APPLETON, St Elizabeth — Former champions St Elizabeth Technical High (STETHS) became the first team to book a place in the Inter-zone round of the ISSA/Gatorade/Digicel daCosta Cup competition yesterday after beating Balaclava High, 4-1, in a return-round game for their seventh-straight win.
Kehsario Hall scored twice to take his tally to nine for the season, while Rushane Scarlett and Carl Campbell scored one each as STETHS raced to 21 points and cannot finish lower than second in Zone E at the end of the preliminary rounds.
Despite a 3-1 win over second-placed Holmwood Technical to improve to 21 points atop Zone G, Spalding High will have to wait until Saturday when they meet Alston to secure their berth.
Manchester High and Bellefield High can book their spots from Zone F when the competition continues today with 28 matches. Both are on 11 points from five games and three more points would bring the race to a close.
Manchester, who lead on goal difference, will play away to Cross Keys, while Bellefield host BB Coke.
Zone C leaders William Knibb Memorial and second-placed Spot Valley High, separated by a point, will meet in what is expected to be a closely contested game at Spot Valley.
The first game ended in 1-1 and today's winner will have the edge to qualify for their first ever Ben Francis KO.
Also yesterday, Frome Technical moved five points clear of Rusea's after beating Cambridge High, 3-1, in Zone B and eliminating them from Inter-zone considerations, but have played two games more than the champions.
Rusea's had their game against Herbert Morrison postponed due to a waterlogged field in Bogue, Montego Bay.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS:
Zone B
Cambridge 1 Frome 3
Zone E
Lacovia 0 Munro 3
Black River 1 Maggotty 1
Balaclava 1 STETHS 4
Zone G
Alston 1 Christiana 4
Knox College 1 DeCarteret 0
Spalding 3 Holmwood 1