Glenroy Sinclair, Senior Staff Reporter

John Burrowes (right) of Pepsi, co-sponsors of the Manning Cup, lifting the championship trophy along with players from Bridgeport High at the National Stadium on Saturday evening. Bridgeport beat Excelsior High 3-1 in the final to gain their second lien on the title. - ricardo makyn

The chorus of Movado's catchy dancehall song 'a bawl dem a bawl' echoed across sections of the National Stadium on Saturday evening, as supporters of Bridgeport High School jeered and taunted the tearful Excelsior High School players and fans.

It was sweet revenge for the Portmore-based school who lost 1-0 to Excelsior in the 2003 Manning Cup final. Saturday evening they outplayed the Lebert Halliman-coached boys, winning 3-1, to lift the crown.

The red and blue clad Bridgeport supporters, were easily outnumbered by a sea of gold, green and white-clad Excelsior fans, some of whom later attended the school's annual re-union dance at the Peppers Nightclub, St. Andrew, with spirits dampened by the defeat.

"Traumatised"

When the final whistle went, the Excelsior supporters were left "traumatised" by the loss. Then it was time for the heckling. A group of emotional Excelsior schoolgirls stood on the cycle track and watched as both the Bridgeport players and supporters ran onto the stadium field in jubilation and in a chorus they sang "a bawl dem bawl" to taunt the girls.

"Dem nuffi win, me caan believe sey we really lose," responded one of the girls, who cried non-stop for about 25 minutes in the presence of several journalists.

About 10 yards away, the mother of one of the Excelsior players had to console her son. He was among a number of players who cried a river of tears after the game.

Unlike the players and supporters, coach Halliman was solid as a rock.

"It was a bonus for us reaching the final and it would have been another bonus if we had won," coach Halliman told Star Sports last night.

He believed the Bridgeport players had much more experience than his players. According to Halliman, some of his players were boys who he had to pull from the ranks of the under 16 team.

He said the lack of a sixth form at Excelsior is costing him a lot of key players annually, because these players are forced to go elsewhere to further their studies. While other schools are able to keep these senior players he is forced to build almost a new team.