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Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition…Fans urged not to miss future stars on show today at Leonora
– enthralling semis envisaged
By Rawle Welch
Whilst the organisers must have breathe a sigh of relief that the past three years finalists defending champion Christianburg / Wismar and three-time losers Waramadong would not be meeting in this year’s final because of their semi-final clash today, the quality of football between the two teams is expected to be extremely high.
A large crowd is anticipated to flock the Leonora Synthetic Track facility today to witness the Digicel Nationwide Schools Football semifinals.
Today the semi-finals of the Digicel Nationwide Schools Football Competition will be played at the Leonora Synthetic Track facility on the West Demerara and a large crowd is anticipated to witness the top four teams square off for a place in the championship game slated for Sunday, at the National Stadium.
In the opening encounter at 17:00 hrs, Chase Academy take on Annai and that will be followed by the eagerly anticipated matchup that feature Christianburg / Wismar against Waranadong.
The feature game promises to be a sizzler judging from the form the two teams have exhibited throughout the tournament combined with their rivalry which dates back from the tournament’s birth.
On every occasion, the Lindeners have prevailed and they’ve hit a rich vein of form at the right time and should start as favourites to come out victorious again.
On the other hand, Waramadong have matched their performances with some impressive wins as well and with both teams showcasing a few new faces this year, none hold a distinct advantage this time around.
The champs are coming off a decisive victory 6-0 over Annandale and had it not been for some wayward finishing the scoreline would have been more lop-sided.
However, leading marksman in that game Kendolph Lewis seemed to have regained his confidence and his power, especially at close range and could drive fear into any opposing goalkeeper.
Mid-fielder Dequan Hercules, a nephew of former maestro Collie Hercules has been pulling the strings from the centre of the pitch and his wizardry along with previous experience playing against Waramadong, will be key for victory.
The supporting cast of Antwaine Gill, Jovon Bobb, defensive strongman Amaniki Buntin, and who could forget the heroics of goalkeeper Tevin Crawford, are also vital elements in the team’s structure and expected to perform at the level that will secure a win and a place in the final.
Waramadong on the other hand will have nothing else but revenge on their minds, having lost every year to the same school and while they too are reported to have a few new players on their roster, the emphatic scorelines seems to suggest that they are playing confident.
Azual Medina seems to be the new find, while Delmar George and Ashton Ward, a player with vast experience in this competition will no doubt provide enough support to him.
They too are coming off a resounding win against Berbice High School and should be oozing with confidence so a rivetting encounter is envisaged.
The other semi-final should be another enthralling game with both teams reaching this stage of the competition for the first time.
Both teams have looked impressive leading up to today’s clash and predicting a winner is proving a difficult task for the pundits.
Visitors Annai inflicted a crushing 13-0 win over Dolphin, who many felt were not a strong team, but nothing should be taken away from the solid performance of the victors.
Captain Garville Daniels has been the lynchpin of their offence and his incisive shooting and creativity is a joy to watch, while his brother Sherral also seems to be a player of quality.
What more could be said of Chase Academy’s talisman Kelsey Benjamin, who many feel is one of the most gifted young players in the country.
This player is a prolific scorer by any standard and stopping him could prove to be an arduous assignment for opposing teams.
Then there are Ryan Hackett, the creative Job Caesar and Andre Trotz and together with Benjamin they are perhaps the most formidable strikeforce in the competition.
However, football is not played on paper, but rather on a field and they will have to prove their mental and physical toughness against a team that is clearly not fazed by names.
It is a double header of class and fans are being urged to come out and witness the stars of the future.
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