MORE than 90 Noosa touch players competed in the Junior State Cup in Hervey Bay last week, joining 213 teams and more than 3500 participants.
The annual three-day event is the pinnacle of the junior touch calendar, and this year Noosa supplied eight teams in the girls and boys division from under-10 to under-16.
Under-10 boys: Facing a difficult draw, the team got off to a slow start but every player held their heads high and showed their true spirit and determination for the remainder of the carnival. They played a draw, had a spectacular win over the highly regarded Rockhampton Redbacks and a played out a close loss to Bundaberg.
Under-10 girls: The team started well with three wins on the first day, following up with another win and two losses on the second day of play and a win on day three. The girls pushed themselves to contain the victorious teams to single figure wins which other teams had been unable to do. They finished third overall.
Under-12 Boys: The boys highlighted teamwork over the entire three days managing to take down Brisbane, Palm Beach and Rockhampton and keeping the opposition scoreless in some games. The boys only had a single loss coming at the hands of Redlands in a 1-0 cliffhanger. The under-12 boys and support crew would like to thank Adam for being their nominated ref for the carnival.
Under-12 Girls: It was a tough run for the girls, battling top-notch opponents, but the team still had a win and almost pulled off the upset of the carnival when they had a nail-biting loss against heavy weights, Toowoomba. The players’ player achievement went to Maddie Dwyer.
Under-14 Boys: An early start for the boys produced a pleasing display with several touchdowns but not quite enough to get the win. Battling the strength of Brisbane and Gold Coast made for a tough first day. The team, a mix of rep players and first and second season players, exceeded expectations and grew with confidence as the carnival went on.
Under-14 Girls: With a large team of 13 the under-14 girls set off with a massive sense of excitement. Their behaviour on the field was outstanding and a credit to the Noosa club as a whole. The age group was divided into three pools with some of the hardest teams being in Noosa’s pool of seven. Winning three of the six games, the girls can come away from the competition with heads held high, feeling proud of what they have achieved.
Under-16 Boys: The boys were faced with the challenging task on day one of playing both Ipswich and Redlands. The Noosa boys showed great spirit to be competitive in both games but were beaten by both teams. The team is eager to get back together and work on their skills for next year. Massive congratulations to Hayden Britten on receiving the players’ player award.
Under-16 Girls: The Noosa under-16 girls proved that they are definitely a team on the rise with three good wins and three close losses in a strong and closely fought pool. Players’ player went to Pip Dwyer, and Holly Radge earning the coaches award.
Thanks to all of our coaches and managers, without the time, effort and dedication of this group of volunteers this event would not be possible, they are truly appreciated.
Junior sign-on for the next season is Wednesday 20 July, from 4pm to 5.30pm.
