Bennett looks forward to playoffs after good KSAFA seasons
Published:Wednesday | May 1, 2024 | 12:13 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
WITH THE preliminary round of the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) Major League now completed, and with one round remaining in the Championship League, president of KSAFA Mark Bennett anticipates an exciting climax to the season.
According to Bennett, even though the playoffs of both competitions are likely to be overshadowed by the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) playoffs, he believes the teams will give fans a treat as they battle to be crowned Championship and Major League champions.
“The preliminaries have been very good. We had some hiccups in terms of the scheduling, but overall, it has been very good and the teams are looking forward to the playoff round.
“The championship has one round remaining but everything has already been decided, the semifinals of the championships and the quarterfinals for the Major League, and who will be demoted from the championship competition. So this weekend’s games are just academic,” said Bennett.
Olympic Gardens topped the Championship League with 52 points and a plus-36 goal difference. They are joined in the semifinals by Constant Spring, 49 points, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), 44, and Boys’ Town, 39.
Even though there is one round of matches remaining, fifth-place Barbican, 31, cannot overtake any team in the top four.
Shortwood and Liguanea were relegated to the Major League.
In the Major League, Seaview, 32 points, Maxfield, 30, Cooreville, 30, and
Duhaney Park, 28, advanced from Zone A after Sunday’s final round of matches.
Qualifying from Zone B are New Kingston, 33, August Town, 30, Police National, 29, and Allman/Woodford, 21.
The Major League quarterfinals will be home and away over two legs and Bennett believes this will set the tone for the knockout stage.
“The quarterfinals of the Major League will be contested over two legs, home and away. This will be a final opportunity for the communities to throw their full support behind their teams to give them momentum going into the semifinals.
“The teams are quite excited because the quarterfinals will be home and away, and they will be played on the teams’ grounds. So they get one final chance to push their teams into the last four.”