Jones and Austin Keeps St Pius title defence alive

WEST RUIMVELDT, Green Acres, Tucville Primary, St. Stephens, St. Angelas, St. Pius, F.E. Pollard, East La Penitence, Enterprise, Ketley Primary, Smith’s Memorial, St. Margaret’s, South Ruimveldt, Stella Maris, Marian Academy and North Georgetown are 16 schools who have advanced to the knock-out stage of this year’s Petra Organisation/COURTS Pee Wee Football tournament.After another day of sensational performances, the curtains came down on the preliminary round of the competition at the Banks DIH Thirst Park ground yesterday.

Defending Champions St Pius who entered yesterday’s game against F.E. Pollard needing a win to advance, achieved same by a 2 – 1 score-line thanks to two early goals off the boot of Selwyn Jones (5th) and Raymond Austin (6th), while F.E Pollard’s goal came from Quincy Williams in the 14th minute.

But while St Pius struggled throughout the competition, West Ruimveldt, Tucville Primary, St Angelas, East La Penitence, Smith’s Memorial and Stella Maris, have all played undefeated so far in the tournament.

Rayheem Marques added yet another goal to his already long tally when he scored in Tucville Primary’s 1 – 0 win over St Stephen’s Primary in the 14th minute.

Former Champions Marian Academy earned a gruelling 1 – 0 win over North Georgetown Primary, thanks to a second minute goal from Alistair Phyll while St Angelas and J.E. Burnham Primary played to a 1 – 1 draw.

Oziah Vieira put St Angelas Primary in the lead in the 14th minute, but Ronaldo Lawrence was able to help J.E. Burnham salvage a draw with his 30th minute strike.

While St Margaret’s Primary and South Ruimveldt played to an entertaining goalless draw, it was not the case in the game between St Ambrose and Smith’s Memorial Primary, as the two schools had to settle for a 1 – 1 result.

Meanwhile, Isaiah Wray’s 20th minute goal was good enough to help guide St Gabriel’s Primary to a 1 – 0 win over Thomas Moore but it was a game with little merit since both teams were already eliminated.

In the day’s final game, Ketley Primary and Enterprise Primary kept the crowd on their feet with their brilliant display of football throughout their goalless contest.

Once again the day’s activity was shortened owing to schools not turning up for their games, resulting in East La Penitence, getting a ‘walkover’ victory against Success Academy; so too did West Ruimveldt against Comenius Primary and Green Acres over Redeemer Primary School.

The knockout stage will get on the way next Saturday at the same venue.

(By Rawle Toney)