Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

A THIRTY-three-year gap stands between Jamaica College (JC) and their last schoolboy football title and the JC faithfuls believe that it's about time for that to end.

However, to do so today, they must outlast a rugged Calabar team, which is playing for a fallen mentor.

Much at stake

Much will be at stake when the teams take the field for the 3:00 p.m. encounter at the National Stadium in the final of the ISSA/Pepsi/Digicel Walker Cup.

Former Calabar defensive strongman Robert Palmer will anchor the Dark Blues of Old Hope Road's hopes as they attempt to bring year after year of disappointment to an end.

Palmer will be just one of four students shunned by the Calabar sixth-form programme and he, crafty linkman Ramone Palmer, Anthony Grant and Akeem Bennett will have plenty in mind when they face their former teammates across the lines.

For late coach

However, the boys still at Red Hills Road are more than ready for a fight as, in three years at the helm of the team, the Walker Cup was the one trophy that eluded their coach David Hunt, who passed away last week.

It will be a third consecutive trip to the final for the boys of 'Rabalac', and they and interim coach, Lyjasue Simms, also mentored by Hunt, are determined to pay their final tribute.

"This is all for him. The hard work the love and dedication he showed throughout the years. All our victories are a tribute to him," an emotional Simms said after seeing the team triumph 1-0 over favoured Bridgeport in Wednesday's semi-final.

The match will also be one of significance for JC coach, Alfred Henry.

"David was a close friend of mine. We were part of the founding members of Meadhaven and he (Simms) was a student of mine. The game is going to be a difficult one," Henry said.

Pride in the balance

The game will be the first meeting of the teams this season. Netting a daunting 52 goals, JC topping Group A of the Manning Cup ahead of Waterford, while Calabar topped Group C in front of Wolmer's.

With school pride hanging in the balance, Calabar, who have taken to referring to their Old Hope Road opponents as J-bar, and JC, with their dark blue and white flags in hand, will file into the Stadium today and expectations and emotions will be high.