Fatima College and East Mucurapo Secondary both moved on in the Coca Cola InterCol North Zone yesterday with contrasting victories.
At St Anthony's College's Westmoorings Ground, Fatima hung on for the final nine minutes after conceding a penalty, beating Trinity College 2-1 to qualify for the second round of the knockout competition.
Jamil Young and Kye West scored on either side of half-time, before Jameel Neptune buried the consolation spot kick to make the final few minutes interesting.
And East Mucurapo dispatched Malick Secondary 3-0 through a brace by Jabari Thomas (18th and 87th minutes), and another by Kevin Lewis (37th).
Fatima bossed the contest in the first half, but several saves by goalkeeper Evin Ramadeen kept Trinity in the match.
Fatima striker Arvin Prescod just did not have a good day. Everything he touched either went out, or was close enough for Ramadeen to save.
But a little bit of luck created an opening for Fatima and they seized it with both hands.
First they were awarded a free kick in the attacking third in the 36th, which Trinity would have found hard done by, and Xavier Rajpaul swerved one in that Ramadeen punched away.
The ensuing corner kick brought Fatima joy as an intended clearance fell nicely for Young at the edge of the Trinity penalty area and he blasted home on the volley.
Ramadeen pulled off two more point-blank saves before the break as Fatima went in at half-time with a 1-0 lead.
More drama for Trinity came after the resumption, with Prescod stinging Ramadeen's palms with a close-range bullet in the 53rd and then the custodian blocked another Prescod attempt with his feet while going in the wrong direction, just in front an empty goal.
But West would not miss in the 67th, getting a through ball from 20 metres out and lashing past Ramadeen with violence that the Trinity goalie could only admire.
Fatima dominated the late exchanges, but gave up a penalty that Neptune tucked away and from then the Mucurapo Road school endured a few nervous moments. But, as throughout the match, Trinity's attempts in open play came from too far a distance and too wayward to trouble Barkley John, the Fatima goalkeeper.
Today, St Augustine Secondary's "Green Machine" stir into action against Toco Secondary at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar in East Zone action from 5 p.m., after Arima North Secondary meet Barataria South Secondary at the same venue from 3 p.m.
And in Central, an Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva double-header will feature Tabaquite and Presentation College Chaguanas from 3 p.m., as well as a clash between Gasparillo Secondary and Waterloo Secondary from 5 p.m.