The Messenger Years

Many of the three-peat veterans had gone by 2000–01, but Jim Messenger’s team still won the Eastern Division at 6–1–1 and beat UEA 68–0 in the playoffs, Dean Mason scoring six touchdowns, before losing 14–6 to Oxford, the eventual champions. 2001–02 was a rebuilding year (4–3–1), with former linebacker Steve Dennis now defensive coordinator. Tony Groden played both ways and was voted BCAFL MVP, and Herts beat Birmingham and an unbeaten Surrey before losing the Southern Conference final 14–9 at Oxford.

The club marked its tenth year in 2002. On 1 November its new Alumni Committee of former club presidents, among them Christian Steward, Rob Kelly, Mike Butler and Anthony Fitzpatrick, held the first “Rookies and Legends” evening. It inducted 28 people into a new Hurricanes Hall of Fame, including the supporters and photographers Roger and Eldwyth Stacey, and named an All-Time Team for 1992–2002. Messenger retired the shirts of the club’s three BCAFL MVPs: Matt Coppinger (#19), Groden (#49) and Huw Stacey (#64).

On the field, 2002–03 brought a 7–1 season, playoff wins over Birmingham and Southampton for a record fourth Southern Conference title, and a record 12 Hurricanes in the Southern Conference all-stars. College Bowl XVII against Stirling Clansmen at Dewsbury on 30 March 2003 was a thriller. Andy Cochrane ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns and Rob Kelly’s field goal put Herts 17–14 up late on, but Stirling scored again to win 22–17, and time expired with the Hurricanes on the Stirling 1-yard line. Messenger was named BCAFL Coach of the Year and Cochrane the league’s Offensive MVP. Neil White was the club’s MVP, club president Lloyd Buxton its defensive MVP for a second year, and coaches Dennis and Fitzpatrick shared the club’s Stacey Sideline Award.

The following year, led by captain Buxton, the Hurricanes went 8–0 behind quarterback Junior Price, who threw a club-record 15 touchdown passes. They met Staffordshire Stallions in College Bowl XVIII at Rams Stadium, Dewsbury, on 21 March 2004. Cochrane opened the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run and went on to 201 yards and the game MVP award, Dave Hartley and Price also ran in touchdowns and Price threw another to Richard McHugh. Herts won 27–6 for a record fourth College Bowl title.

In 2004–05 the Hurricanes scored 413 points in the regular season, the club’s highest total, and reached the semi-finals before losing 26–14 to Birmingham. By 2005–06 most of Messenger’s staff were former players, led by assistant head coach Fitzpatrick and defensive coordinator White. The team went 5–3 in 2005–06 and 2006–07, losing in the first round to Birmingham and then at Southampton. 2006–07 was the last season of the BCAFL.