Some guys have all the luck. Last night at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Naparima College had it all, as they got past Signal Hill Secondary Comprehensive 6-5 in a spot kick shootout in the BG T&T Secondary Schools Football League Big Five semi-final.
It was Adisa Connel who turned out to be the Naparima star, scoring the winning kick in sudden death to Signal Hill's goalkeeper Bradon Roberts' left to spark "Naps" celebrations and a field invasion by supporters.
The first round of kicks ended 4-4. Curtis Moses beat Naps custodian Leston Shade with Signal Hill's first kick and then influential midfielder Javed Mohammed missed Naps' first. But Kaylon Morris' miss on Signal Hill's fourth kick, threw the South Zone champions a lifeline.
Then they got real hope when Shahdon Winchester's weak kick hit a divot and bounced over the diving Roberts, into the goal.
With the scores locked at 5-5 in sudden death, after Kerron Duncan's miss for Signal Hill, Connel converted to book his team's final berth.
Previously, Winchester had the chance to win it for Naps in the second half of extra time, but kicked wide from close range just before the final whistle.
From the first whistle though, Naparima started brighter and perhaps had slightly the better of the exchanges overall. But after some initial near misses and a few promising Signal Hill attacks, the game drifted into a tight, battle devoid of great entertainment.
The visitors seemed content to defend, while Naps were guilty of wasted chances and turned the ball over on several occasions.
In the second period, Signal Hill, the Tobago Zone champions, settled down somewhat. But they were the ones who eventually conceded the first goal. Thirteen-year-old Winchester, who played the full game, broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when he received a pass inside the 18-metre box and slotted past the helpless Roberts.
Signal Hill's hopes were kept alive by Diego Nicholson six minutes later when he collected a cross from the right side and sent Naps keeper Shade the wrong way. But Naps had their way eventually under the pressure of the spot kicks. The South champs will now meet East Zone winners San Juan Secondary in the grand final on Saturday.
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