WESTERN BUREAU:

THE INTER-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) is keeping an eye on Hurricane Ivan which is posing a threat to Jamaica and Saturday's start of the 2004 schoolboy football season could be postponed if the island is threatened.

George Forbes, Competitions Officer for ISSA, told The Gleaner yesterday the association would wait until this afternoon or early tomorrow morning to make a decision. He said ISSA was also in consultation with the sponsors Pepsi and Sports Plus as well as taking advice from the Meteorological Office.

"If we have a hurricane we obviously can't play," Forbes stated. "We are now in discussions with the sponsors as we can't make a unilateral decision and we are awaiting their input where that is concerned."

The season is set to start with an opening ceremony and doubleheader at Jarrett Park with the defending champions of the daCosta and Manning Cups being in action.

Frome Technical, the daCosta Cup champions, will face former winners Rusea's in a Zone B game while Manning Cup champions Excelsior and Jamaica College will meet in the first game set to start at 2:00 p.m.

Forbes pointed out that ISSA was holding off on making an announcement as the hurricane could change course and miss the island.

"If it goes south all we will get is some rain, but if it continues on its present path or veers north we are going to be in problems," Forbes said.

Meanwhile, another team has dropped out of the daCosta Cup competition. B.B. Coke withdrew this week, joining Fair Prospect.

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