Mona High School’s Manning Cup Team Dominates in Round of 16
In a dominant display of skill and teamwork, Mona High School’s Manning Cup team secured a resounding 6-0 victory over St Jago High School in the round of 16 match at Stadium East on Friday. Led by head coach Craig Butler, the defending champions showcased their talent and determination on the field, leaving their opponents in awe.
Javier Dunn was the standout player for Mona High, scoring two goals to lead his team to victory. Denzel McKenzie, Demarion Harris, Carlton Brown, and even goalkeeper Riquelme Edwards also contributed to the scoring, with Edwards converting a penalty kick in the second half.
Butler attributes much of the team’s success to the close-knit family atmosphere that has been cultivated within the squad. He emphasizes the importance of love, faith, and camaraderie in driving the team forward towards their goal of winning back-to-back titles.
“Love conquers all things. If you have faith but don’t have love, it’s nothing — so we work together, we have faith in what we do, and we all love and care about each other,” Butler remarked. “It’s a family; we’ve been together for a long time. It’s not two years or three years, it’s all their life pretty much so we know what we’re doing.”
Additionally, Butler believes that his players have benefited from their experience playing in the Jamaica Premier League with Vere Phoenix United. The high level of competition in the league has pushed the team to elevate their game and strive for excellence.
Despite the convincing win, Butler remains focused on continuous improvement and avoiding complacency. He stresses the importance of always aspiring to do better and pushing the team to new heights.
On the other side, St Jago High School’s head coach Taniel McKenzie remains optimistic about his team’s chances of advancing to the quarter-finals despite the tough defeat. He acknowledges the need for improvement and is determined to work on areas that need strengthening in order to bounce back stronger.
Mona High School now leads their group with three points, while St Jago sits in fourth place without a point. With only the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals, the competition remains fierce as teams vie for a spot in the next round.
As the Manning Cup continues, fans can look forward to more exciting matches on Saturday, including Eltham vs Excelsior, Jamaica College vs Calabar, St. George’s College vs Campion, Tivoli vs Jonathan Grant, St Catherine vs Charlie Smith, and Kingston College vs Hydel. The battle for supremacy in high school football rages on, with each team giving their all to achieve victory on the field.
