Updated: October 19, 2023 at 9:47 p.m.

Saltus Grammar School gets off to a strong start at the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools Under-13 Boys Tournament in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Photo provided)

Saltus coach John Barry Nusum with his players (Photograph provided)

Chaz Edmead, left, Jace Postlethewaite, Conor Thomas and Adam Barritt (Photograph provided)

Saltus Grammar School set a milestone on the opening day of the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools Tournament for boys under 13 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Thursday.

The local school won their opening three matches in convincing fashion against Royal St George, Saint Michaels University and Sacred Heart to move into the top tier of honours.

Saltus beat Royal St George’s 6-0 in their opening match of the tournament at the Armbrae Academy with Conor Thomas leading the charge with a brace and Chaz Edmead, Jace Postlethwaite, Zhen Van Putten and Adam Barritt also getting their name called on the match sheet.

They also won 6-0 in their second outing against Saint Michaels, with Edmead scoring a hat-trick and Shiloh Anderson, Mackay Browne and Van Putten each converting a goal.

Saltus then capped a sensational day with an 11-1 thrashing of Sacred Heart with Edmead and Thomas both scoring hat-tricks while Adam Cenzer, Tayte Browne, Postlethwaite, Van Putten and Barritt also got in on the scoring act.

Saltus coach John Barry Nusum praised his player’s dominant display.

“Overall, the team played very well and worked hard to achieve three wins on the first day,” he said. The Royal Gazette.“

The local school is represented by a team of 20 of the island’s most promising players who Nusum believes are capable of reaching the podium at the event.

“We are looking to finish in the top divisions of the tournament and hopefully play for a podium place,” he added.

“We have extremely strong players with a strong core coming from Bascome FC, so they know each other very well.

“PHC, North Village and Bascome FC make up the team dynamic so there is good continuity in the group.”

Nusum is joined by fellow coaches Timmy Figureido and Shayne Scott.

Former national team pairs Figureido and Nusum also accompanied the school to the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools Senior Men’s Tournament last week at Ridley College in Ontario.

Saltus reached the quarter-finals where they were eliminated after a 2–0 defeat to Trinity College.

“It was a physical game that we couldn’t control,” Nusum said.

“Fatigue played a part in both teams so it was a sloppy game, but the boys performed well.”

The Bermuda high school champions were making their first tournament appearance in three years.

“It was good to come back to the traveling tournaments and it was a success in the sense that it was a very young team,” Nusum added.

“We went out there and we were competitive. We fought throughout, but we were unlucky in a few games where we didn’t get a win.

“But two wins, two defeats and a draw is nothing to sneeze at, especially for a younger team.

“We were definitely one of the younger teams in the tournament, so hopefully they had a good experience and we can build on that for next year.”