Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Calabar's Kenniel Hyde (left) controls the ball ahead of Godfrey Stewart's Evan Taylor during the first leg of the Olivier Shield at Jarrett Park on Saturday. Calabar won 2-1. - PHOTO BY ADRIAN FRATER
WHERE DOES the dream end and reality begin? That might be what Godfrey Stewart and Calabar High are thinking as they hunt the ultimate prize in schoolboy football - the Olivier Shield today.
Last Saturday, Calabar, courtesy of goals from Ramone Palmer and Lennox Creary, claimed a 2-0 lead before Dwayne Wiiliams reduced the deficit via a penalty kick in the dying moments.
Four days later, both teams meet again at the Constant Spring Complex at 3:00 p.m. searching for their first lien on the prestigious trophy.
Calabar's dream started 62 years ago when they lifted their first Manning Cup title in 1943. But they ran into a Munro team with one Lindy Delapenha and lost 5-4 after leading 4-1 at the break in the then one-leg final.
DREAM DASHED
Again in 1977, 34 years later, after beating Tivoli Gardens in the Manning Cup final, Calabar's dream was again dashed in no uncertain manner by the talented Clarendon College aggregation, widely considered one of the best schoolboy teams of all time.
Calabar drew the first leg 1-1 away from home only to be blasted 4-0 in the second leg at home, losing 5-1 on aggregate.
Now in 2005, 28 years on, Calabar, for the third time, are once again hunting that elusive dream of capturing the Olivier Shield title and when they wake up today, they are in pole position to do so.
The green-and-black clad Calabar have a one-goal advantage after travelling 120 miles to Jarrett Park and humbling Godfrey Stewart 2-1 in the first leg final. It was the first time Calabar had actually won an Olivier Shield encounter.
The boys from Red Hills Road are back in the Corporate Area, travelling only a few miles to the Constant Spring Complex and although they are not really playing at home, should fancy themselves of holding the advantage all the way.
David Hunt, coach of Calabar, said before the Olivier Shield started: "Our objective was to win the two legs. So our objective is to win this game.
"It is going to be a very tough game. Godfrey Stewart is a champion team and this is the last game for the season so there is nothing to hold back. They are going to give it their all," Hunt pointed out.
WERE AN UNKNOWN ENTITY
Godfrey Stewart, based in Westmoreland, until this year, were an unknown entity in schoolboy football. They dreamt of winning their first daCosta Cup title and, at their first time of asking, they are dreaming of lifting the Olivier Shield along with it.
Being an unfashionable team from the parish of Westmore-land, they played second fiddle to the established Mannings High and Frome Technical, but now they have emerged from their shadow and are standing in the glamour light all alone.
Formed in 1963, Godfrey Stewart first entered the daCosta Cup in 1999 after being upgraded to High School status and, six years after, have captured the prestigious crown of rural champions.
Carl Palmer, coach of Godfrey Stewart since 2003, in his second stint at the school, had a dream to win the trophy in three years, but achieved it in two.
Palmer, facing a one-goal deficit, says the second leg will be "a brain game".
"There is a possibility that the Calabar team will be looking for us to cover up. It's more like a brain game more than anything else. We want to score a goal first, but at the same time we have to be cautious," said Palmer.
"I think it will be a very good game. The players were complacent. People were saying there is no way this Calabar team can compete with us. But they (the players) came to their senses after conceding two goals," noted Palmer.
With seven players on the All-Manning team through captain and sweeper Robert Palmer, fellow defenders Miguel Malcolm and Kirk Duckworth, goalkeeper Oneil Wilson, midfielders Ramone Palmer and forwards Lennox Creary and Marlon Smith, Calabar look good.
WILL BE NO PUSHOVERS
But Godfrey Stewart, with at least five Reno Under-21 players and four that represented the All-daCosta team, will be no pushovers and will want to prove that their victory over the highly-touted and red hot favourites Glenmuir in the daCosta Cup final was no fluke.
Captain Dwayne Williams, Josimar Crooks, Ryan Smith, Dwayne Forrester and the young Donald Hewitt Jr should carry the fight for Godfrey Stewart.
After 90 minutes today, one team will realise its dream.
