Perennial finalist St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS), many times champion St George’s College, St Jago High and 10-time winner Wolmer’s Boys were all eliminated from the ISSA Digicel Manning Cup on Friday.

STATHS which has lost four finals to JC since 2017 and has been in most of the semi-final since, had mixed emotions after beating KC 1-0 at the Stadium East on Friday. They won the battle but lost the war and were eliminated finishing third in Group 3 with four points. KC won the group with six points ahead of Hydel High also with six points in second after they defeated Wolmer’s Boy’s 1-0 playing with 10 men.

Wolmer’s finished with a point in fourth spot and they too will be watching the rest of the Manning Cup season from the sidelines. The 10-time winners’ losing streak continued as it’s now 30 years since they last won the Manning Cup in 1994.

In Group 1, defending champions Mona High whipped St George’s College 3-0 and topped the group with maximum nine points from their three games.

Mona are well on their way to defending their title and only a brave punter would bet against them winning again. St George’s College is the second most successful school in the history of the Manning Cup with 22 titles and their losing streak is now 12 years having last won in 2012.

Campion College marched into the quarterfinal after edging St Jago High 1-0 and finished second in Group 1 with six points while St Jago ended pointless. Campion College which won the Under-16 title two years ago, has transitioned well and are proving to be a very dangerous side under the tutelage of coach Newton Sterling.

So, with KC, Hydel, Mona, Campion College, Excelsior and St Catherine through to the quarterfinal, there are two spots up for grabs.

Jamaica College are favoured to secure one as they are sitting in second spot in Group 4 on four points behind St Catherine High who they play at the Spanish Town Prison Oval at 3:00 pm on Saturday.

Calabar High on one point play the pointless Charlie Smith at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex hoping to win big and pray that JC loses to advance with a better goal difference.

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.