AFTER being reinstated as 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) championship division winners for the Central and South zones, Miracle Ministries Pentecostal High School and Moruga Secondary will begin their quest for premier division promotion when the Big 5 playoffs commence on February 1.
Owing to a ruling by a three-man SSFL arbitration committee over the weekend, Miracle Ministries and Moruga regained their spots in the Big 5 playoffs after they were initially docked points and stripped of their championship crowns. The schools were deemed to have breached the league's registration rules, but their penalty was successfully overturned after arbitration.
On Tuesday morning, the SSFL issued an apology to "all football stakeholders and supporters for the unfortunate events that occurred" and admitted to a "significant misstep" in their own registration process.
The Big 5 schedule was subsequently released on Tuesday afternoon, with Miracle Ministries set to begin their campaign against North championship winners Blanchisseuse Secondary, and Moruga playing away to East winners St Augustine Secondary. Tobago championship division winners Signal Hill Secondary will be the other team contesting the playoff competition, which will see the top three schools qualifying for the 2024 premiership division season after round-robin action.
The playoffs will observe a two-week break for the Carnival season and will resume on February 15, with Signal Hill playing their first game in the competition when they journey to Moruga. The playoffs are set to conclude on February 24.
The SSFL also confirmed the girls' Big 5 final between defending champions Scarborough Secondary and Five Rivers Secondary will be played on February 1 in Black Rock, Tobago. Originally carded for November 15, the girls' Big 5 finale encountered a host of delays due to travel arrangements, conflicting intercol schedules and a break for the Christmas period.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday
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