York United Claim Maiden St Thomas Under-17 Title After Extra-Time Drama

York United secured their first McKay Security St. Thomas Under-17 championship on Sunday, defeating Dunbehold 2-1 after extra time in the final at the Express Sports Complex.

Residents of York in St. Thomas have fresh cause for celebration. In May, the club's senior side captured the major league title and went on to compete in the Jamaica Football Championship in June. The youth setup has now added a trophy of its own.

The contest remained goalless through the first half and through regulation. Tension rose in the 76th minute when Dunbehold's Joshua McLune and York's Kamoy Douglas were both dismissed for fighting. Still, neither team broke the deadlock before the final whistle.

Extra time decided the match. Jaden Reed put York ahead in the 101st minute. Denton Brown drew Dunbehold level from the penalty spot in the 111th minute. Kaif Ritchie found the winner in the 116th minute, sparking wild scenes among York supporters.

Head coach Zanj Kerr said the result rewards work done through the club's academy at Ewart, the St. Thomas Sports Development Center. "It's a very important victory for us. The academy project here at Ewart, which is a St. Thomas Sports Development Center, has been working to ensure that the football is developed properly within the club. And so this victory is a statement for that," he said. Kerr called the final a rough, highly competitive affair and credited Dunbehold for making the game harder than York might have expected, adding that he was satisfied with the outcome.

In the third-place playoff, Shaquan Sterling scored in the 65th minute as Hearts United beat Golden Grove Sports Club 1-0.

At the awards ceremony, White Horses Sports Club was named the most disciplined team. Golden Grove's DeAndre Beckford won the Golden Boot with eight goals. Yallahs All Stars goalkeeper Andrew Irving took the Golden Gloves award, and York's Jaden Reed was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

York United plan to seek a place in the JFF KFC Elite Youth League next season.