St Martin’s Secondary break football title drought

St Martin’s Secondary School elevated from losing finalists in 2011 and 2013 to lift the 2015 Junior Division of the Secondary Schools’ Football Competition.

Testing the Bethel High School last Friday afternoon at the Victoria Park, St Martin’s Secondary showed early signs that they were the superior outfit, stringing more consecutive passes together than their opponents, making more forays on goal, while the defence held tight against the few counter-attacks.

But the St Martin’s lads had nothing to show by way of goals at the end of the first half.

Their fortunes, however, changed as both teams resumed battle in the second half.

St Martin’s captain Chelson Hendrickson completed a right side move to score in the 40th minute, to open his team’s account and his fifth goal in the competition this year.

This joy was short-lived, as Deshurne John outwitted a flat-footed St Martin’s defence to equalize in the 46th minute.

It then became the Diel Spring show, as he put the contest beyond reach of the Bethel High School, scoring in the 60th and 67th minutes. Spring was later named player of the final.{{more}}

The final result showed St Martin’s winning 3-1 and lifting the junior title for the first time and the institution’s first piece of football silverware since 1992, when it was a single tier competition.

St Martin’s triumph added another piece of family history, as the 1990 to 1992 domination came with Gary Thomas as the team’s head coach.

Twenty-three years after, Rohan Thomas Jr, the nephew of Gary Thomas, was the person who guided St Martin’s to their victory.(RT)