By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterDEFENDING CHAMPIONS Bridgeport, Jamaica College and Excelsior maintained their leads atop their respective groups in the Pepsi/Sports Plus Manning Cup schoolboy football competition following impressive home victories yesterday.
At Ferdie Neita Park, Bridgeport, with goals from Kemar Petrekin and Kevon Whyte (twice), Dean Thompson, Mark Newsome, Odean Smith and Derron Dorman, defeated Meadowbrook 8-1. Jamaica College thanks to a double strike from Andrew Davis and a goal each from Norado Jenkinson and Joseph Shaw beat Clan Carthy 4-0 at Old Hope Road, while Jermaine Gardener, Kenroy McKay and Andrew Morris led host Excelsior to a 3-0 victory against Calabar.
Bridgeport are now on 19 points from seven games in Group C. They are six ahead of nearest rivals Camperdown (13), Denham Town (10), Campion College (six), St. Catherine High (five) and Meadowbrook (four).
However, the race for second place in Group B behind Jamaica College, who maintained their 100 per cent win record with 21 points from seven games is tight. Innswood, despite losing four out of eight games still hold on to second place with 12 points, Spanish Town (11, five games), Haile Selassie (10), Donald Quarrie (seven), Penwood (six) and Clan Carthy (five) follow.
Following two draws and a defeat in their past three games, early pacesetters Wolmer's (14 points) surrendered the Group A lead to Excelsior, who moved to 18 points from eight games.
Ardenne and Ascot (10 each), Calabar (eight), Holy Trinity (four) and Greater Portmore (one) are the other teams in the group.
