SSFL 25: Darwent double and Tom debut goal steers St Joseph’s Convent past Tranquillity

St Joseph’s Convent (Port of Spain) started their 2025 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) North Zone Championship Division campaign with a comfortable 5-0 win over Tranquillity Secondary School at their home ground in Federation Park.

On a hot afternoon, referee Eustace Benjamin delayed the start of the game by 30 minutes to allow for the sun to move further west. But it was only a temporary reprieve for Tranquillity, who were put under immediate pressure by the hosts.

St Joseph’s Convent midfielder Jaeda Wilson was heavily involved early on, with a number of long-range efforts. And ‘Tranquil’ goalkeeper and captain Nika Ifill had to be alert to tip Wilson’s seventh minute freekick over the bar.

The Tranquillity team seemed fairly new to organised football. Captain Zion Baxter, playing defensive midfielder, keeper Ifill and centre back Shailom Hill appeared to have some experience.

Right-side midfielder Ruth Cabrera was a tireless runner, and what she lacked in tactical awareness she made up for in effort.

But it was not enough against a Convent outfit loaded with players from either the Trinidad and Tobago High Performance Programme, the Pro Series team, or both.

SJC should have had their opener in the 10^th minute. Right back Khayla Gouveia sent a line pass to Cole, who cut the ball across the goal perfectly into left winger Emma Nieves’ path.

With Ifill struggling to get across, Nieves smashed her shot over the bar.

Cole and Wilson also wasted good chances as the action flowed quickly in one direction.

Halfway through the first half, Nieves again ran onto a cut back, this time from striker Sydney Pollard, but managed to drill the ball off the crossbar and back into play.

Nieves made a sheepish look in the direction of her bench.

St Joseph’s Convent  finally broke the deadlock in the 25^th minute.

As captain Kaitlyn Darwent lined up a direct free kick, she noticed an unmarked Pollard just inside the box and picked her out with a quick pass. And Pollard settled herself to slot calmly past Ifill.

Five minutes later, Convent doubled their lead from another set piece. Pollard turned provider this time, as she curled a right-sided corner onto the head of Nieves, who made no mistake from six yards out.

By now, Tranquillity were struggling physically as well, as they were being made to chase the ball by their more experienced opponents.

And if not for a combination of good goalkeeping by Ifill, herself a national youth player, and sloppy finishing, the game would already have been out of sight.

The 2-0 score at halftime flattered the visitors.

St Joseph’s Convent head coach Tasha St Louis replaced left back Lucy Felix with Madisyn Boissiere to start the second half while Wilson and Pollard made way next, as the defending zonal champions could afford to give some players a break.

“[The St Joseph’s Convent Under-15 players] play tomorrow and Friday, then the U-19s have games on Thursday and Sunday,” said assistant coach Naomie Guerra. “Plus, a couple of them have national training, as well.”

Three minutes into the second half,  Darwent got her team’s third item, as she won the ball in the Tranquil half and used her skill to run through on goal, before slipping the ball past an onrushing Ifill.

Ifill and Hill collided, in their effort to stop Darwent, and required treatment before the game restarted.

Darwent got her second, two minutes, after stealing the ball from Baxter before again running clear of the Tranquillity defence to place the ball calmly past Ifill.

One might be forgiven for expecting the floodgates to open at that stage. But again, Ifill worked hard to keep the scoreline respectable.

Tranquil might have a consolation item themselves as they won possession in the centre of the field and released striker Shamica Callender, only for defensive midfielder Sián Rigaud and centre back Mateja Leben to smartly shepherd the ball to keeper Alexia Dolland.

Centre back Daneely Salandy was a bit too casual in possession in the 67^th minute and coughed up the ball to Cabrera, but the Tranquil midfielder could not get around Dolland.

And, in the 58^th minute, 11-year-old substitute Isla Tom closed off the score summary with a fierce shot that gave Ifill no chance, off a pass from fellow substitute Kara Cooper.

It capped a memorable debut for the form one student, who played with a maturity that belied her years.

Tranquillity coach Anastasia Griffith was pleased with her team’s efforts, given their challenges.

“Some of our players couldn’t come today because they have no boots to play in,” she said. “I have to take it upon myself to help some of them out. I gladly do what I can.”

Her girls showed a lot of fight—one hopes that they can improve their fitness and tactical awareness as the season unfolds.

But, as expected, St Joseph’s Convent took the points.

(Teams)

St Joseph’s Convent (POS) (4-3-3): 1.Alexia Dolland (GK); 32.Khayla Gouveia, 19.Daneelyah Salandy, 5.Mateja Leben, 3.Lucy Felix (21.Madisyn Boissiere 41); 8.Jaeda Wilson (10.Isla Tom 51), 6.Sián Rigaud, 13.Kaitlyn Darwent (captain); 9.Scarlett Cole (7.London-Marie Millien 61), 17.Sydney Pollard (31.Coliya Harris 61), 11.Emma Nieves (12.Kara Cooper 51).

Unused substitutes: 4.Xara-Marie Campbell, 15.T’sehai Smith, 14.Anushka Persad.

Coach: Tasha St Louis-Joseph.

Tranquillity Government (4-3-3): 22.Nika Ifill (GK); 17.Rachel Cabrera, 10.Shailom Hill, 4.Rianna Pompey, 11.Khayla De Couteau; 6.Ruth Cabrera, 9.Zion Baxter (captain), 2.Kitanna Neptune; 20.Aniyah Willimson, 18.Shamica Callender, 12.Denia Bridgelal.

Unused substitutes: 5.Faith Charles, 15.Ashanti Trudge.

Coach: Anastasia Griffith.

Referee: Eustace Benjamin.

SSFL Girls’ Championship

North Zone

(Sun 21 Sep)

St Joseph’s Convent 5 (Sydney Pollard 25, Emma Nieves 30, Kaitlyn Darwent 43, 45, Isla Tom 58), Tranquillity Government Secondary 0.

East Mucurapo Sec 4, Holy Name Convent 2.

East Zone

(Sun 21 Sep)

St Augustine Secondary 3 (Sabrina Seepersad 54, Kanika Rodriguez 67, Angel George 80+1), Bishop Anstey High School East 5 (Orielle Martin 14, Talya Thompson 44, Kyra Lee Loy 48, 53, 80).

Five Rivers Secondary 20, El Dorado East Sec 0.

Tobago Zone

(Sun 21 Sep)

Signal Hill Secondary 8 (Ty’kaiya Dennis [3], Alliyah Baptiste [2], Leia-Marie Balfour [2], Ahleya Herbert), Pentecostal L&L 0.

Bishop’s High 0, Scarborough Secondary 1 (Adrianna Fowler).

Mason Hall Sec 2 (Kelys George, Malia Lawrence), Speyside Secondary 3 (Adrishea Kent, Tyara McKenna, Terrysha Harry).

South Zone

(Thu 18 Sep)

Pleasantville Secondary 6 (Nikita Gosine [5], Zara Chase), St Joseph’s Convent (San F’do) 1.

St Stephen’s College 3, Moruga Secondary 2.

Upcoming fixtures

Central Zone

(Thu 25 Sep)

Chaguanas South Sec vs Chaguanas North Sec, 3.30pm, at Petersfield Rec Ground;

Holy Faith Convent vs Carapichaima East Sec, 3.30pm, Holy Faith Convent.

East Zone

(Thu 25 Sep)

St Augustine Secondary vs Five Rivers Sec, 3.30pm, St Augustine;

Bishop Anstey High School East vs San Juan North Sec, 3.30pm, BAHSE.

North Zone

(Thu 25 Sep)

St Joseph’s Convent (POS) vs Diego Martin Central, 3.30pm, SJC;

Tranquillity Secondary vs East Mucurapo Sec, 3.30pm, TBA.

South Zone

(Thu 25 Sep)

Moruga Secondary vs Pleasantville Sec, 3.30pm, Moruga;

St Joseph’s Convent (San F’do) vs Stephen’s College, 3.30pm, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium.

Tobago Zone

(Thu 25 Sep)

Roxborough Secondary vs Signal Hill Sec, 3.30pm, Roxborough school ground;

Pentecostal L&L vs Bishop’s High School, 3.30pm, Montgomery Recreation Ground;

Speyside Secondary vs Scarborough Secondary, 3.30pm, Speyside Recreation Ground.