The 2015/2016 CUC Primary Football League (PFL) and Girls’ Primary Football League (GPFL) regular seasons began this past Saturday with games at various venues across Grand Cayman.

At the Annex Field, Cayman Brac’s Under 11 boys opened Group B play with a 3-0 victory over South Sound Schools. The Brac’s primary ‘target man’ Jamar McCoy scored a hat trick with goals in the 15th, 24th and 29th minutes.

Trailing 3-0 at half time was too much of a hurdle to overcome for the young South Sound School players but they refused to give in during the second half and created a few scoring chances of their own.

In other Group B games it was Red Bay Primary 4 vs. Bodden Town Primary 0 (Under 9 – ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced); Red Bay Primary 4 vs. Bodden Town Primary 0 (Under 11 – ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced); Prospect Primary 0 vs. Cayman Prep 4 (Under 9 – ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced); Prospect Primary 2 vs. Cayman Prep 6 (Under 11); NorthEast Schools 4 vs. Triple C 0 (Under 9 – ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced); and NorthEast Schools 3 vs. Triple C 1 (Under 11).

In the Group A game played at the Annex Field, Cayman International School’s Under 9s defeated Truth For Youth 4-0 (‘Mercy Rule’ enforced) and the Under 11s scored a dramatic 2-1 victory over Truth For Youth thanks to a double from Jackson MacKay. Truth For Youth’s Marc Balbontin scored his school’s only goal.

In other Group A games, it was Sir John A. Cumber Primary 0 vs. Savannah Primary 2 (Under 9); Sir John A. Cumber Primary 0 vs. Savannah Primary 2 (Under 11); St. Ignatius Prep 4 vs. George Town Primary 0 (Under 9 – ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced) and St. Ignatius Prep 4 vs. George Town Primary 0 (Under 11 – ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced).

In the CUC Girls’ Primary Football League (GPFL), scores in Group A included Sir John A. Cumber Primary 4 vs. Savannah Primary 0 and St. Ignatius Prep 4 vs. George Town Primary 0 (both with the ‘Mercy Rule’ enforced).

In Group B it was Prospect Primary 0 vs. Cayman Prep 4 (‘Mercy Rule’ enforced); NorthEast Schools 3 vs. Triple C 4 and Bodden Town Primary 4 vs. Sir John A. Cumber Primary B 0 (‘Mercy Rule’ enforced).

To enhance the developmental aspect of the game in the primary schools, which is the main focus of the PFL and GPFL, the PFL Committee implemented a ‘Mercy Rule’ in September 2013 and amended the rule in September 2015. Initially the ‘Mercy Rule’ stated that scores would not be recorded after 6-0 (a goal differential of six such as 6-0, 7-1, 8-2, etc.). The amendment to the rule now states that scores will not be recorded after 4-0 (a goal differential of four such as 4-0, 5-1, 6-2, etc.). Games will continue after a goal differential of four goals is reached but there will be no further goals recorded by the referee.

The 2015/2016 CUC PFL and GPFL regular seasons continue this Saturday, October 10 with games at the Annex Field, St. Ignatius Prep, Old Man Bay Field in North Side, Triple C and Bodden Town.