Despite admitting to “a few scares here and there” during last week’s ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships at National Stadium, Edwin Allen’s Head Coach Michael Dyke said they were confident they had what it takes to win their eighth-straight title.

Edwin Allen rolled to a comfortable 57-point (352-295) win over Hydel High for their ninth title in 10 years. Dyke, who has been at the helm from the start, said he knew the depth of his 70-member strong team, especially in the middle distance and the throws.

St Jago High placed third with 249 points, followed by Holmwood Technical (174); Excelsior were the top Corporate Area girls’ school placing fifth with 107 points as St Catherine High and Wolmer’s Girls tied on 83 points; Immaculate Conception scored 76 points; former champions Vere Technical were ninth with 53 points and Camperdown rounded out the top 10 with 38 points.

“We had a few scares here and there,” Dyke told the Jamaica Observer on Saturday night as he watched his team celebrate yet another victory. “But in the end things worked out quite well.”

He said coming into the championships there were expectations in some quarters that Hydel would have pushed them hard.

“I knew that with our depth and strength in the middle distances and in the field events, once the athletes came through we knew we would be fine — and they did come through for us,” Dyke said.

Edwin Allen had caused some concerns when they did not enter the Clayton twins — Tina and Tia — the 100m gold and bronze medal winners, respectively, opting instead for Brandy Hall and Bethany Bridge, finalists from last year.

The gamble did not pay off as neither girl got to the final on Saturday. Hall was disqualified in the semis after she false started and Bridge pulled up in her race and failed to advance, but Dyke said despite that, it did not hurt them in the end.

Instead, he said, there were others who performed above expectations, for example, Grenadian Ahshareah Enoe who won the Class One high jump with Serena Marsh placing fourth for 14 points, while Monifa Edwards picking up the silver medal in the javelin Open.

“We knew they would do okay but they exceeded our expectations” Dyke said, “and there were others as well throughout the week.”

Dyke did not want to look too far ahead.

“It is still very early and we will enjoy this win” but said they should lose about eight girls from the team but added the first year Class One girls had done so well, they did not expect any fall-off come next year,” he ended.