Hockey New England's under-18 boys' team have scored three state title wins in-a-row after claiming the crown at the NSW Indoor Championships.
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The Darby Chalmers-coached side took on the state's best from country and metropolitan areas at the tournament in Goulburn at the weekend to finish as undefeated division one champions for the third year running.
Not only did they storm home for the historic win, they did it in emphatic style with a 4-1 triumph in the final against Illawarra-South Coast, with Liam Smith scoring a hat-trick in the decider.
"Most of them have been playing hockey together since primary school," team manager Greg Smith said.
"It is a big achievement, being the best state team in NSW."
Jake McCann was named player of the tournament.
Smith said "the majority of the boys" have played together in the three championship winning teams and the achievement was not lost on anyone.
"Excitement and a sense of achievement," he said of their response to winning three-in-a-row.
"And we certainly celebrated after the presentation and we were all very proud of what each and every one of us have done."
Not only did they win the trophy but a host of players earned selection in NSW teams for the national championships in 2020.
Jake McCann, Nathan Czinner and Bradley Smith, a Goulburn-based player who was part of the HNE team, made the NSW side while Liam Smith and Rohan Lawrence earned places in the Blues team. As for next year, Smith believes they can make it four-in-a-row with most of the team still eligible for under-18s.
"The only person that is missing out next year for us is Brad. The rest of them will be under-18. Hopefully we will have Darby Chalmers as our coach again," he said.