Big ambitions as SSFL kicks off tomorrow

Today, the Express takes a brief look at each of the five zones: North, East, Central, South and Tobago, and what they have to offer.

NORTH ZONE

St Anthony’s College entered the North Zone competition last year skeptical about their chances after in the League, after losing a bundle of players from their all-conquering 2011 team that took all national silverware back to Westmoorings. When the dust settled, they were in both national competitions, and kept their grasp on the InterCol trophy.

Now, “Tigers” coach Nigel Grosvenor is just as watchful as his team bid to repeat as North Zone champions, before they try to gather a record-tying ten national trophies. Signal Hill Secondary stand alone in that regard.

Grosvenor told the Express that he had lost a number of players who finished school, or took up scholarships, but with a few starters from last year and some good potential, the longstanding coach is hopeful for a good showing from his team.

“I don’t think it’s going to be easy at all. It’s going to be very hard. A lot of these schools were rebuilding last year they have the same players. Fatima, Compre, I don’t think they have lost players to the extent we are. It’s not going to be easy; St Anthony’s is expected to win all the time, but it does not work like that.”

A confident East Mucurapo Secondary are quietly building and should challenge for the North title after a dilligent off-season, while St Mary’s College--whose starters will comprise a number younger players, are also hoping to excel. Fatima College have also welcomed experienced coach Richard Hood to the fold, and could be interesting this season.

Said Brinsley Hudson, an East Mucurapo manager: “We should be one of the teams at the end of the year in contention. We’ve been working since May; I think they are very confident with what they have done.”

Malick Secondary will return to top flight football under a new coach, which will prove interesting in the last year of the current SSFL format, while Queen’s Royal College and Diego Martin North Secondary are the other teams seeking North Zone glory.

SOUTH ZONE

Last year the strongly developing rivalry between Shiva Boys Hindu College and Presentation College San Fernando was borne out in their controversial South InterCol final, spurred by an act of violence by a fan on a referee’s assistant. After protests and a potential Presentation boycott of the replay, Shiva Boys won the final, and so split the South titles, as “Pres” were perfect in the League before losing the Big Five final to Carapichaima.

A look at the defending South champs through the eyes of manager Michael Toney sees potential, in a squad that has lost a few players, and kept a few standouts that give him more than enough reason for optimism.

“...We’re in yet another transitional period with players that have gone on to scholarship, the “twin towers” (defenders and brothers) in Mikhail and Keegan Ellis. We also lost goalkeeper Kelvin Henry.”

But star-striker Shakiel “Smeck” Henry is back, along with midfielder Angel Williams and a few other returning faces.

Down in Penal, Shiva Boys, under coach Dexter Francis--of “Strike Squad” fame--have their eyes on the prize as well.

“Of course. we always see ourselves as contenders. We lost some players but we are ready,” said manager Sheldon Maharaj.

Both teams, though, are wary of Naparima College, who have the best record of all South teams in national competition.

“They had a nice team last year which they retained. No one is an underdog. this is a championship, things are crazy. But we look forward (to the challenge).”

St Benedict’s are also seen as interesting with a budding youth programme, while Pleasantville Secondary and Princes Town West Secondary are all in the mix, along with newcomers Mayaro Secondary.

TOBAGO ZONE

Tobago had five teams last year, and question marks surrounding the quality of the seven teams. This time around the Zone will have eight teams, with Goodwood Secondary, Bishop’s High School and Pentecostal Light and Life will enter the Championship fray, along with Scarborough Secondary, Signal Hill, Speyside Secondary, Mason Hall Secondary and Roxborough Secondary.

Darren Joseph, manager/coach of defending League champions Scarborough, says his team will try hard to deal with the changes to their schedule, which will go from ten to 14 zonal League matches.

“ We have some nice young guys. We still look like 75-80 per cent to defend our crown. It will be a rocky road this year, but mentally we’re trying to be focused. We played a nice practice against St Mary’s College and we lost 1-0 on a penalty kick. We‘re very optimistic of working hard and achieving the objective of retaining our status.”

He added: “It’s going to be a really uphill task, especially watching the fixtures when we have four or five away fixtures in the first round. But we are up for the challenge, but we know it’s going to be a (difficult season).”

Of course they will renew their rivalry with Signal Hill, but the Scarborough manager is also keeping his eye on Speyside, who were definitely Tobago’s surprise package last year.

Mason Hall are also former Tobago champs, and that should make the zone a bit more competitive in 2013.

EAST ZONE

It is really anybody’s title in the Secondary Schools Football League East Zone competition this year.

Last year’s champions Arima North Secondary, coached by Peter Lewis, have lost a couple of their seasoned players for the upcoming season, but they are still expected to field competitive side with some talented youngsters getting an opportunity to come to the fore when the Zonal league kicks off on Saturday at Arima Velodrome with a double header starting at 3 p.m.

But the Arima side still has some experience in their ranks with attacking mid-fielder Kwasi Windsor expected to play a more senior role this season after showing a lot of promise in 2012.

Windsor started to blossom towards the end of the season and had good game in the Zonal InterCol final when Arima lost 1-0 to “Green Machine” St Augustine Secondary in a heated final at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar.

Arima finished that match with eight men and would not want to repeat such a performance in the new season.

Their defence is also set to get a boost with last year’s custodian Shundell Mayers taking up duties for another season providing some stability at the back.

“We are a young team and we will take it one game at a time. The guys may be young but they are talented,” the coach said of his charges,” the coach said of his team.

At the other end of the spectrum, Valencia Secondary will be trying to make a name for themselves in the big league after earning promotion to the top competition. They will face stiff competition from the defending champions Arima, InterCol champs the “Green Machine”, San Juan North Secondary, El Dorado East Secondary and El Dorado West Secondary.

Valencia replaced Toco Secondary in the East Zone league.

CENTRAL ZONE

Although the Central Zone has the least amount of teams, the competition was still fierce, at least between the top two teams Carapichaima East Secondary and Chaguanas North Secondary.

Chaguanas North emerged as a title contenders last year and Caps are prepared for another tough contest this year.

The national champions, Carapichaima, have retained a core of players from last season’s successful campaign and will be blending that experience with players coming up from the Under-16 team and their coach, former Trinidad and Tobago footballer Leon Carpette, believes they have a good chance of repeating their success in the new season.

Striker Joshua Eneau and attacking midfielder Yaseen Rivas will provide some firepower up front for the defending champs who welcome back five players from the 2012 campaign.

Both players are into their third season playing with the championship team.

Deereen Cox, Larry Brown and Keon Brown are also back with the squad.

Carapichaima will also get two new goal keepers in Renaldo Paul and Jordan Prince.

Carpette is hoping for better competition from the other teams in the zone and said it was good to see Chaguanas North coming to the fore and giving them a good challenge last year.

The other teams in the zone are Presentation College Chaguanas, Tabaquite Secondary, Couva West Secondary and newcomers Vishnu Boys Hindu College.

Vishnu Boys replaced Gasparillo Secondary in the Central Zone.