Timaru Boys’ High School First XI are the national secondary school hockey champions for the first time after a comprehensive 2-0 victory over St Bede’s College in the final of the Rankin Cup in Wellington.
Timaru Boys’ scored in the 11th minute, with a field goal to Ryan Caldwell, and sealed the victory in the 52nd minute of 60, when Jack O’Neill slotted home a second.
Timaru Boys’ goal keeper Steven Ramsay touched the ball only twice in the final, indicating the all-round strength of the team.
They were also the dominant team in the tournament, scoring 42 goals and conceding only four.
Timaru Boys’ cruised through pool play and then accounted for pre-tournament favourites New Plymouth Boys’ High School 4-1 in the quarterfinal and thrashed Auckland Grammar 5-1 in the semi to face St Bede’s College in the final.
St Bede’s had knocked Timaru Boys’ out of the Christchurch school competition at the semifinal stage, so it was a wary Timaru Boys’ outfit going into the final.
It was also the perfect sendoff for coach Ben Grant after 12 years in charge of the team.
Grant said the result was “pretty unreal”.
“The boys are an incredible team, extraordinarily well balanced.”
Grant said the strength was also the fact they started well in all the big games.
“We were composed, calm and in control when it mattered. The team also has a ridiculously high skill level and the boys got it right in those key moments.”
Grant did not want to pick out individuals in general, but did have special praise for his cocaptain Ryan Caldwell.
“It’s not only how Ryan plays, it is how he uplifts the players around him.”
Grant said beating New Plymouth comprehensively in the quarters got the team on a roll.
“New Plymouth had 14 of the 16 players in the Taranaki team that finished second in the national under-18 side, so they were favourites.”
Caldwell, Damon Johnson and keeper Ramsay have all been named in the emerging Black Sticks squad.
Caldwell had an impressive tournament to finish second on the individual scoring stats, with 10 penalty corner strikes and two field goals, while Timaru Boys’ shared top spot with New Plymouth in team goals, with 42 goals in seven games.
Showing just how wellbalanced Timaru Boys’ were, 12 players scored goals, with Jack Neal and Hugo van Beusekom grabbing six each.
Grant retires from coaching Timaru Boys’ after an incredible 410 games in charge.
In his 12 years, Timaru Boys’ have made the top 16 at the Rankin Cup on six occasions, showing Grant’s influence.
Timaru Boys’ had only made the Rankin Cup final on one other occasion, losing to King’s High School 2-0 in Dunedin in 2019.
Grant said the lessons learned on that occasion were invaluable this time around.
“The boys were calm rather than nervous and importantly believed in themselves and each other.”
