In the year 1977, Clarendon College got their first hold on the ISSA/FLOW daCosta Cup title with what was reputed to be one of the best-assembled schoolboy football teams ever seen.

One member of that team was Lenworth “Lenny” Hyde. Highly skilled and deadly in front of goal, the “Teacha”, as he was also known, led his team to triumph, bringing joy to the entire parish. The exploits of the team did not stop with the daCosta Cup that year, as they went on to lift the Olivier Shield as well.

Fast-forward 40 years and Clarendon College are on the cusp of claiming another daCosta Cup title with yet another quality team led by the irrepressible striker, Nicque Daley. The strongly built goal-scoring machine has already led Clarendon College to one title this season, when they brushed aside the challenge of Dinthill Technical in the final of the Ben Francis Cup.

After conceding early, “CC” levelled the match at 1-1 in the second half before scoring three unanswered goals in extra time to win the match 4-1.

Hyde, who is now technical director at his alma mater, is convinced that the team he is now guiding has what it takes to repeat the feat he was able to achieve so many years ago, after seeing them demolish Dinthill for a second time in the season — this time in the semi-finals of the daCosta Cup with a crushing 5-2 win at Catherine Hall.

But Hyde knows that the final will be as much about mental preparation as it will be about the physical aspects.

“We played well, scoring five goals. We were disciplined on the field; everybody came out of the game good, we will have everybody available in the final. We have to prepare our players mentally for this game because it is going to be tough,” he said after the semi-final win.

Ruby is the traditional gift given to people on their 40th anniversary, but Hyde wants wants another shine in silverware.

“I am excited about the final and it’s my 40th anniversary of winning the title for Clarendon College in 1977; that is the first time Clarendon College won the DaCosta Cup and the Olivier Shield. It was with our team, so it is befitting now as the coach to win that. So we are looking forward to it, so we just have to be calm and prepare for the match. I need to celebrate the anniversary with another title,” he said excitedly.

The team that will be looking to spoil the ‘Hyde party’ is the immaculately prepared Rusea’s High, who were also 5-2 winners in their semi-final encounter. They came from a goal down to defeat a quality St Elizabeth Technical team, and that result would have certainly caught the attention of the Clarendon College outfit.

— Dwayne Richards