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JC-KC meet to decide Champions Cup title

Published:Saturday | December 10, 2022 | 12:39 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
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Kingston College’s Dujuan Richards (left) in action against Clarendon College in the Champions Cup semifinals.
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Kingston College’s Dujuan Richards (left) in action against Clarendon College in the Champions Cup semifinals.
Jamaica College midfielder Kevaughn Wilson steps away from St Andrew Technical High’s Omar Reid during the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup final at Sabina Park on December 2.
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Jamaica College midfielder Kevaughn Wilson steps away from St Andrew Technical High’s Omar Reid during the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup final at Sabina Park on December 2.
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One coach hopes to claim a title that has eluded him while the other is hoping to not end the season trophyless.

The latest chapter of the Jamaica College-Kingston College (KC) rivalry will unfold this afternoon as they will face each other in the ISSA/Champions Cup final at the National Stadium at 4:30.

It is a meeting of the last two Manning Cup champions as Jamaica College (JC), eight nights ago, regained the title that they lost to KC earlier this year. JC head coach Davion Ferguson had said that it was a competition that he has put on his priorities to win after previous seasons where he admittedly had not taken it seriously.

“This is a competition that I have never won but to be honest, I have never taken it seriously. And this year we really want to take it seriously,” Ferguson said. “I think we have the squad in terms of the group’s depth and condition. I think the staff we have together is excellent.”

That squad would have had a week to recover from the emotional Manning Cup final win over St Andrew Technical High on December 2 where they won 8-7 on penalties for their 31st hold on the title. JC are still on course for a treble-winning season, their first since 2017 when they captured the Manning Cup, Walker Cup and Olivier Shield titles in Miguel Coley’s final season. On their road to the final, JC dispatched Manning’s School in the quarterfinals and STATHS also on penalties in the semifinals

Meanwhile, KC head coach Raymond Watson is hoping that they will at least finish their season with a title and give a proper send-off to their star player Dujuan ‘Whisper’ Richards who is expected to play his final game in KC colours. Richards is on the verge of scoring 30 goals this season. KC defeated Central High 2-0 in the quarterfinals and Richards dispatched reigning champions Clarendon College virtually by himself, scoring four goals in their 4-2 win in the semifinals. Compared to their opponents, KC will be operating on two weeks’ rest after their Manning Cup semi-defeat.

With this being the final opportunity for silverware for Watson in his first season, he says that they will leave nothing in the tank to ensure that they can finish on a high note

“We have no choice but to try and win the game. We need a trophy in our cabinet. This is the only one on offer but we will take it,” Watson said after their semi-final win.