JC's Mr Dependable

• His goals sealed two titles for the Dark Blues

Ask Jamaica College's coach, Miguel Coley, and he probably will tell you that the school's double success in the ISSA-FLOW Manning Cup and Oliver Shield was a real team effort.

However, victory in both finals was delivered late by the same player, utility man Donovan Dawkins, a national Under-17 forward.

Dawkins came through big time at the business end of the season. He scored in his Manning Cup semi-final, and then followed up with late goals in the Cup, and Shield finals to seal a double 'three-peat' for JC.

Dawkins was rarely noticed in the first round of the Manning Cup and during the early periods of the second phase of the tournament as he was assigned to right-back duties instead of his customary centre forward role.

However, he went about his game in the usual manner and with the same desire. Then, when he was called upon again to fulfil the job as striker, he was ready.

He scored a double in the Manning Cup semi-final win over Denham Town High, then had the only goal in their 1-0 Manning Cup final win over the highly fancied St George's College, and he scored the clincher in his team's come-from-behind 2-1 win over St Elizabeth Technical for the Oliver Shield.

"I feel great knowing I scored the winning goal again for my team," Dawkins told STAR Sports last Saturday.

"It was a very testing year, but my coach had a lot of faith in me. He told me all the time that I can do it, so I knew I could," he said.

Most players do not like playing out of position for too long, but for Dawkins the team came first.

"It's no trouble because I know I can play right-back and striker. Coach put me at right back, so I did my best there. Then he moved me (to forward), but I don't have a problem, I just play where he says. But I prefer to strike," he said..

Dawkins was JC's topscorer with seven goals, but it's his decisive and late goals in the finals (88th and 90th minutes) that he will be remembered for, and he eagerly awaits next season, when he hopes to make an even bigger impact.

"I can't wait for next season because it will be my third year playing Manning Cup, and I am very confident we can take both trophies again," he said.