The Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground is in for a treat today as the grand finale of the fifth annual ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ Under14 Schools’ football tournament is staged.
Four teams will battle for top honours in the two divisions, with a new boys’ champion set to be crowned after defending champions Bartica Secondary were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
The girls’ final will be the first to be staged at 16:00h, featuring a clash between defending champions Waramuri Primary Top and President’s College, a case of déjà vu for the two sides.
When they met in last year’s final, Waramuri dominated PC 4-1, but according to PC, it will not be as easy this time around.
Guyana Times Sport caught up with the captains, who are both confident of crossing the final hurdle today.
Waramuri Primary Top Captain Tiana Abrams (burgundy) faces off with President’s College Captain Kimora Edwards
“Yes, I’m confident that my team can do it. Yes, because we have the ability,” Waramuri Captain Tiana Abrams shared with this publication.
On the other hand, President’s College Captain Kimora Edwards stated, “I’m sure that we could beat them in this final.
“We’re coming for the revenge, yah, because last year we didn’t really have the team we have now. So, we will work really hard through the week for this final game.”
On the other hand, Chase’s Academic Foundation and Dolphin Secondary will meet for the first time this year in the final showdown for the boys. For Chase’s, it will be a shot at securing their second ExxonMobil U14 title, having won the inaugural tournament in 2018.
For Dolphin, this is the furthest they have advanced in the tournament, bowing out in the semi-finals back in 2019.
Similarly to the girls, both boys’ finalists are sure of their abilities heading into the feature match at 17:00h.
“We’re confident. We’re sure about winning. This is my first tournament for the school, so, for me, it would mean a lot. For the rest of players, it would mean a lot too, because this is we first tournament together,” Chase’s Captain Jaden Tasher told this publication.
Tasher added that for the final his team needed to work on “the finishing”. They’re always going in front of the goal and throwing away. So, they gotta work on their finishing.”
On the other hand, Dolphin’s Captain, Damani Hardy expressed, “I think we just have to play ball, control the game and we got this.
“I am pretty confident, but they’re stiff [competition].”
Prior to the finals, placement games and the third-place playoff will be staged. The football action begins at 12:00h; the girls’ semi-finals between Santa Rosa and Bartica Secondary takes centre stage at 14:00h, while the boys’ semi between South Ruimveldt and Leonora Secondary kicks off at 15:00h.
The teams are competing for a $400,000 first prize while second place will receive $200,000. The third- and fourth-place finishers will pocket $100,000 and $75,000 respectively, with all the prizes going towards a school project.
The ExxonMobil U14 tournament is also sponsored by Stenna Drilling, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) under its Pepsi brand, and MVP Sports.
