Jamaica’s schoolboy football season is only just finding its stride, but the early stages of the ISSA daCosta Cup are already delivering drama. From runaway victories to rain-soaked battles, Tuesday’s matches painted a vivid picture of contenders rising and others faltering.
At the center of it all is Manchester High. Their 9-0 rout of DeCarteret College was less a match than a showcase of firepower, as Jevohntae Gordon and Orane Wright both notched hat-tricks. With 25 unanswered goals in just four outings, Manchester are playing like a team determined to leave no doubts about their ambitions.
But they are not alone. Christiana High turned heads with a 6-0 win over Alston, powered by Brandon Satchwell’s four-goal performance, while Port Antonio High and Alphansus Davis also extended their perfect runs. Ocho Rios High, too, continue to stamp their authority in Zone K. For these schools, early momentum is beginning to look like a stranglehold.
Not every story was one-sided, however. In one of the day’s tighter affairs, Cornwall College reminded everyone of their grit. Reduced to ten men late in the match, they still held off Maldon High for a 1-0 win in the rain. Ameche Robinson’s early strike proved enough, as Cornwall spoiled Maldon’s perfect start.
Zone J also shifted dramatically. McGrath High’s crushing 6-0 victory over Old Harbour turned what was expected to be a close contest into a statement of intent. Meanwhile, Dinthill Technical exploded for eight goals against Tacius Golding, spreading the scoring across nearly their entire front line.
Further afield, Cedric Titus and William Knibb Memorial kept pace with back-to-back-to-back wins, their looming clash now set to decide early bragging rights.
The daCosta Cup is still in its infancy, but patterns are forming: teams like Manchester, Christiana, and McGrath aren’t just winning—they’re dismantling opponents. Others, like Cornwall, are proving that resilience can be just as important as flair. With defending champions Garvey Maceo and traditional powerhouse Glenmuir set to take the field Wednesday, the stage is set for rivalries to sharpen and the narrative to deepen.
The road to schoolboy football glory is long, but already the race feels fierce—and unforgiving.
