popular player in local football after collecting the most votes for this weekend's third annual All-Stars match at Somerset.

The Vasco defender, who was injured playing for Bermuda against Denmark on Tuesday, has, by virtue of the votes received, been given the honour of captaining the West team.

Jennings earned 233 votes in the forms submitted by fans. Nakia Smith of Wolves, the top vote-getter amongst the East players with 210 votes, will captain that team.

The series for the senior players is level at 1-1 after the East won the first match in 1997 3-1 and the West tied it up last year with a 2-1 victory.

Most of the Island's top players will be featured in the match, including six players from league leaders Vasco in the West squad and five from second-placed North Village in the East. A sixth player, defender Jawan Thomas, narrowly missed out.

Coaches from each club are allowed to submit six names, including a goalkeeper. Winning selection from Vasco are Jennings, Dwight Basden, Dennis Robinson, Otis Steede, Sinclair Gibbons and Timmy Figureido who will share the goalkeeping duties with Jason Smith of Dandy Town.

Village have Neil Robinson, Jameiko Jennings, Jamel Boyles, Kofi Dill, and Nyon Steede, who is the team's goalkeeper along with Hewvonnie Brown of Wolves.

"The public voted for the senior men's All-Stars on players who were presented by the team coaches,'' explained event organiser Craig Tyrrell who presented the idea of the All-Star match to the BFA two years ago. He hinted yesterday that a format will be adopted next year.

Wolves midfielder Peter Sampson was selected for the East team but is injured and will have his place taken by Aljame Zuill of Devonshire Colts. One notable absentee is Village's Kevin Jennings, but he may make an appearance in the fastest-player contest which will be held at half-time. The heats will start in the break in the under-21 All-Star match, with the final taking place at half time in the main match.

"We wanted to put the answer to this question to rest,'' said Tyrrell, who admitted Jennings could be one of the main challengers for the title. Carlos Smith of Dandy Town was another name mentioned but injury may prevent him from participating.

Daniel Reece of Police may be another contender for first place which carries a $500 travel voucher from sponsors Lambert and Lambert Rentals, Inkspots and Knights Lights Electrical. The races will be held between the 18-yard lines of each goal, 63 yards in total.

A change this year will see the women's match, sponsored by BTC Mobility, starting the action off at noon and the Shell under-21s playing at 1.30 before the main match, sponsored by Coca Cola, starts at 3.30. Again John Rebello and Kenny Thompson will coach the two teams, based on their team's position at the end of the first half of the season.

See squads, scoreboard page Two First Division matches are scheduled for tonight at Somerset with three mid-table teams looking to open a gap between themselves and the bottom three teams in the standings.

The 7.00 opener sees Devonshire Colts, seventh, taking on sixth-placed Southampton Rangers while Somerset, fifth, will climb ahead of Wolves in the tables if they can live up to expectations and beat bottom team Hamilton Parish in the 9.00 fixture.

CedarBridge will be be gunning for revenge when they meet the Schools Select in the 23rd Schools All-Stars match at BAA Field on Friday night.

After being switched to Saturday afternoon last year when the three matches were held in memory of former educator and sports administrator, Randy Benjamin, this year's match returns to its Friday night slot, starting at 5.30 with the primary schools match and followed by the Midlle Schools contest.

But it is the high school match that remains the big attraction, with CedarBridge looking to gain revenge on the Select team made up of students from Berkeley, Saltus, Mount St. Agnes and Warwick Academy after going down 6-5 on penalties. The teams were deadlocked at 1-1 after regulation time, with Tarik Jennings scoring for CedarBridge and Joey Rego for the Select.

Jennings is one of four players returning for CedarBridge, along with Kiman Simmons, Heys Wolffe and Marlon Dill. Midfielder Jared Peniston, who plays in the First Division for Wolves, will captain the team.

"With this team the main emphasis has been on enjoying our football with respect for opponents, the referee and our teammates,'' stressed coach Kenny Thompson, a PE teacher at CedarBridge.

"These guys have enjoyed themselves, they've had some good matches against Berkeley and Saltus.'' On Tuesday night CedarBridge went down 6-5 to Berkeley on sudden death penalties in the schools final after the teams were tied at 1-1 in regulation time.

Thompson pointed out that CedarBridge won't have all of their football-playing students to choose from which should eliminate any advantage on their part.

The Rest team was not available.

CedarBridge: Ramel Parris, Kamel Hewey, Kiman Simmons, Tafari Wilson, Tarik Jennings, Khabir Dill, Mackey Smith, Marlon Dill, Jared Peniston (capt), Zane Hendrickson, McLorhn Crane, Kedric Smith, Vance Darrell, David Sagnor, Heys Wolffe, Ricky Saltus.