DESPITE taking the field with seven players, Christ Church Secondary School relied heavily on Andre Trotz and Jovanty Best to defeat the much fancied Lodge Secondary School 4-1 in their semi-final matchup at the Ministry of Education ground yesterday to book a place in the final of this year’s Scotiabank/Pepsi Football Academy tournament.

They will face pre-tournament favourites Charlestown Secondary, who followed up their 11-0 drubbing over Bishops’ High School, the previous day, with another 12-0 victory this time their victims were Tutorial High School.
However, while many expected to see Charlestown defeat their opponents, no one would have anticipated a Christ Church victory over Lodge, taking into consideration they had to wait 10 minutes before the arrival of Best, following which they took the field with 7 players.
When Shaquille Grovesnor found the back of the net in the 3rd minute for Lodge, many felt it was the beginning of a drubbing for Christ Church, but they showed fight, determination and the will to match their opponents stride for stride on both ends of the field.
Kadeem Blackman got them the equaliser in the 20th minute, before Best thanked his teammates for waiting with a wonderful goal in the 28th minute, handing Christ Church a 2-1 lead at lemon time.
Trotz then made his presence felt when play resumed in the second half, conducting several solo runs from inside his own half to Lodge’s third but poor finishing coupled with stern defense stop both himself and his school from increasing their lead.
Ryan Hackett, Kevin Boters and Shemar Smith tried to snatch the equalizer for Lodge, but were met by some resilient defensive work from both Best and Trotz and with Lodge surging ahead in search of the equalizer, Trotz caught them napping to outrun the defense and give his team a two goal cushion in the 54th minute.
It was a goal that rejuvenated the seven man lineup from Christ Church, who took the attack to their opponents despite the advantage in size and numbers and were rewarded when Trotz flew the off-side trap and calmly rounded the ball around Lodge’s custodian in the 60th minute to hand his team a 4-1 upset win and a place in the final.
They will face a confident looking Charlestown lineup, who got helmet trick of goals from Omari James and Anthony Bartholomew, coupled with Brian Prince’s hat trick to drub Tutorial 12-0 and book their place in the finals.
James scored  his four goals in the 3rd, 20th, 41st and 54th minute of play, Bartholomew got his in the 15th, 28th, 49th and 50th, while Prince’s hat trick was recorded in the 17th, 45th and 59th minute of play, which along with Shawn Spencer’s solitary strike in the 42nd minute handed Charlestown another massive win.
Whilst Christ Church and Charlestown will meet in the final, Lodge will face Tutorial in the third place matchup this Sunday at a venue to be decided.