‘Green Machine’ snatch East Zone Intercol title, Five Rivers cop girls' crown

ST AUGUSTINE Secondary ended a ten-year wait for a Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) boys’ east zone intercol title when they got a last-gasp 2-1 win over San Juan North Secondary in the 2025 final at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, on November 26.

With the teams locked at 1-1 as the game drifted into second-half stoppage time, it appeared the East final would be decided by the dreaded penalty shootout when fourth official Jerome McIntyre put up his board to indicate three added minutes at the end of regulation. In the third minute of stoppage time, San Juan defender Mathyyas Charles made an error his teammates won’t let him forget in a hurry, as he had his pocket picked near the penalty area by “Green Machine” star man Giovanni Hospedales when he tried to shield the ball out of play for a goal kick.

With a goal already to his name in the contest, Hospedales danced along the byline before squeezing a right-footed shot past the reach of goalie Elijah Lawrence at the near post. The ball ricocheted off the post and Lawrence before agonisingly trickling over the line as the St Augustine players and coaching staff went wild.

There were nervy moments before the final whistle for the Green Machine faithful, as their goalie Tyrese Henry made a fabulous reflex save just seconds after the go-ahead goal to stop a firm left-footed hit from Isaiah Audain. Henry’s save was worth its weight in gold and his teammates swarmed him near the goal line after the final whistle as St Augustine clinched their first East Zone Intercol title since 2015 when veteran coach Michael Grayson led them to the crown to stop a fairytale run by that season’s giant killers, Five Rivers Secondary.

Grayson is back in the Green Machine camp as assistant coach, but head coach Tacuma Jones will take the plaudits in what has been a challenging season for St Augustine, who look destined to be relegated from the premier division on November 27.

Earlier, San Juan took the lead in the 31st minute through the lanky Jaheem Danclar, before St Augustine’s talisman Hospedales grabbed the equaliser in the 47th minute.

And before the late heroics at the death by the St Augustine captain, the momentum seemed to be with San Juan – particularly after Green Machine defender Michael Charles was shown a red card in the 73rd minute for a second bookable offence.

With San Juan hunting a late winner, Audain wildly shot a volley over the bar in the 85th minute when the ball fell invitingly to him in the area. Meanwhile, just a minute later, San Juan flanker Anthony Lewis skied a right-footed shot way over bar when Danclar unselfishly played a ball across the face of goal when he could have easily taken on the shot himself.

It was a miss San Juan would regret as their East Zone Intercol title defence fell just short, thanks to the persistence of Man of the Match Hospedales.

Earlier, in the first match of the double-header, national youth team player Hackeemar Goodridge proved to be the difference as her 18th-minute strike gave Five Rivers a 1-0 win over San Juan in the girls’ East Zone intercol final.

The San Juan girls were also trying to defend their crown, as they beat Five Rivers 4-2 on penalties in last year’s finale. This year, San Juan goalkeeper Myeisha Cox gave a strong performance similar to her 2024 showing – saving two penalties. Cox’s efforts weren’t enough to take San Juan to glory this time, as the Five Rivers girls reigned supreme in the east.