EIGHT IS GREAT!

GLENMUIR High won a record eighth ISSA Ben Francis Cup title after dethroning Clarendon College 2-0 in the final at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in Santa Cruz yesterday. Glenmuir broke the tie with Cornwall College and St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), who had each won seven titles. They completed a perfect season, winning all six games without conceding a goal. Goalkeeper and Captain Justin Murray was named Most Valuable Player in the final after making a series of outstanding saves. Rojhon Brown scored the opening goal in the 26th minute before Orel Miller sealed the title deep into added time in the second half. Glenmuir’s previous titles came in 1993, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2022. It was the third-consecutive final for Clarendon College, who lost to STETHS in 2024 before beating Cornwall College last year. First-year coach Ashanti Mullings said the title was well appreciated but warned that the team could not celebrate for too long, with the daCosta Cup set to resume on Wednesday. “Yes, this trophy is special as this is the first for me as a head coach,” he said afterwards, “but it does not stop here. We have a game in the daCosta Cup on Wednesday at Drax Hall so we have to refocus.” He also said, “This is the first hurdle, and once we have that out of the way we can now start planning for the other titles.” Clarendon College Head Coach Devon Anderson said his team had fought throughout the game but recognised where they had fallen short. “We were always behind the eight ball and gave up a goal,” he said. “We had to go after them in the second half — and we did create some chances — but we were chasing the game and gave up a soft goal.” Glenmuir threatened in the third minute when Samari Cousins fired at goal but Clarendon College goalkeeper Rolandre Tample was also called into action early, blocking Anthony Reid’s effort at his right post in the sixth minute. Glenmuir took the lead when Brown rose above the crowd to head home a corner, beating Tample. Clarendon College came close to drawing level in added time at the end of the first half when Reid’s shot skimmed the crossbar on its way out of play. Justin Hayles missed a chance to equalise in the 68th minute when he side-footed a cross from Reid over the crossbar. Reid fired straight at Murray five minutes later, with Hayles unmarked in the 18-yard box, and Murray pulled off a magnificent save in the 89th minute to deny Lashaun Harris. Miller, who had been kept quiet for most of the game, made his presence felt in added time. Given too much space on the edge of the Clarendon College 18-yard box, he fired a low, left-footed shot past Tample into the right-hand corner of the goal.