Howard Walker, Staff Reporter

Edward Campbell (foreground), the man expected to lead Cornwall College's charge in the 2006 daCosta Cup. Cornwall will be in action in the daCosta Cup next Wednesday. – Adrian Frater Photo

Defending champions Calabar High kick off the 2006 Inter- Secondary School Association (ISSA)/Pepsi/Jamaica National (JN) Manning Cup season with a tough game against St. George's College (STGC) at Jarrett Park starting at 2:00 pm. Four teams - Trench Town, Ascot High, Jose Marti and Haile Selassie - withdrew from the Manning Cup this week while Oberlin High, from rural St. Andrew, will make their debut. St. Mary's College, in St. Catherine, return after many years out of the competition along with three-time winners Camperdown who return after missing last season.

Thirty-five teams will have the mammoth task of dethroning Calabar and STGC will be the first to test the green and black juggernaut.

The David Hunt-coached boys from Red Hills Road have retained most of the players who won the trophy last year and have even recruited former national Under-17 player Dwayne Smith from Meadowbrook.

Goalkeepers

Calabar, winners in 1943, 1977 and 2005, have retained goalkeeper Oneil Wilson, Kenneil Hyde, last year's Most Valuable Player, Robert Palmer, Ramone Palmer, Lennox Creary, Anthony Bennett and Kirk Duckworth.

But Hunt, also the national Under-17 coach, knows that this season will be harder than the last. "It is always very difficult to repeat as champions so I know it is going to be extra tough. I will have to keep motivating the players. They have already won so maybe that hunger is not there.

"It is going to be a very tough game. St. George's played in the Colts final last year, three years ago they were the Colts champions and they have a new coach who has been with their youth programme, so I expect a very tough challenge," noted Hunt.

Title favourites

Meanwhile, 17-times champions STGC are one of the title favourites and should severely test Calabar's mettle. The light blues last won the cup in 1992 and the general feeling emanating from the North Street camp is that this year could be the year to win again.

STGC have suffered a late blow with the news that top defender Kareem Hall was ruled ineligible by ISSA after moving from a private school.

But St. George's remain a strong unit with nine players from last year's squad, including leading striker Kamal Malcolm, midfield general Christopher Johnson, Aaron Spence and goalkeeping captain Jabari Wallace.

St. George's also recruited Jordon Moses from Glenmuir High and former Ferncourt captain Mikhail Hinds to bolster their squad.

Everald Campbell, coach of STGC, is oozing with confidence. "We are ready for the defending champions, and if you want to win the Manning Cup what better way than to start against the champion?

"Our chances are great because we are confident and we welcome the challenge. They are the champions and we respect them but we have to go out and compete," said Campbell.