Garvey Maceo ready for BB Coke test – Gordon - Coach looks to deliver Ben Francis crown

Western Bureau:

Head coach of B.B. Coke High School Kemar Ricketts insists there is no pressure on his team to win their first-ever schoolboy football title ahead of their ISSA Ben Francis Cup final against Garvey Maceo at 2:30 p.m, at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

After leading the Junction-based school past the Second Round of the daCosta Cup for the first time ever, Ricketts is urging his boys to continue doing what they have been doing all season, as they get ready for the most important match in the school’s history.

“There is no pressure on any of us. Remember, people continue to have us as underdogs or somewhat the surprise package. They have Garvey Maceo as favourites, so there is no pressure on us. What we need to do is to concentrate on the game plan and just execute,” Ricketts said.

“It is very important for the school, the fans and the entire community. For me personally, it is all about the players, I think this occasion is best for them, as it will teach them a lot. I just want them to go out there and do their best like they have been doing all season,” he added.

B. B. Coke will be looking to senior players Jason Dyer who has bagged 19 goals this season along with Kaymani Case and Shamar Robinson.

Meanwhile, Merron Gordon, head coach of Garvey Maceo, said they are in good spirits ahead of the final, while noting that he is just looking forward to a good final.

After winning the Ben Francis Cup in 2016 with Lennon High, Gordon, who is in his second season at Garvey Maceo, is looking to deliver the school’s their first piece of silverware since they won the daCosta Cup and Ben Francis Cup double in 2007.

Good mood

“We are in a good mood. I did my best for the past week and a half to take the burden off the players and put it on myself. I think I am experienced enough having been to a number of semi-finals and finals and have won most of them, maybe only lost one final in my career,” Gordon said.

“However, those are history, we have to think about what is going to happen now. B.B. Coke would know a lot about us and likewise we know a lot about them, so it’s going to be a good final,” he added.

Some key players for Garvey Maceo are Jermaine Muirhead, Barrington Blake, Marvin Williams Gregory Cousins and 14-year-old prodigy Cleo Clarke.