Chase’s Academic Foundation has become the first team in history to defend the KFC International Under-18 School Football title successfully, overcoming Trinidad and Tobago’s St Benedict’s College in a high-stakes penalty shootout on Sunday evening.
In a repeat of the 2024 final—often billed as the ultimate ‘Guyana versus Trinidad’ schoolboy rivalry—neither side could be separated after regulation and extra time at the Ministry of Education Ground.
With the scores locked at 0-0, the drama moved to the penalty spot, where Chase’s Academic held their nerve to win 5-4 and secure the US$2,500 top prize.
While the trophy remains in Georgetown, the individual headline belonged to Malcolm Hendricks.
The Chase playmaker was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), earning a one-to-three-month training stint with Brazilian professional outfit Club Athletico Paranaense.
It is a path well-trodden for the Guyanese champions; in 2024, Chase’s Raydon Krammer was awarded a similar opportunity in Brazil.
The pipeline to professional football was further highlighted by captain Bryan Wharton, who claimed the Golden Boot with a staggering 11 goals, and Flavio LaRose, who was once again named the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
The third-place playoff saw Jamaica’s Kingston College demonstrate its regional pedigree with a clinical 4-1 dismantling of Suriname’s Nikiere Technical School.
Jusiri Hussey was the star of the show for the Jamaicans, netting a superb hat-trick (12’, 26’, 63’), while Nthanda Scott added a fourth in the 51st minute.
Jonathan Gomes provided a solitary consolation for the Surinamese side, who walked away with US$500 for their fourth-place finish.
Coordinated by the Petra Organization, the tournament has evolved into a key fixture on the Caribbean youth sporting calendar.
The 2025 edition featured an eight-team field, with the other four teams being Annai Secondary, West Ruimveldt Secondary, Anglican Central Education Authority (Bahamas) and Jose Veira de Sales Guerra (Brazil).
Organisers confirmed at the closing ceremony that the tournament’s international reach is set to expand even further in 2026, with plans already underway to invite more overseas teams to challenge Guyana’s reigning kings.
The list of champions:
- Shiva Boys’ Hindu College (Trinidad and Tobago) – 2018
- Annai Secondary (Guyana) – 2019
- D.C Caesar Fox Secondary – Waramadong (Guyana) – 2022
- Clarendon College (Jamaica) – 2023
- Chase’s Academic Foundation (Guyana) – 2024
- Chase’s Academic Foundation (Guyana) – 2025
The post Chase’s Academic Foundation make history with title defence in KFC School Football appeared first on News Room Guyana.
