TOOWOOMBA Grammar School added a stunning new chapter to O'Callaghan Cup history when it regained the trophy with a record victory at Downlands College on Saturday.
Grammar proved too big, too fast and too classy for an under-manned Downlands outfit on its way to a sparkling 69-0 win.
The winning margin is the biggest in 64 years of O'Callaghan Cup meetings between the teams.
It eclipsed the previous record margin of 36-0 set by Downlands in 1975.
Downlands managed to reclaim the trophy last year with an upset 38-33 victory, but the Griffins were never in the hunt of repeating those heroics today.
Grammar signalled their hunger and ominous intentions when they crossed through a Harry Hoopert try in the third minute of play.
A sizzling long-range team try to winger Harry Cooke and a smart individual effort from centre Hamish Stewart to score under the post allowed Grammar to go to the half-time break up 21-0.
Three minutes after the resumption Cooke raced over for his second try which quickly dampened any hopes of Downlands conjuring up an unlikely comeback.
With the scoreboard at 28-0 and with 32 minutes of play remaining, the floodgates opened.
Grammar raced in a further eight tries through crisp team-work and some brilliant individual efforts.
A second-half highlight was a try to hooker Lawson Dingle who out sprinted the defence in a 40-metre dash to the line after Downlands coughed-up the ball in Grammar territory.
The second half was also interrupted by a melee involving a number of players from both teams.
Team captains Brendon Dann (Grammar) and Robert Fuz were addressed by the referee following the scuffle and the game continued without further incident.
First-year Grammar coach David Enfantie paid credit to his team's defence.
"I know it's a little strange to say after winning 69-0, but one of the things that pleased me most today was our defence," Enfantie said.
"To keep Downlands to nil was a great effort and full marks to the team for what they achieved."
Dann echoed his coach's comments as he savoured his team's awesome display.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Dann said.
"All the boys did their job. We stuck to our structure and played as a team."
Downlands coach David O'Sullivan conceded his team had no answers to Grammar's dominance.
"We were missing a lot of injured players today and it's hard to overcome when you're up against a good team like Grammar were today," O'Sullivan said.
"They played well and were too good. Credit to them."
The match best-and-fairest awards went to Grammar centre Dean Bender and Downlands back-rower Lucas van der Laan.
TGS 69 (Lawson Dingle 2, Harry Cooke 2, Will Clark-Dickson 2, Harry Hoopert, Hamish Stewart, Stuart Markey, Rhys Martin, Dean Bender tries; Hamish Stewart 5 conversions, Brendon Dann 2 conversions) d DOWNLANDS 0.
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