Magic week certainly was that for North West with the zone's boys hockey side netting the State PSSA title.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Improving on their fifth last year, the side comprising Thomas Bull, Connor Sillitoe (Martins Gully PS), Rhys Mackay, Chase Mackay, Colby Unger, Callan Stewart, Oscar Kelly, Edward Burrows (Tamworth PS), Levi Morgan (Timbumburi PS), Cameron Mumford (Tamworth West PS), Crosley Jeffrey (Westdale PS), Harry Strijland (Sandon PS) and Ryan Budda-Deen (Inverell PS) defeated South Coast 4-2 in the final on Friday to be crowned champions.
Only the third time the zone has won the silverware in the 56 years the carnival has been running, it's the first since 2007.
Making it all the more special was that they got to achieve it in front of family and friends, and on the fields that many of them play on of a Saturday, with Tamworth hosting the carnival.
"It's something that those kids will never ever forget," manager Andrew McDonald said.
"And they might not even realise it yet, but that's a huge achievement for them."
There were a few nervous moments earlier in the day with their semi-final going into golden goal extra-time after scores were level at 0-all at full-time. Jeffrey was the hero, scoring inside the first couple of minutes of the additional time.
He then had a hand in their first goal in the final, which gave them a 1-nil lead at half-time.
"A great long pass from Rhys Mackay went through to Crosley in the circle and unselfishly he passed around the keeper to Tommy Bull, who scored," McDonald said.
"They got it back to 1-all in the second half and then we scored three reasonably quick goals to put us up 4-1 and we knew we had it then."
[Rhys] Mackay was great for them over the carnival and duly named in the NSW side for the second successive year. He will now head to Hobart in late July for the School Sport Australia 12 years and under championships.
McDonald thought Rhys' brother Chase, and Bull also had particularly strong carnivals, and also made mention of Mumford.
One of two goalkeepers in the side, he played him at centre back their first game and he was so good he kept him there for the rest of the tournament.
He felt they really built over the carnival and by the end were playing "incredible" hockey.
Defensively they were superb, only conceding three goals from their eight games.
At the other end they "didn't have any trouble scoring goals".
They also just "gelled together so well".
"They were just like a big group of mates," McDonald said.
"They just all hung around together and were all really positive with each other, and just tried so hard for each other."
It was the first time in the eight years he's been coaching the PSSA side and three times reaching the semi-finals they have made it through to the final.
"I said to them before the final, don't worry about it, you've done incredible to get here. Just think of it as an opportunity to do something amazing and they did," he said.
For the nucleus of the side it continued what has been a golden last 12 months.
Morgan, Budda-Deen, Mumford, Burrows, Jeffrey, Stewart, Unger and the two Mackay boys were all part of Tamworth's victorious York Cup side last year.
The Mackay's, Burrows, Stewart, Unger and Oscar Kelly later went on to win the state primary knockout title with Tamworth Public.
Tamworth also hosted the girls hockey, and boys and girls primary basketball championships in what was billed as Magic Week.
