A buoyant crowd turned out for the 4th staging of the David “Wagga” Hunt Memorial Football Classic at the UWI Mona Bowl on Sunday, 12th August, 2012.
Friends and family of the late great football coach shared jokes and reminisced with Kingston College and Calabar High School Old boys, as well as persons close to David from the Pelicans and Meadhaven United ‘family’, other entities that were an integral part of “Wagga” during his lifetime. They did so while enjoying a feast of footballing talent.
The curtain raiser featured a Meadhaven United Invitational team against a Barbican F.C. Super League team. This close contest ended with a 3-2 victory for Barbican. In the second game, Pelicans F.C. Masters faced the Albion Masters (Over 35) team, with players mostly based in the USA. This proved to be a less competitive encounter as the visiting Albion Masters had a line-up with players predominantly Over 50 while the Pelicans team, though Masters League age-group, enjoyed a much lower average age. Pelicans F.C were 3-1 victors.
The highlight of the afternoon’s event was the Kingston College and Calabar High School Pre-Manning Cup match-up. As usual, it was an exciting affair. This year, Calabar prevailed with goals from Rhumayne Marrett and Kyle Scott as the Purples went down by two (2) goals to Nil. The most valuable players were Shamala Ashman of Kingston College and Richard Chambers of Calabar High School.
The organizers also specially acknowledged Gifton Wright (4th place Scripps Howard Spelling Bee ) and his coach Rev, Glen Archer, while monetary awards were presented to both KC and Calabar to assist with Manning Cup preparations along with individual giveaways for the schoolboys . Spectators also enjoyed giveaways as well as a keepsake Game Day magazine.
All proceeds of the event, which also featured a game day raffle, hot food and cold beverage, go to support needy students from Kingston College and Calabar High School by way of the David Hunt Memorial Scholarship Fund. In three (3) years some J$1.2 million has been disbursed towards these scholarships. Victoria Mutual Building Society is a major corporate donor with the only full scholarship (J$600,000) to-date. The Organizing Committee acknowledges other corporate and individual donors who has contributed thus far towards the fund and is anxious to attract in particularly, other full scholarship sponsors.