Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU: HAPPY GROVE could become the first qualifiers for the inter-zone round of the ISSA Pepsi/ Jamaica National daCosta schoolboys' football competition if they can manage a repeat win over Titchfield in the return round game at Carder Park at 3:30p.m. this afternoon.
Happy Grove, who lead Zone L (a) with nine points form four matches, would return to the play-offs for the first time since the 2001 season. The win would secure at least a runner-up spot with only Port Antonio High in with a chance of passing them on goal difference.
Titchfield, the beaten finalists in 2003 and semi-finalists last season, are still in the race after a slow start but must win both remaining games, including today's to stay in the race.
Yesterday, Marcus Garvey High took over second place in Zone D after edging Ferncourt 1-0 in a return game at Drax Hall. The win, Marcus Garvey's third, took them to 12 points, one behind Cedric Titus.
In another game played at Brancourt in Clarendon, Lennon beat Kellits 3-1 in a Zone H game.
Meanwhile three of the four teams with perfect records, including defending champions Glenmuir High, will be in action as 31 games are scheduled to be played on a busy afternoon.
Former champions St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) and Denbigh are the other teams yet to drop a point and will start favourites in their games against Balaclava and Thompson Town respectively.
Glenmuir should have a stiffer test than the one they faced against second-placed Garvey Maceo when they last met in the opening game at Jarrett Park. Glenmuir High romped to a 5-0 win then, but Garvey Maceo have won four straight since then, including a 9-0 spanking of Bustamante High on Wednesday.
The Patrick 'Jackie' Walters-coached Glenmuir are the only team yet to concede a goal after five games and will be hell bent on keeping it that way.
STETHS will be seeking win number five and after winning 2-0 away in the first leg, should have things much easier at home as they seek to keep their lifetime perfect record against Balaclava, who are in second to last in Zone E.
A loss for Balaclava and a win for Newell over Lacovia would end their mathematical chance of advancing to the next round.
Despite losing the services of goalkeeper Triston Huntley to a broken left index finger suffered in their 3-2 win over Lennon on Wednesday, Denbigh should make it six straight wins in Zone H.
Jason Reid will take over between the sticks for Denbigh.
Maldon High, who returned to the competition this year after a few years away, could also be eliminated if they fail to score their first ever win over former champions and zone leaders Cornwall College at Jarrett Park.
Maldon have one point from six games and lead only newcomers Irwin in the eight-team zone.
