksman in the 2024 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division competition, St Benedict’s captain Derrel “Zoom Zoom” Garcia, fans witnessed another stalemate.
Credit Naparima College goalkeeper Mikhail Clement, who produced two fine saves to keep out Garcia and ball-playing defensive midfielder Adam “Toca” Pierre in regulation time.
Photo: Wired868
And Clement looked ready to write his name in the stars when he dived to his left to stop Benedict’s opening penalty from midfielder Josiah Ochoa.
As it turned out, it was the only penalty that either goalkeeper got their hands on.
Naparima quickly wasted the advantage as captain Israel Joseph kicked wide, with a chance to put his troops ahead 2-1. And “Naps” were in trouble when substitute Arron Raymond smacked his effort off the bar.
Photo: Ramsey Prentice/ Wired868
St Benedict’s were ahead 3-1 at one stage, with defender Joshua Figaro shooting to win the match. But the former National Under-17 defender hit wide, and Antonio Hills scored for Naps to tie up scores at 3-3.
Lyshaun Morris and Elijah David (both St Benedict’s) and Ryan Radellant (Naparima) converted their efforts in sudden death, before Procope strolled up—minus his shin guards.
Did he think his night’s work was done? Had he taken casual Friday too far?
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
The referee was unimpressed, and who knows what was on the teenager’s mind as he walked from center circle to the penalty box, to the sidelines, and back to the box again—like a Christmas letter making the rounds through TT Post offices (or SSFL administrators trying to figure out what constitutes a valid student in 2024).
Could Procope keep his head when it mattered, as he faced St Benedict’s goalkeeper Thane Devenish from the spot?
He could not.
Photo: Ramsey Prentice/ Wired868
Naparima, cast as a plucky outsider these days, did well to take the match this far. But the better team won in the end.
St Benedict’s face the winner from Miracle Ministries and Signal Hill next, while Fatima College and San Juan North clash in the other semifinal.
No more penalties, please.
Photo: Ramsey Prentice/ Wired868
Zonal Intercol final results
(Mon 18 Nov)
Miracle Ministries PHS 4 (Kyle Holder, Aaron Clement, Isaiah Mitchell, Keon Codrington), Chaguanas North Secondary 2 (Necose Moore, Israel Outar) at Ato Boldon Stadium;
(Wed 20 Nov)
Trinity College East 1 (Khaleem Prince 27), San Juan North Secondary 2 (Jelani Valentine 32, Jaheem Danclar 45) at Arima Velodrome;
(Thu 21 Nov)
Fatima College 0, Queen’s Royal College 0 at Diego Martin Complex;
*–Fatima win 4-3 on penalties
(Fri 22 Nov)
St Benedict’s College 0, Naparima College 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium;
*–St Benedict’s won 5-4 on penalties
Signal Hill Secondary 2 (Kyle James 16, Damario Henry 90+2), Scarborough Secondary 1 (Amar Allie Baccus 44) at Dwight Yorke Stadium.
Photo: Sean Morrison/ Wired868
Upcoming Intercol fixtures
(Tue 26 Nov)
Miracle Ministries PHS v Signal Hill Sec, ¼ final, 3.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
(Thu 28 Nov)
Fatima College v San Juan North, semifinal, 4.30pm, Diego Martin Complex;
(Fri 29 Nov)
MMPHS/ Signal Hill v St Benedict’s College, semifinal, 4.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Photo: Ramsey Prentice/ Wired868
(Thu 5 Dec)
National Intercol final, 5.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
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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.
