TWEED River High School and the North Coast have once again proven their dominance on the touch field after the region’s open boys took out the NSW CHS combined high schools state championship.

Loaded with Tweed River High students, the North Coast side largely dominated the competition at South Tweed in June, only losing one game before going on to win the title.

The North Coast has been a touch football institution, with Tweed River High loaded with top level junior talent with coach Chris Swaddle praising the abilities of kids from the region.

“Our region goes from Tweed Heads to Wauchope, so we’re one of the bigger regions in the competition,” Swaddle said.

“I’m blessed with having a lot of talent available at this end of the North Coast, so those boys, the core are in Year 12 this year, I’m so ecstatic for them that they got to win in their last year at school.”

In a fitting end to the tournament, North Coast defeated fellow stand-out Sydney North in the grand final after losing to them on the first day of the tournament.

Swaddle said it was the ultimate redemption for the side, who improved in their teamwork and synergy as the tournament went on after only coming together properly just prior to the competition.

“It’s hard with having boys from different ends of the region to get them all together for training sessions and things like that,” he said.

“So we met on the day before it started and had a bit of a training session and went through things.

“As the competition went on, the boys got stronger and finished it off immensely on the last day.”

The side was loaded with talent, including state player and top junior, Jesse Curtis, who added to his already impressive array of achievements on the touch field after taking out player of the tournament.

Swaddle said Curtis’ skills, along with his ability to read the play and direct teammates, made him the best player in the CHS competition.

“He was the standout without a doubt, he’s on another level,” he said.

“He played for NSW last year, he’s played a lot of rep touch outside of school for Queensland and NSW, we call him “The Freak”, because he can do things that some other kids just can’t do.

“He’s definitely on another level. It’s not just what he does, it’s tactically and how he can read the game and tell other kids what to do. What he comes up with on the sidelines to beat teams is great for me as a coach.”

With the team signing off with a state title and a third in the Open Girls’ competition, Tweed River High will look to usher in a new generation of dominance.

Swaddle said while the school couldn’t compete with the size of Palm Beach-Currumbin High’s sports program, they offered a great touch program which kids wanted to be a part of.

“We have had kids in the past come to the school for touch,” he said.

“They come through primary school together, come here and it makes for a good core of teams.”