Penwood, Holy Trinity book second round spots in Manning Cup

Penwood High sneaked into the ISSA Manning Cup second round with a 2-0 win over Innswood High that eliminated the latter on Friday as the second-round groups take shape. Penwood's win pushed them to 12 points, that allowed them to leapfrog Innswood into the third and final qualification spot in Zone B, joining Hillel Academy and Jose Marti High as the qualifiers from the group. Innswood lost their last three games, dropping them from first to fifth on seven points and out of the Manning Cup.

In the other Zone B games on Friday, Hillel blanked Papine High 2-0 and St Mary’s College edged Clan Carthy High 3-2. In Zone A, Holy Trinity defeated Ascot High 1-0 to book their second-round spot. Eight of the nine spots available for the second round have been secured with the last spot to be decided between Bridgeport High and Greater Portmore in Zone A.

Camperdown have won the group with 15 points with Holy Trinity, second on 10 points, also through to the next round. Bridgeport are third on nine points and Greater Portmore fourth on seven points. Norman Manley, Edith Dalton James and Denham Town high schools are the qualifiers from Zone C.

Five games will be held Saturday to complete the first round. All eyes will be at the Dunbeholden Playfield for the match between Bridgeport and Greater Portmore to determine the final second round spot. In other games of academic interest, Camperdown will take on Waterford High, Donald Quarrie host Pembroke Hall, Ardenne play Edith Dalton James and Kingston Technical face Denham Town High.

Meanwhile, the second-round groups are taking shape. In Group 1, many times champion Jamaica College are joined by St Catherine High, Wolmer’s Boys, Campion College, Camperdown High and Jose Marti High. Group 2 has defending champions Excelsior High, Charlie Smith, Calabar High, St Jago High, Norman Manley High and either Bridgeport High or Greater Portmore High.

Group 3 is led by Kingston College, STATHS, St George’s College, Tivoli Gardens High, Penwood High and the runner up from Zone C which at the moment is held by Edith Dalton James. Mona High lead Group 4, also comprising Eltham High, Vauxhall High, Hillel Academy, the second place side from Zone A -- currently Holy Trinity -- and third from Zone C which could be Denham Town High. The second round will kick off on Wednesday October 7, with a full slate of games.