Mon | Dec 16, 2024

Oneil Thomas proud of Dinthill’s season

Published:Sunday | January 16, 2022 | 12:12 AM
The Agony of defeat is obvious as players from Dintill High school lie almost stricken after their 1-0 loss to Clarendon College in the final of the ISSA Champions Cup at the Stadium East field on Saturday.
Ian Allen/Photographer
The Agony of defeat is obvious as players from Dintill High school lie almost stricken after their 1-0 loss to Clarendon College in the final of the ISSA Champions Cup at the Stadium East field on Saturday.

Despite the disappointment of losing 1-0 to Clarendon College (CC) in the final of the Champions Cup Knockout competition, Dinthill Technical head coach Oneil Thomas said he was very proud of his team’s achievement.

Keheim Dixon netted the all-important goal for the Lenworth ’Teacher’ Hyde-coached CC in the 53rd minute of the game.

CC are only the second rural area team to win the Champions Cup title after Cornwall College’s triumph in 2018.

Thomas, who signed a three-year contract with Dinthill at the start of the season, said his charges had done exceptionally well this year and would be back much better next season.

“I think we had a good season because it was a good run for us. I think we lost the game in the second half as our players got complacent,” said Thomas. “I think that we have nothing to be ashamed about this year because we made it to the final of this competition and semi-finals of the daCosta Cup and so that is a major achievement for us despite the challenges that we have as it pertains to COVID-19,” he said.

According to Thomas, the average age of his team this season was 16 years old and therefore it was now up to the management and coaching staff to ensure that these players stay in school and maintain a high level of education so that they will be able to compete for the school next season.

Be back much stronger

“We have a lot of young players in the team and we had players who sat out this year and so we will be back much stronger for next season,” he said.

“We have some 14-year-olds, 15 and 16-year-olds that can definitely play next season and once we can keep them together and ensure that they maintain their grades in school and once we do this, then we can be a force to be reckoned with next season,” Thomas added.

Dinthill has not won a schoolboy football title since 1981 when they won the daCosta Cup and shared the Olivier Shield with Kingston College.

Thomas pointed out that they were now focusing on ending this drought next season.

“There are a lot of things to be worked on and if we don’t work on them, then we are not going to be able to break this drought,” he said.

“I am confident in what we are doing here. If we can get the boys’ head space in the right direction, it will be possible,” said Thomas.