"It's not only the cricket, it's the other things as well.
"I'm very lucky, they're talented cricketers, but they're also smart."
The Huntley boys had self-imposed discipline, making sure they had plenty of rest during the tournament while keeping up their food and fluid intake to have the chance to perform at their best.
Matthew Hocquard won the MVP award for the tournament, scoring 243 runs, while Huntley's Harry McVerry and Balmacewen's Liam Barron were joint top wicket-takers with seven each, McVerry's five-for in their final game proving a championship-winner.
It looks like destiny might get derailed in the opening game on Monday before Huntley got home in a one-wicket win over Balmacewen Intermediate from Dunedin.
Balmacewen scored 109-4 in their 20 overs, with Hamish Wilson top-scoring on 35 from 30 balls, and while Huntley's six bowlers collectively game away some costly extras, Hocquard was very tidy at his third nationals with figures of 3-9.
He then carried his team with the bat, scoring 81 not out from 54 balls and hitting 15 boundaries, batting with every member of his team.
Six Huntley batsmen were dismissed for ducks, with Barron getting three of them, before last man Angus Pearce (14) stuck in with Hocquard for a 46 run partnership to win the match in the 19th over.
Huntley were much more controlled in the afternoon game to pick up a six wicket win over Raroa Normal Intermediate from Wellington.
Raroa were bowled out for just 76 in the 15th over, with their best being 18 each from lower order players Boston Thurlow and Taka Craigie.
Huntley's bowlers shared the honours with Taka Craig (2-16), McVerry (2-22) and Monty Sherriff (3-13) all doing well.
Hocquard then took over, sharing a 69-run opening partnership with Matthew Florence as part of Hocquard's 43 from 25 balls, being run out when trying to tie the scores in just the eighth over, with the victory coming two balls later.
Both of Huntley's Tuesday matches were then rained out, which was of concern to Buys as his side had made a good start in the morning against fellow title contender Saint Kentigern Boys of Auckland, with Hocquard (47) and Florence (19) putting on an unbeaten 69 in eight overs.
So it call came down to Wednesday's last game against local school Breens Intermediate, with Huntley wanting a win with a good run rate to win the title ahead of St Kentigern's.
Early on, it was seeming that way as Huntley amassed an outstanding 160-1, with Hocquard scoring 72 not out from 59 balls to anchor the innings yet again, while Florence (50 from 49) was right with him until being run out.
Tom Illston-Park then came out and blasted 28 not out from just 12 balls, with four boundaries and a six.
Huntley probably figured they had it in the bag, especially when McVerry picked up an early wicket, but Breens were not fazed as Flynn Bainbridge smacked 61 from 32 balls, getting support from Thomas Langdon (27 not out) and an H Stewart (22) to have their team right on target at 141-4 with four overs left, with Bainbridge finally run out by Illston-Park while Stewart gave up a catch at the end of the 16th over.
Enter McVerry, who was asked if he could get another wicket to really put the pressure on.
McVerry got four wickets in consecutive balls – known as a double hat trick – to send all of Breens lower order back to the pavilion for ducks.
"When he got the first one, we asked, 'can you get another?'," said Buys.
"Then he got another and we asked again, and he did, and we asked again, and he did.
"It was really funny actually.
"That changed the game around. They were on target to beat us.
"Harry's got cult status at school now."
McVerry finished with 5-10 from his three overs, and with it both he, Hocquard and their team were finally able to lift the trophy Huntley has been hunting for the past four years.
Final points
Huntley School 8; Saint Kentigern Boys School 6; Breens Intermediate 4; Tauranga Intermediate 4; Raroa Normal Intermediate 4; Balmacewen Intermediate 4.
