Senior Multimedia Reporter
walter.alibey@guardian.co.tt
Champions Naparima College will begin their title defence in the Sports Company of T&T (SporTT) Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Boys’ Premiership Division today at their home ground on Lewis Street, San Fernando, in a 3.40 pm clash against Trinity College Moka.
‘Naps’, as they are affectionately known, made a clean sweep of the available titles last season, clinching the League with a 2-1 victory over Signal Hill, along with the South Zone InterCol and National InterCol titles. However, this year they face a steep climb.
Coach Angus Eve admitted his team has lost about ten players from last season, including captain Shabani Thompson, defender Jerrel Cooper, Xarion France, striker Riquelme Phillips, Sebastian James, and Darius Procupe, among others.
Several of them have moved on to scholarships in the United States and elsewhere.
Despite these departures, the Southerners retain the services of national striker Adasa Richardson, while efforts continue to retain Jaydon Capriette, another national standout who remains undecided on whether to enter sixth form or go elsewhere.
Despite the losses, Naparima kicked off their season in dominant fashion with a 6-0 win over arch-rivals St Benedict’s College in last week’s opening Super Cup match at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Eve noted that while they managed to recruit three new players, they are not quite of the same calibre as those who departed. The Southerners defeated Trinity College twice last season, and yesterday Eve reiterated his faith in his current squad.
“I believe in the group of players that we have, the student-athletes that we have. I believe that you have to use the resources you have properly. If you look at when we played on Friday in the Charity Shield, that was primarily our Under-16 players. And we only played two senior players, who we would have given a run out,” said Eve.
Asked about the challenge expected against Trinity today under coach Marlon Minguel, Eve said, “I have a lot of respect for Marlon Minguel. I know him as a player, and I coached against him last season. His teams are always well-organised. He tries to play a possession-based type of game. He may not have all the tools that he wants, but he continues to develop players.
“I’ve heard that a number of his players end up in the east, so maybe there’s some kind of educational structure in Trinity that they didn’t pass.”
Eve added, “What I know is that we expect a good fight. In fact, anybody playing against a champion team is going to come to beat you. That’s the crown that we wear, that’s the mantle that we have, and we understand where we are.”
In their opening match Wednesday, the Maraval boys were hammered 5-0 by St Benedict’s College; however, today they’ll try for a rebound against the reigning champion.
All matches today start at 3.40 pm.
Today’s matches (Start time 3.40 pm)
Hillview vs Arima North, Hillview
Malick vs Trinity College East, Trinity Moka, Maraval
Mucurapo West vs St Augustine, Mucurapo
Naparima vs Trinity Moka, Lewis Street, San Fernando
Presentation College vs Fatima, Manny Ramjohn Stadium
QRC vs CIC, QRC Ground
Speyside vs St Anthony’s, Speyside
St Benedict’s vs San Juan North, Ato Boldon Stadium
SSFL SPORTT PREMIERSHIP STANDINGS
P*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*PTS
1*Speyside Secondary*2*1*1*0*2*1*1*4
2*St Benedict’s College*1*1*0*0*5*0*5*3
3*Fatima College*1*1*0*0*4*1*3*3
4*Arima North Sec*1*1*0*0*3*0*3*3
5*St. Mary’s College*1*1*0*0*3*0*3*3
6*Signal Hill Secondary*2*1*0*1*4*2*2*3
7*Trinity College East*1*1*0*0*2*1*1*3
8*Queen’s Royal College*1*0*1*0*0*0*0*1
9*Trinity College*1*0*0*1*0*5*-5*0
10*Malick Secondary*1*0*0*1*1*4*-3*0
11*Presentation College*1*0*0*1*0*3*-3*0
12*St. Augustine Secondary*1*0*0*1*0*3*-3*0
13*Mucurapo West Sec*1*0*0*1*0*3*-3*0
14*San Juan North Sec*1*0*0*1*1*2*-1*0
15*Naparima College*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0
16*Hillview College*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0
17*St. Anthony’s College*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0
