Although known more for their exploits academically and in cricket, Hillview College defied the odds to be crowned national Under-19 football champions and almost capped off a perfect season but narrowly missed out one being promoted back to the Championship division.
There was a sense of optimism in the school after former coach Curtis Richards, who guided them into the Championship division in 2002, returned to the fold.
Their journey started with five straight victories to top their group, scoring 10 goals while conceding just two.
Sean Aberdeen led the way with six goals as Hillview defeated each opponent they faced (Five Rivers Secondary 3-1, St Joseph Secondary 2-1, St George’s College 2-0, UWI Continuing School 2-0, Mt Hope Secondary 1-0).
Hillview’s campaign seemed to have come to an end when they were beaten 6-2 by group two winners Valencia High School but a later protest by the Hillview school resulted in the match being overturned in their favour and they were eventually declared East Zone 2010 SSFL Under-19 division champions.
Hillview would now take on Barataria South Secondary in the all-important Championship promotional game but first on their schedule was the Inter zonal playoff game against the North zone 2010 Under-19 division winners Maple Leaf International.
The North Zone champs scored first but Hillview quickly asserted their superiority, coming out 5-3 winners.
Meanwhile, the Championship promotional game against Barataria South Secondary was played on November 21 at El Dorado West Secondary School. The game would determine who had the right to fill the vacant cellar position in the East Zone Championship division for the 2011 season. Hillview found themselves trailing in he second half after conceding a penalty and looked to be out of it with regulation time ending but forward Andy Seewah produced a bit of magic in added-on time to restore parity.
Seewah connected perfectly with an overhead volley that flew into the back of the net with the goalkeeper scrambling in vain to stop it.
The game ended 1-1 and went straight to kicks from the penalty mark but Hillview faltered badly, missing thrice as they lost 2-3. It was a sad and humbling moment as it was the most anticipated game of the Hillview College football team and it ended in defeat as the players openly showed their grief.
There was little time to lick their wounds, however, as a game against Moruga Secondary to determine the national champion awaited three days later.
The team travelled to Moruga for the game even though the end of term examinations had started on the previous day but it was a minor sacrifice for achieving history for their school.
As had been the familiar case for Hillview, their opponents broke the deadlock early in the second half, putting a lot of pressure on the Hillview College players. Moruga continued to dominate their opponents up until the last minute of added-on time when Hillview’s top scorer Aberdeen scored a brilliant solo goal to breathe life back into the game for his team. Aberdeen dribbled through a maze of Moruga players, leaving each one in his wake before slotting the ball into the far corner of the net stunning the supporters of both teams.
The familiar foe of kicks from the penalty spot would decide a winner but this time the Hillview goalkeeper proved the hero, producing three excellent saves as Hillview clinched their first ever national under-19 title.
It was seemingly a fitting way to end two regular seasons (2009 and 2010) in which they played unbeaten.
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