St James High's Allan Ottey (right) takes on Marcus Garvey's Stephano Ellis in the Ben Francis Cup KO competition at Jarrett Park earlier this season. St James won 2-1. Ottey is expected to play a lead role in St James' daCosta Cup title challenge today against Spaldings High at Jarrett Park. - Photo by Adrian Frater

Western Bureau:

Regardless of the outcome of today's ISSA/-Pepsi/Digicel daCosta Cup final, which is slated for 3p.m. at Jarrett Park, in Montego Bay, history will be created as neither St James High, or their opponent Spaldings High will gain their first hold on the coveted cup, symbol of rural schoolboy football supremacy.

Based on their respective records this season, which saw both teams losing only once in all competitions - St James High going down 3-2 to Frome Technical in a daCosta Cup game and Spaldings losing 3-0 to Lennon in a Ben Francis Cup fixture - both teams are indeed worthy contenders for the title.

St James, which already have the Ben Francis title in their trophy cabinet, must be bubbling with confidence and should start favourites. They have been invincible at Jarrett Park all season and being Montego Bay-based, should enjoy solid, if not overwhelming, crowd support.

"We are very confident and I really expect the boys to give us this title," said Pastor Hugh Solomon, coach of the St James High team. "We have done a lot of hard work this season and we are now looking to reap the rewards of our labour."

However, having gone past several quality opponents without surrendering in accumulating their impressive 17-game unbeaten run in the daCosta Cup, Spaldings must also be flush with confidence as they seek to end St James' reign at Jarrett Park and take home the coveted daCosta Cup to Manchester, for the first time.

"We are not intimidated about playing in Montego Bay because we did some of our pre-season preparation there and we were quite comfortable," said Alexander Morgan, coach of the Spaldings team. "We are mentally and physically ready so you can expect to see us at our best in this game."

Based on what unfolded in semi-finals, which saw a rampant St James High blunting Lacovia 4-1 in an impressive demonstration of attacking football and the meticulous Spaldings taming the much-feared Lennon High 2-1, today's game could be steep in tactics as both coaches seek to outfox the other.

Common opponents

Although St James and Spaldings have not crossed path on the football field this season, they have had common opponents in Lacovia High, Dinthill Technical and Lennon High.

St James had 2-1 (Ben Francis KO) and 4-1 wins against Lacovia, while Spaldings defeated them 1-0 and 2-0.

St James High spanked Dinthill 4-0 (Ben Francis KO), while Spaldings outscored them 4-2. And St James drew 1-1 with Lennon, who after defeating Spaldings 3-0 in the Ben Francis KO, had the tables turned on them 2-1 in the daCosta Cup semi-final.

In terms of personnel, St James look quite awesome with goalkeeper Everett Nunes, who has made very few mistakes all season and skipper Fabian McCarthy and John Barrett rock-solid in defence, the wily Ricardo Morris and Ajohn Barker dazzling in midfield and Allan Ottey and Nicholi Barrett, who has 42 goals between them, spearheading the hunt for goals.

While not as glamorous as their opponents, Spaldings are also quite solid with their ability to function as a cohesive unit a special asset. Skipper Jason Henry, Andre Salmon, Kevon Moore, Milton Christopher and Jovan Powell are all special talents.

With their respective daCosta Cup statistics, which sees St James High playing 19 games, winning 16, drawing two (2) and losing (1) one whilescoring 53 goals and conceding 13; and Spaldings High playing 17 games, winning 12 and drawing four (4), while scoring 47 goals and conceding 10, it is difficult to envisage anything but a classic match-up this afternoon.

Today's winner will play Manning Cup champions St George's College in a two-way tie for the Olivier Shield, symbol of all-island schoolboy football supremacy.

daCosta Cup roll call

1950 Munro College 1951 Munro College 1952 Munro College 1953 Cornwall College 1954 no competition (polio epidemic) 1955 Cornwall College 1956 Cornwall College 1957 Munro College 1958 Cornwall College 1959 Cornwall College 1960 abandoned because of attack on referee 1961 Munro College 1962 Munro College 1963 Cornwall College 1964 Munro College 1965 Vere Technical 1966 no competition 1967 Vere Technical 1968 Vere Technical 1969 Vere Technical 1970 Vere Technical 1971 Vere Technical 1972 abandoned (shooting in MoBay) 1973 no competition 1974 STETHS 1975 Vere Technical 1976 Vere Technical 1977 Clarendon College 1978 Clarendon College 1979 Dinthill Technical 1980 Vere Technical 1981Dinthill Technical 1982 Cornwall College 1983 Cornwall College 1984 Rusea's Comprehensive 1985 Rusea's Comprehensive 1986 Herbert Morrison Technical 1987 Rusea's Comprehensive 1988 Herbert Morrison 1989 Rusea's Comprehensive 1990 Rusea's Comprehensive 1991 Clarendon College 1992 Rusea's Comprehensive 1993 Rusea's Comprehensive 1994 Clarendon College 1995 Cornwall College 1996 Clarendon College 1997 abandoned (teachers' death threats) 1998 Clarendon College 1999 STETHS 2000 Cornwall College 2001 Cornwall College 2002 Rusea's High 2003 Frome Technical 2004 Glenmuir High 2005 Godfrey Stewart High 2006 Glenmuir High 2007 Garvey Maceo 2008