It was the urban area champions who reigned supreme this year in the ISSA all-island Olivier Shield as reigning Manning Cup champions Excelsior High defeated 2025 daCosta Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) 2-0 yesterday at Stadium East.
Terrence Williams gave Excelsior the lead from the penalty spot in the 10th minute before Kivann Salmon confirmed their hold on the all-island trophy with a late strike in the 87th.
The victory confirmed Excelsior’s third Olivier Shield title after lifting the trophy in 2003 and sharing the honours with Rusea’s High in 1993.
Keon Broderick, Excelsior’s head coach, was filled with praises for his players, who he said brought his sporting and academic philosophies to life.
Broderick said they capped off an impressive season by proving you can succeed while striking a balance between sports and academic ambitions.
“It’s a tremendous feeling when you consider the way how we go about putting together this programme at Excelsior High School. It is not just about football for us. It’s about the entire student,” said Broderick.
“We asked each and every player in the programme to balance both academics with football, and it can be done, and Excelsior is a living testament that we can balance sport with the academics, and we can strive while we play football.”
Excelsior had the first real opportunity of the game as a ball over the top led to a foot race between Kimarly Scott and STETHS goalkeeper Johnoi Steadman, which led to Scott being brought down in the box
Williams, the captain of the Excelsior Eagles, stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to hand the urban champions the lead within the first 10 minutes.
Fans of both teams would have a long wait before the second goal of the afternoon as Excelsior would strike again with just three minutes left in regulation time.
A series of passes from Excelsior found Salmon free on the edge of the box. In a flash he danced past his marker before firing home from just inside the box to double their lead.
GETTING THE JOB DONE
Broderick was also pleased to see his players holding their composure throughout the entire second half despite a loss in fitness over the Christmas break.
With the delays in the season due to the impact of Hurricane Melissa, the Olivier Shield, which is normally played in December, was pushed to January.
Broderick said he and his management staff had done a lot of work to ensure that the players were able to match up physically with their opponents.
“We knew coming from the Christmas break that they were not at the usual level as it comes to the physical part of the game, and I knew that while in front, we were going to suffer a whole lot in the second half.
“But we did so much work in the preseason and during the season that we knew that even though we’re not at our best, we could have gotten the job done.”
Omar ‘Rambo’ Wedderburn, head coach of STETHS, raised his hat to the quality of Excelsior, who he knew would prove to be difficult opponents.
Despite the loss, he said STETHS had closed out a successful season having claimed the daCosta Cup title for the first time since 2015.
“We had a very good season, and I wanted to top off with the Olivier Shield, but it never went our way. I think the penalty really changed the complexion of the game, but we will not complain or argue,” said Wedderburn.
“I didn’t think we came out with that fighting power or free spirit today, but nothing changed. It’s one crocodile all the while.”
