KTHS brace for KC challenge
Published:Wednesday | December 15, 2021 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
KINGSTON TECHNICAL High School’s (KTHS) Manning Cup coach, Shaun Charlton, says Kingston College (KC) is not unbeatable and believes his team can get the result they want against their North Street opponents in today’s quarter-final football match at Stadium East at 1 p.m., to keep themselves in contention for a semi-final spot.
Excelsior High will play Charlie Smith in the feature game of the double-header at 3 p.m.
Kingston Technical are without a point after their 3-1 defeat to Excelsior High in the first match of the round, while KC cruised past Charlie Smith Comprehensive High 3-0, but Charlton said they will are ready to dig deep for the win.
“We are very much optimistic (of making semis). The season is not over, we have two games left in the quarter-final stage and Kingston Technical is a tough custodian,” said Charlton. “We just have to have that mentality and put on the armour of faith in order to get through this game.
“No team is unbeatable and we have seen that internationally. We just have to take our chances as we get them and just keep working until we can pull them apart and be one of the few teams that score on them and beat them,” Charlton insisted. “So will be digging for it (win) and we believe.”
Kingston College, one of the tournament favourites, were in imperious form against Charlie Smith on Saturday and their coach, Ludlow Bernard, is expecting a continuation of their good run against their opponents.
“I am looking forward to it (game) with great anticipation. We got a good game from the players on Saturday but we saw aspects of our game that we need to address,” said Bernard.
“Charlie Smith exposed a few things and in order for us to be title contenders we have to be very efficient in how we go about our game. So while all around we did fairly well, I think we have the capacity to do better,” he analysed.
“We are expecting a good game (from (KTHS) and even a greater game from our team. From all accounts it seems as if we are going to have a very good day,” he added.
In the second game, Charlie Smith who, like KTHS, are without a point after one game, will look to rebound with a win over Excelsior who, like KC, sit on three points.
BOUNCE BACK
“We are looking forward to bounce back,” said Charlie Smith’s coach, Eugene Williams. “It will not be easy because Excelsior won their last game and we lost ours, but we are ready and the players are up for the job at hand,” he said.
Excelsior’s coach Xavier Gilbert also anticipates a difficult match, but is aiming for a win, which would all but seal their place in the last four.
“Getting a win tomorrow (today) will secure our semi-final spot or put us in a fantastic position and we are focused on that (win),” said Gilbert.
“It is not going to be easy but, hopefully, we can get the three points as that is the most important thing,” he added.