The top 5 schools football teams in Trinidad and Tobago have been identified.
Schoolsoccernet takes a quick look at the 'Big 5' schools.
SAN JUAN SECONDARY: (W-10 D-0 L-2)
Defending Champions San Juan Secondary are an attacking powerhouse. They lead the league in goals scored with an amazing 41 goals from 10 matches.
To say that they will not give up their Big 5 title without a fight is an understatement.
Coach Keith Jeffrey will be quick to point out his team's come from behind victory against Naparima College in the cauldron that is the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium as testimony of what his San Juan is made up of.
Players to watch:
Akel James - 11 goals for the season second only to Mason Hall's Stefano Wright
Jamaal Spencer - 5 goals for the season and a perfect partner for Akel James.
NAPARIMA COLLEGE: (W-10 D-2 L-0)
The beaten finalists of the 2007 Big Five Final, and the defending National Intercol Champions.
It goes without saying that 'Naps' are the odds on favorites.
An unbeaten league season, a Big 5 Semi-final match at 'home' at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium and the lessons learned from 2007 make Naparima College the team to beat.
Coach Dunstan Williams seems to have carried on seamlessly where Shawn Cooper left off. Williams will be hoping to go one better than his predecessor and see his team exorcise the ghosts of one year ago.
Players to watch:
Corey Cyrus - 8 Goals for the season and a revelation for 'Naps' this season.
Shahdon Winchester - 4 goals for the season, a National midfielder with tremendous talent.
CARAPICHAIMA SECONDARY: (W-8 D-0 L-0)
Carapichaima has been here many times before.
As has become the norm, they swept through the Central Zone without dropping a point, but also part of the norm is their failure to translate that dominance to the Big 5 Competition.
Thursday will see 'Caps' meet North Zone League Champions Mucurapo Secondary, who is sure to prove stiffer competition than what they have faced in the Central league.
Will Carapichaima finally get over the hurdle of the Big 5 Semi Finals? Or will this be the same tough luck story we have heard over the last 3 seasons.
Players to watch:
Neil Woodroffe - 9 goals for the season
Phillip Wickham - 7 goals for the season
Together, these two make a lethal combination that may just be too hot to handle for Mucurapo.
MUCURAPO SECONDARY: (W-7 D-3 L-2)
'Compre' are blessed with some truly gifted players, all with speed, skill and good understanding of each other. Their main problem is consistency.
Some "Jeckle and Hyde" performances nearly cost them the North Zone League Title which they won thanks to an 88th minute goal from Mutar Taylor to tie their final match against Trinity College.
On their day, no one will be able to stop them, but as spectular as their play can be, their defense can look equally ordinary. Exactly which Mucurapo team we will see in the Big 5, time alone will tell.
Players to watch:
Mutar Taylor - 9 Goals for the season. A quick and skillful midfielder
Kevin Molino - 9 Goals for the season. Skipper and talisman of the team.
Johan Peltier - 7 goals for the season. Clinical finisher and not afraid to mix it up with defenders.
SIGNAL HILL SECONDARY: (W-7 D-0 L-1)
Signal Hill had the toughest road to the Big 5 of all teams. Back to back matches against Scarborough Secondary to clinch the Tobago League title, and a game two days later against defending Big 5 champions San Juan could result in a tired, lacklustre performance.
If their legs hold up, Signal Hill should definitely be the sharper of the two teams.
Defensively they are in good shape, having conceded only 3 goals in their 8 matches.
Players to watch:
Jameine Walters - 6 goals for the season.
Kerwyn Simon - 5 goals for the season
If goals are to come for the Tobago team, it will more than likely come from one of these two.
So here are the top 5 teams competiting from Tuesday 14th October.
Odds on favorites: Naparima College
Outside bet: Carapichaima
schoolsoccernet.com/Big5/2008Results/tabid/78/Default.aspx