By Rawle Toney
Defending Champions Chase Academy and Lodge Secondary will collide in the finals of this year’s Petra Organisation/Milo Schools football tournament, following the results of today’s semi-finals.
Chase Academy mauled South Ruimveldt Secondary 6 – 0 while Lodge Secondary squeezed past Queens College 1 – 0 to set up Saturday’s final at the Ministry of Education ground.
Searching for their second title in the four-year-old tournament, Chase Academy got off to a perfect start, thanks to Keith Caines who put his school in the lead just three minutes into one-sided contest.
It was Caines fifth goal of the tournament. Ryan Hackett made it 2 – 0 with his 34-minute goal while six minutes later, Kelsey Benjamin hammered in a powerful left-footed shot that pushed the score to 3 – 0.
Just before half time, Josiah Charles further tightened Chase’s grip on the game when he made it 4 – 0. In the second half, with the game already out of reach, it is safe to say that South Ruimveldt was waving the white flag but Chase continued to pound on their (South Ruimveldt) hapless defence.
Ralph Parris added the finishing touches with his double in the 60th and 63rd minutes.
In the opening game, Lodge Secondary put an end to Queens College’s fairytale run in the tournament this year, all thanks to Shamar Smith.
The two teams played to a goalless first half but it was Lodge, a former holder of the title, who always had the upper hand as Smith, in the 60th minute separated the two teams.
The result yesterday means that Chase Academy and Lodge Secondary will play at 18:00 hours, while the curtain raiser on Saturday, brings together Queens College and South Ruimveldt from 16:00 hours.
