There are only two league matches remaining in the 2016 Northern League but they will have no impact on the league winners, Fairmont High School, who went unbeaten in their maiden season in the league.
There will, however, be consolation prizes to clamour for as Edgemead High School meet rivals Fairbairn College with a chance to grab some points and end above their nearest neighbours, Bosmansdam.
A win for Fairbairn could put them within distance of a podium spot, if they can pip President next weekend as well.
There was only one match in the Northern League taking place this weekend. League champions Fairmont hosted Table View in a very one-sided affair.
As the season has progressed, the Fairmont Bears outfit has simply improved. They were hot favourites from the start, but have only gotten better.
There would have been a number of teams who would have thought that Table View, with their strong pack, would be able to give them a run for their money, but it was not to be.
Even the knowledge that they have already secured the Northern League with a week to spare was not enough to make the Fairmont boys in any way complacent.
What followed was one of their most comprehensive victories of the season as they coasted past the Viewies 74-5.
In the under-16 league, the young Bears needed to beat Table View with a bonus point to secure a league win and break the young Bosmansdam boys’ hearts.
There was some concern as they had suffered a few injuries during the last week. They were, however, still much too strong and ran out 41-3 winners.
The bonus point drew them level with the young Knights and seeing as both teams have won the same amount of games this season, it came down to a points difference.
With a points difference more than double that of Bosmansdam, Fairmont have therefore secured the under-16 league as well.
Bosmansdam first side coach Loren de Kock, whose brainchild the league was, was first to congratulate the new champions, after his side faced off against Paarl’s Labori at the weekend in their annual inter-schools match-up.
Despite a good showing on the field, the scoreboard still reflected their loss at 14-3 by the final blow of the whistle.
“We would like to congratulate both the under-19 and under-16 teams of Fairmont with winning the league. As a coach I am also proud of what my boys have done this season.
“Our build up to inter-schools and the matches themselves were a bit rough through the week and on the weekend but I definitely think we have seen an improvement as the season progressed.
“We are disappointed that we let ourselves down at times as well as losing to Labori this weekend in Paarl. We had a good chance to beat them away and let it slip through our fingers. We will have to wait another two years before we are afforded an opportunity to do it again,” said De Kock.
