Garvey Maceo High and Cornwall College captured the 2026 ISSA/Burger King Rural Under-14 and Under-16 titles respectively on Thursday at St Elizabeth Technical High School.
Garvey Maceo defeated William Knibb Memorial 4-2 while Cornwall whipped Glenmuir High 4-1.
The Under-14 final delivered plenty of excitement in the 70-minute game as Garvey Maceo struck first through Kerick Clarke in the sixth minute. William Knibb responded in dramatic fashion when Junior Gray found the equaliser in added time before completing his brace in the 50th minute to put his team ahead.
However, Garvey Maceo rallied strongly, with Leighton Walker equalising in the 58th minute. Most Valuable Player Marshall March then gave his team the lead in the 62nd minute, before Clarke sealed the victory with his second goal in the 70th minute.
After the win, head coach Lester Hibbert credited the team’s faith and determination for their success, comparing their triumph to the biblical story of David and Goliath as they battled to emerge victorious.
“I’m just a firm believer. When you honour God, He will honour you. When you have the fighting spirit like David, that’s what I asked them to do, just fight like David and Goliath, because we were here in the lions den, and they came out victorious,” Hibbert told The Gleaner.
“We are putting the Almighty first, because you see where in the culture it has been fading away, and you have to remember that with God, all things are possible,” Hibbert added, noting this is his first U14 title as coach.
Meanwhile, despite the loss, Dewight Jeremiah, coach of William Knibb, acknowledged the team’s dominance and potential, and expressed pride in their performance against Garvey.
“I’m proud of them, because for me, they were better than Garvey for 50-odd minutes, You know, everybody wants to win but there are different way to measure winning, and one way is to lift a trophy, which Garvey will do today,” said Jeremiah.
For us, it is the potential that we see with these boys, and hopefully that potential will turn into something good, and we will return to this stage later in the future and win it,” added Jeremiah.
In the first half, both teams were evenly matched and kept their composure.
Garvey Maceo struck first in the sixth minute but William Knibb came roaring back in added time. It was all William Knibb in the start of the second half and in the 49th minute, they took the lead. In the 58th minute, Walker levelled the score and March gave the winners the lead in the 62nd minute. Clarke then curved a free kick in the 70th to secure the victory.
The win gave Garvey their second hold on the ISSA/Burger King Rural U14 title and sets up a date against Jamaica College in the all-island decider which is set for Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
