Berkeley Institute made a clean sweep of top honours during this year’s Senior School Knockout Cup Finals held at the National Sports Centre (NSC) last Friday night.

The Pembroke school defeated Warwick Academy 3-1 to win the Under-16 Boys title before edging CedarBridge Academy 2-1 in the Senior Girls Final and Saltus 1-0 in the Senior Boys final to record a remarkable treble before a small gathering at the National Sports Centre.

In the night’s featured match, an Ian Coke penalty proved to be the difference in a closely fought Senior Boys KO Cup Final which saw both teams create ample chances to settle this affair.

Saltus should have taken the lead as early as the fifth minute with the best play of the match involving Lozendro Symonds (son of former Bermuda national football team captain Lorenzo Symonds), Ziggy Stoneham and Jason Smith deep inside Berkeley terrain. Smith, however, dragged his effort inches wide of the upright.

Berkeley responded at the opposite end with Marcelos Thomas shooting wide with only the ‘keeper to contend with.

Both teams continued to exchange blows with Saltus’ Akil Trott and Bermuda senior national team cricketer Malachi Jones, of Berkeley, each going close after getting behind the defence.

Fate, though, would finally intervene in the 35th minute with Coke capitalising from the penalty spot after Saltus were penalised for a handball in the box.

Saltus courageously battled on in search of an equaliser, only to be repeatedly denied by Berkeley ‘keeper Mikkal Crockwell whose heroics between the sticks earned him MVP honours for his team.

Crockwell was called upon to execute the best save of the night early in the second half to keep out a powerful Kijuan Wilkinson header and protect Berkeley’s slim lead.

Symonds, who also came close to levelling the scores, was later named MVP for Saltus who in the end had to settle for the bridesmaid tag.

In the Senior Girls final, goals from Shonte Campbell — daughter of former Dandy Town sweeper Wayne Campbell — and Jenay Edness earned Berkeley bragging rights for the next 12 months.

Campbell converted with a powerful header while Edness slammed home a loose ball around the penalty spot.

Temisha Wolfe — sister of Dandy Town forward Heys Wolfe — netted Cedarbridge Academy’s consolation.

Jennifer Nusum was later named MVP for champions Berkeley while Wolfe was chosen as MVP for Cedarbridge.

In the curtain raising Boys Under-16 KO Cup final, Berkley had to come from behind to get past a stubborn Warwick Academy who took a surprise 1-0 lead within 20 seconds of the start to the match through Aaron Swan, but then squandered a crucial penalty kick in the second half.

Berkeley weathered the storm and found themselves back on even terms when Tristan Smith rose above the Academy defence and headed home a ball that took an awkward bounce over the stranded ‘keeper.

Berkeley then grabbed the lead for good early in the second half in spectacular fashion, T-Ronde Darrell drilling home a free kick from all of 25 yards.

Dominique Lambert then rubbed salt into the wound and punished Warwick further after Teniko Eve missed a golden opportunity to level the scores from the penalty spot, Lambert thundered home Berkeley’s third with a fiercely struck shot after being put through by a defence-splitting pass from Smith.

Lambert was later named MVP for Berkeley while Alex Hart was named MVP for Academy.