The five remaining spots in the quarterfinals of the InterSecondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Digicel Manning Cup will be determined this weekend following the last set of games in the four groups.

Kingston College, Excelsior High and St Catherine High have booked their spots from Tuesday in the last eight and the stage is set for some intriguing results today. There will be four games today and four on Saturday.

Friday will have action from Group 1 and Group 3 as St Jago play Campion College at GC Foster College; defending champions Mona tackle St George’s College at Jamaica College; Hydel High take on Wolmer’s Boys at Spanish Town Prison Oval and Kingston College play St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) at Stadium East. All games are scheduled to start 3:00 pm.

Defending champions Mona High are on the cusp of qualification. Mona High are on six points in Group 1 with a plus-seven goal difference while the Light Blues from North Street are on three points in third spot with a minus-two goal difference.

Campion College sit in second spot with three points and they face an eliminated St Jago team without a point and with nothing to play for but pride. A win for St George’s would take them to six points and they can advance if Campion lose or draw. Mona can only be eliminated if they lose by five goals to St George’s and Campion beat St Jago. But based on the strength of the teams, it is more likely that St George’s would lose by five goals.

In Group 3, KC on six points have booked their spot and the remaining three teams all have a chance of joining them in the last eight. Hydel are second on three points with St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) and Wolmer’s Boy locked on a point each. STATHS has the most challenging task as they take on in-form KC while Hydel play Wolmer’s with both teams knowing only a win is good enough. However, if Hydel, on three points, draw with Wolmer’s both teams could be surpassed by STATHS if they beat KC. Intriguing stuff awaits.

On Saturday, Excelsior High host Jonathan Grant High; Tivoli Gardens High travel to Eltham High; Charlie Smith play Calabar High at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex and St Catherine High versus Jamaica College at Spanish Town Prison Oval. All games are scheduled to begin 3:00 pm.

In Group 2, Excelsior are through with six points as the two closest teams that could possibly surpass them, Tivoli Gardens and Eltham High are on three points each and will play each other in a do-or-die match.  A draw for Tivoli Gardens would see them through so Eltham are in a must-win situation.

In Group 4, St Catherine High have booked their quarter-finals spot on six points and they face many-times champions Jamaica College sitting second on four points while third-placed Calabar High on a point take on the pointless Charlie Smith.

JC are heavily favoured to secure the second spot from the group or might even top the group if they beat St Catherine. But they cannot afford to get complacent and lose because Calabar could sneak in on goal difference as they are expected to get little resistance from a Charlie Smith team lacking motivation.