St Benedict's College coach Randolph Boyce credited his team's allround performance and their ability to let their football do the talking after their 2-0 victory over Fatima College in the Secondary Schools Football Leauge's (SSFL) Coca-Cola Boys' National Intercol final at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on December 5.
St Benedict's had an unbeaten 15-game run to the 2024 premier division championship, beating Fatima into second place by a six-point margin. The "La Romaine Lions" then had a nervy run to the Intercol final after getting successive penalty shootout wins against Naparima College and Signal Hill Secondary.
In the final, though, Boyce's team put those nerves to bed as their star man Derrel "Zum Zum" Garcia delivered his school's third Intercol crown with a clinical brace. It was Benedict's first National Intercol win since 1998.
"It was a great final. The atmosphere was electrifying, the fans...if you were a neutral, you would have enjoyed it for sure," Boyce said, after the match.
"St Benedict's College definitely enjoyed it. Fatima came with their 'A' game. We really had to play well. We know they are a good team and we knew it wouldn't have been an easy game."
For the past several weeks, Benedict's premier division win and their unbeaten run this season have been overshadowed by off-field issues, with the SSFL seeking legal advice to rule on the eligibility of the 17-year-old Garcia. The national Under-20 player returned to Benedict's for this school year after a stint in Spain with Intercity Academy.
To date, the league hasn't ruled to determine whether or not Benedict's flouted its rules with Garica's registration for the 2024 season.
"Basically, it didn't trouble me because the staff met and we decided we're the staff for football and the school controls that aspect. (We said) 'don't let the administrative issues affect us.'"
Boyce said it was important to reassure the players of the main goal.
"We focused on what we have to do on the field and made sure we got the job done so that it didn't add any more to (the outside chatter) and keep silencing the critics, the naysayers, and whoever.
"Let them say or do what they have to do, and we will say or do our part on the football field and let the football do the talking for us. We just treated it that way and we left it that way."
With Garcia set to suit up alongside SSFL stars Lindell Sween and Andell Fraser in the 2024/25 TT Premier Football League season with San Juan Jabloteh, he gave fans a reminder of his talents with his penetrating runs and decisive finishing. Garcia opened the scoring in the 16th minute after receiving a lovely ball over the top from fellow national Under-20 player Josiah Ochoa.
And with Fatima pressing for an equaliser in second-half stoppage-time, Garcia killed off the game after receiving an Adam Pierre long ball to give St Benedict's revenge for their 2022 Intercol final loss against their northern rivals.
"We did our little homework, just as they did their own. And we knew the style they played, we knew it would have some pockets opening up for us to (explore) and that's definitely what we did.
"We're grateful and thankful to the father for us having an unbeaten season. It's something you don't see regularly. I think the guys earned it...I must say thanks to the principal and staff who supported us and have really been there for us throughout."
Boyce, the current national Under-20 coach, said football was the real winner on the day and he praised opposing coach Hutson Charles and the Fatima staff for their development of players.
He said, once coaches keep improving and working on their craft, the trickle down effect will be seen in the standard of football and the practices observed by young players at school and club level.
"The SSFL is now a chess game playing with all the coaches because all the coaches know their job and they're doing it well. They are developing and producing good players. Each game is a hard game."
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