'The big Cheese' - Dinthill captain aims to end 37 year drought

Tevin Cheese, captain and playmaker for Dinthill Technical High School, in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup, endorses the challenge of leading his team to end a 37-year drought.

Cheese, 17, who scored four goals last Saturday to extend his tally to nine goals from seven games, is excited about the team playing around him, although missing last season's talisman Kaheem Parris.

"It is always a challenge, but I just have to stay focused because I know I'll have to lead the team. Dinthill haven't won the daCosta Cup in 30-plus years, and I want to bring back the glory to the school," said Cheese.

"I think the team is coming together nicely. We got some new players to add to some of the players from last year, and we are just bonding together to make it work this season," he added.

Cheese, who only scored one goal last season, said with the absence of 'the great Kaheem Parris,' as he refers to him, he has to step up and get the goals for the team when it matters most. He believes that for them to win the daCosta Cup, he would have to come up big for Dinthill deeper in the competition when they face tougher opposition.

BIG GOALS

"I want to score at least 25 goals for this season and lead my team to the daCosta Cup title. Also, I would want to earn a scholarship to play football and further my education overseas, at the end of the season," said Cheese who has been playing daCosta Cup from age 13.

Team manager Everton Burke, who was instrumental in Cheese's recruitment from Charlemont High School three years ago, said he has leadership qualities and an ability to control the game on the field.

"Based on the talent we saw him display in the defensive midfield position in 2015, we took the initiative to recruit him in the summer. He played last year, where he scored one goal, but this year he got a more attacking role in midfield and you can see the benefits," said Burke.