Lacovia looking to break new ground

LACOVIA High School will be looking to end a nine-year wait for an Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) daCosta Cup inter-zone appearance when they face Black River High in a crucial Zone clash at Black River playing field, starting at 3:30 p.m. today.

The encounter is one of 16 matches scheduled for today as teams continue their push to secure a place in the next round of the competition.

Lacovia High’s coach Willard Douglas said ending the drought, which dates back to 2017, remains a major motivation for his team.

“We just have to focus on playing our football, staying disciplined, and taking our chances when they come. We are confident in our preparation, and we’re just looking to wrap up the first round of the competition and break the drought,” he said.

“We’ve been working hard in training. We know Black River is a good team, so we are taking the game seriously and making sure the players are mentally and physically ready,” Douglas said.

Lacovia are second in the standings on 15 points, while Black River are level on 12 points with B.B. Coke High, who have a superior goal difference.

Black River suffered a 3-0 defeat to B.B. Coke on Monday, while Lacovia responded with a 3-0 victory over Lewisville High on Tuesday.

A win or draw would guarantee Lacovia second place and qualification for the next round, joining already qualified leaders Munro College, who have 18 points.

Meanwhile, Black River’s coach Vayden Hayle described the fixture as critical to his team’s season, noting that tactical discipline has been a major focus in preparation.

“We revisited indiscipline, more tactically in terms of our marking and things like that. Today’s game is going to be a very important game for our season because these boys have the ability,” said Hayle.

“I know that because we have been playing well, we just want to go forward,” he added.

Black River must secure victory and hope B.B. Coke lose to improve their chances of advancing to the next round.

In Hanover, Zone B rivals Knockalva High and Rusea’s High will meet at Knockalava, with both teams seeking valuable points in the race for top spot.

Second-place Rusea’s will enter the contest with 12 points, while third-place Knockalva are on 10, making the encounter an important one in the tightly contested zone.

Frome currently lead the standings on 13 points, with Rusea’s and Knockalva close behind. With the three teams separated by just three points, the outcome could significantly influence the final standings and qualification positions.

TODAY’S GAMES
Green Island vs Frome at Green Island
Knockalava vs Rusea’s at Knockalva
Black River vs Lacovia at Black River
Grange Hill vs Petersfield at Grange Hill
deCarteret vs Belair at deCarteret
Mt St Joseph Catholic vs B.B. Coke at Mt St Joseph
Lewisville vs Munro at Lewisville
Troy High vs Edwin Allen at Troy
Claude McKay vs Alphansus Davis at Claude McKay
Fair Prospect vs Seaforth at Fair Prospect
Happy Grove vs Paul Bogle at Hector’s River
Robert Lightbourne vs Yallahs at Robert Lightbourne
Alston High vs Holmwood at Kirkvine Sports Club
Irwin vs Muschett at Irwin