SSFL 25: “Naps” stay perfect, with 4-1 dismantling of Fatima in top of the table clash

Naparima College made a strong showing of their title credentials at Lewis Street, San Fernando yesterday, as they swept aside defending champions Fatima College 4-1 to retain their unblemished record in the 2025 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division season.

“Naps” have eight wins from as many outings with 32 goals scored—an average of four goals per game—and just two conceded. The numbers don’t lie.

Naparima, led by Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Team head coach Angus Eve, now have a two-point lead over second-place Fatima with a game in hand to boot.

The southern juggernauts still have to face St Benedict’s College and fierce cross-city rivals, Presentation College (San Fernando)—but they will take some stopping now.

“This was another final for us,” Naparima manager Percy Samlalsingh told Wired868, “but we still have QRC, ‘Pres’, and St Anthony’s [College] to play, as well as Signal Hill [Secondary] who have a lot of games in hand.

“We are happy for the result, but we are trying to take it one game at a time.”

The “Pres Lions” and St Benedict’s both kept their own title quests alive today with wins over Scarborough Secondary and St Augustine Secondary respectively. But they are not exactly breathing down Naparima’s neck.

Presentation, who are third, are three points adrift of Naparima but played a game more, while fourth placed Benedict’s trail the leaders by six points.

For Queen’s Royal College and St Mary’s College, the horse has already bolted.

Fifth placed QRC were upset 2-1 on their own ground by Trinity College (Moka) to fall eight points behind the leaders, having played two games more. And St Mary’s College also could not hold on to a halftime lead, as they lost 2-1 to St Anthony’s College in the “Battle of the Saints” at Serpentine Road in St Clair.

Trinity’s triumph, alongside a 4-0 win for San Juan North Secondary over pointless Carapichaima East Secondary, shook up the bottom half of the standings.

Trinity College East, who were inactive today, slid back into the bottom three—as San Juan North climbed to 11^th and Trinity (Moka) jumped to 10^th.

But it looks to be a fascinating relegation battle this term, with eight teams (from eighth place Arima North Secondary to 15^th place Scarborough Secondary) separated by just five points.

In San Fernando, both teams had bigger objectives than mere survival. But Naparima—solid, fast, dangerous and loaded with talent—were too much for the northern visitors in transition.

Defender Elijah Edwards put the hosts ahead off a set piece, midway through the first half, before attacker Jabari Rodriguez gave Naparima breathing space with their second goal in the 54^th minute.

Fatima players appealed for an offside decision against Naparima substitute Riquelme Phillips in the buildup, but the visitors still got two chances to clear the ball and missed both—before Rodriguez nodded over the goal line.

Naps did not look back, as Phillips got his fifth goal of the season from a right-side cross in the 73^rd minute. And Edwards got his second of the match, and third of the season, off another set piece.

By the time Phillip Nelson put Fatima on the board with a sweet, low left-footed drive into the fifth minute of second half stoppage time, the game was already up.

“It was a good, solid performance,” said Samlalsingh. “[…] We have been keeping clean sheets which are helping us out. Only Arima [North Secondary] scored on us before today.

“Once we are defensively sound, our attackers have more freedom on top.”

Samlalsingh noted that Naparima had a young squad in 2024, when they ended in sixth spot.

In 2025, the likes of utility players Jayden Caprietta and Sebastian James, defenders Antonio Hills and Jeremy Daniel, and goalkeeper Mikhail Clement are more experienced and physically ready.

Add transfers like Edwards (East Mucurapo Secondary) and Phillips (Speyside Secondary) to the mix, along with, last but not least, Eve, and they are significantly stronger this year.

“I think last year was a bit of a learning curve,” said Samlalsingh. “The boys are a bit more mature now, and where other schools lost players, we still have most of our boys from last season. So, we always expected to do better [this season].

“But I think the belief in the squad has made a big difference. They want to win and Angus has done his part in trying to drive them back to the feeling of the good old days.”

Naparima have not won the league since the Covid-19 pandemic. They are in pole position now.

For Fatima, who are in a period of transition after sacking head coach Hutson “Baba” Charles, it was a bad day in the office.

“The performance was disappointing from the boys today,” said team manager Stephen “Bison” Williams. “We were flat, we were not first to the ball or second to the ball and those were some of the easiest goals we gave away for the season.

“But as the saying goes, when you lose, you learn. The boys will learn from it and we look to bounce back on Saturday with a more positive result.”

Fatima host Signal Hill Secondary from 3.30pm on the weekend, and Williams hopes to see an immediate response.

“Setting out for the season, winning the league was not first and foremost,” he said. “We were basically trying to make sure we could compete. I think today we didn’t compete and that was reflected in the score line.

“It is just about us finding that will to compete again and we should be alright. All is not lost—we just have to do our part.”

Signal Hill, who defeated Presentation College last weekend at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, would hope to have something to say about that.

Teams

Naparima College: 1.Mikhail Clement (GK); 2.Jeremiah Daniel, 3.Elijah Edwards, 4.Antonio Hills, 21.Jacob O’Reilly (7.Ryan Radellant 88), 8.Jerrel Cooper (captain) (14.Mikhael Bullock 75), 22.Shabani Thompson, 24.Sebastian James, 23.Arron Raymond (20.Riquelme Phillips 53), 9.Jabari Rodriguez (11.Adasa Richardson 73), 5.Jayden Caprietta (15.Seth Eve 85).

Unused substitutes: 25.Adriano Baptiste (GK), 6.Camron Bovell, 10.Xarion France, 13.Xavi James, 19.Darius Procope, 27.Donovan Drayton.

Coach: Angus Eve.

Fatima College: 00.Jadon Pollard (GK); 2.Reagan Rowe, 4.Daquan Jackman, 21.Xavier Barrow, 17.Jedaiah King (captain) (11.Jonathan Mason 52), 6.Antuan Louison (16.Matthew Lee Young 85), 8.Seth Hadeed, 29.Josiah Fernandes, 10.Jahaem Bailey (31.Jake Barclay 90+1), 9.Phillip Nelson, 19.Jeremai Nanton (7.Thomas Decle 75).

Unused substitutes: 1.Jayden Lucas (GK), 99.Jaiden Barnett (GK), 5.Elijah Allahar, 24.Kumani Campbell.

Coach: Kerdyn Moe.

Referee: Cecile Hinds.

SSFL Premier Division results

(Wed 15 October)

Naparima College 4 (Elijah Edwards 22, 83, Jabari Rodriguez 54, Riquelme Phillips 73), Fatima College 1 (Phillip Nelson 90+5) at Lewis Street;

St Anthony’s College 2 (Karim Millington 75, Kanye Glasgow 86), St Mary’s College 1 (Nadeem Grant 45+1) at Westmoorings;

Scarborough Secondary 0, Presentation (San F’do) 1 (Nikosi Foncette 52 pen) at Scarborough ground;

Carapichaima East 0, San Juan North 4 (Emmanuel Edwards OG 9, Jaheem Danclar 45+5, Jadel Chase-Charles 65, Shemor John OG 82) at Ato Boldon Stadium;

St Augustine Secondary 1 (Israel Leonsing 55), St Benedict’s College 3 (Reuben Phillip 26, Malerky Fraser 37, Josiah ochoa 90+2) at Warren Street;

QRC 1 (Osei Thompson 26), Trinity College 2 (Troy Bruno 57, Anton Joseph 90) at QRC ground.

Upcoming fixtures

(Sat 18 October)

Trinity East v Carapichaima East, 3.30pm, Trincity;

St Mary’s College v Trinity College, 3.30pm, Serpentine Road;

Fatima College vs Signal Hill Sec, 3.30pm, Mucurapo Road;

Malick Secondary v Arima North, 3.30pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium training field;

QRC v Naparima College, 3.30pm, QRC ground;

Presentation (San F’do) v St Anthony’s College, 3.30pm, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium;

San Juan North v St Benedict’s College, 3.30pm, Bourg Mulatresse;

St Augustine Secondary v Scarborough Secondary, 3.30pm, Warren Street.

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