All daCosta and All Manning teams will clash on Saturday at the Ashenheim Stadium at Jamaica College at 5:15 pm in what is a showcase of the island’s best schoolboy players.

In the curtain raiser at 3:00 pm, the daCosta Cup Scholastic and Manning Cup team face each other in a showcase aimed at impressing scouts for various colleges and Universities in the United States of America.

Decades ago, a selection to either of the All Manning or All daCosta teams was an indicator that you were a “big baller” and a marker for selection to Jamaica’s Juvenile (Under-19) team.

In recent times, the All Manning/All daCosta selections and matches have dwindled or sometimes missing from the calendar and truth be told, it wasn’t missed in recent times.

On Saturday, a galaxy of high school stars will be on display, matching skills against each other for bragging rights as to whether the urban (town) team is better than the rural (country) team.

Picking a winner is usually difficult in what for the most part is a friendly encounter, with players trying to avoid injuries heading into their senior careers.

But a look at both teams suggests that the All-Manning aggregation might have the slight edge, especially in the key midfield area led by Dyllan John of Jamaica College, Ronaldo Barrett of Hydel and Cavalier, Denzel McKenzie of Mona High and the KC’s playmaker Dujuan Green.

The backline will also be very sturdy with Alexavier Gooden (STATHS) who can be considered a veteran playing from the age of 14 and goalscoring defender Robino Gordon of Mona High.

But All-daCosta will sport a very prolific attack with the likes of Shane Pusey (McGrath High), Keanu Reid (Ocho Rios), Stevaughn Spence (Frome Tech) and Orane Watson (Glenmuir High).

They have been banging in goals for fun all season and will be hard to contain. But it will be a matter of which set of players are in the better mood and taking this game seriously coming out of the festive holiday season.

With KC of Kingston winning both the All-island Olivier Shield and Clarendon’s Glenmuir retaining the Champions Cup, there is nothing much to choose from between the urban and rural players.

But the All-Manning team is expected to pull it off and secure victory in what is expected to be a close encounter between two quality teams loaded with talent.

All-Manning team:

• Goalkeepers: Omarion Brown (St Catherine High), Malique Williams (Kingston College).
• Defenders: Alexavier Gooden (STATHS); Robino Gordon (Mona High), Rasheen Green (Hydel High), Javaun Mills (Jamaica College), Kvist Paul (Kingston College), Garrick Taylor (Hydel High), Romaine Walters (St Catherine High).
• Midfielders: Ronaldo Barrett (Hydel High), Nathaniel Ellis (St Catherine High), Dejuan Green (Kingston College), Keyanni Jackson (Hydel High), Matrim Martin (Kingston College),  Denzel McKenzie (Mona High) Kadean Young (St Catherine High).
• Forwards: Dwight Gentles (St Catherine High), Nashordo Gibbs (Jamaica College), Dyllan John(Jamaica College), Ryan-Oneil Francis (Tivoli Gardens), Kimarly Scott (Excelsior High), Damaine Smith (Kingston College).

All-daCosta team:

• Goalkeepers: Garfield Tomlinson (Garvey Maceo), Maleek Martin- Ocho Rios High.
• Defenders: Jamari Fowler, Isaac Mason (McGrath High),  O’Neil Headley, Conroy Nicely, Brandon Wallace (Glenmuir High), Tyreek McKenley, Malik Robinson (Garvey Maceo High).
• Midfielders: Deandre Barnett (STETHS) Dunsting Cohen, Ja-son Whyte (Glenmuir High); Devone Davis (McGrath High); Justin Hayles (Clarendon College),  Everald Swaby (Garvey Maceo).
• Forwards: Keanu Reid, Kaneil Brown (Ocho Rios High), Christopher Mundle, Omarion O-Brian (Garvey Maceo), Shane Pusey (McGrath High), Stevaughn Spence( Frome Tech), Orane Watson (Glenmuir High).