'Naps' hammer Trinity East 7-0 in SSFL premier division opener

SOUTHERN powerhouse Naparima College made a statement to start the 2025 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division season when they got a resounding 7-0 victory over Trinity College East (TCE) at Lewis Street, San Fernando on September 13.

In what was the return of former Trinidad and Tobago men's football team coach Angus Eve to the Naparima bench, it was winger Arron Raymond, younger brother of TT defender Andre Raymond, who had the home faithful eating out of his hands with a hat-trick to sink a TCE team which just avoided relegation last season.

The busy Raymond wasted little time in getting the ball rolling for "Naps," and opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a low, left-footed curler from just outside the area. In the 23rd minute, Raymond also showed his poacher's instinct when he tapped in from point-blank range after the TCE goalie inexplicably dropped a right-side free kick. The hosts went into the half with a 3-0 lead as forward Jabari Rodriguez got his name on the scoresheet in the 36th minute.

Impressive national youth wing back Jaydon Caprietta made it 4-0 in the 53rd minute, with Jerrel Cooper scoring the fifth just three minutes later as Naparima put the result beyond all reasonable doubt. In the 67th minute, Raymond showed his turn of pace and capitalised on some slack defending from TCE as he stormed into the box to slam home a rebound after Caprietta had a well-struck left-footer just palmed away.

With TCE already licking their wounds, Malik Charles sent Naparima into seventh heaven in the 78th minute to wrap up the 7-0 victory for the South giants, who have definitely put the rest of the league on watch.

At Serpentine Road, St Clair, home team St Mary's College staged a grand second-half comeback as they earned a 2-2 draw with their old rivals Queen's Royal College. QRC opened the scoring in the 12th minute thanks to a clinical Elijah Noel header and later went into the halftime break with a 2-0 lead.

In the second half, though, coach Cornell Glen's St Mary's team came to life against the Kenwyne Jones-led outfit as the diminutive Josiah Hunte netted a brace. Hunte's first goal came just before the hour mark when he expertly placed a right-footed shot into the far corner and beyond goalkeeper Jaheim Affan.

With the game drifting into the seventh of eight stoppage-time minutes, Hunte found space in the six-yard box to head in from close range after a dangerous cross was floated into Affan's area. Hunte's goal caused chaotic scenes as the "Saints" snatched a point at the death.

At Shaw Park, Tobago, the newly promoted Scarborough Secondary and Arima North Secondary had a right battle as they played to an exciting 3-3 draw in an end-to-end match. Jaden Pope gave Scarborough the lead in the 13th minute with a thunderbolt from outside the area, only for Arima to respond through Zion Metivier and Darren De Four as they assumed a 2-1 lead by the 37th minute. Tyrese Neptune equalised for Scarborough as the teams went to the interval locked at two goals apiece.

In the 59th minute, Cristiano Hinds gave the "Dial Dynamos" of Arima a 3-2 advantage, but Pope secured his double in the 67th minute to give Scarborough a share of the points.

In St Augustine, the hosts St Augustine Secondary came from a goal down when they defeated Malick Secondary 2-1. Jahda Riley opened the scoring for Malick in the 23rd minute, but attacker Giovanni Hospedales equalised in first-half stoppage-time before Shumba Cudjoe got all three points for St Augustine with his strike in the 79th minute.

In Maraval, Trinity College Moka won the first battle of the newly promoted teams when they defeated Carapichaima East Secondary 4-1.

Owing to their Super Cup exploits on September 12, defending premier division champions Fatima College will begin their title league title defence with an away trip to Scarborough on September 17.