By BRIAN STOCKWELL
NOOSA Premier junior side, the Under-17 first-division team, has secured a Sunshine Coast Football finals berth with their win over Caloundra on Saturday.
It’s not a new thing for the boys, many of whom have played finals the past two years in the Under-14 and 15 age groups. Currently sitting third the boys will need to beat Nambour Yandina United next week to maintain that spot.
The Under-14 first-division side is also finals bound for the third time in a row with an emphatic 6-1 win over Caboolture. Grand-finalists in the Under-12s and Under-13s, the team is playing some great attacking football under the guidance of coach Corey Lovewell. Lovewell, no doubt buoyed by the boys’ performance, played one of his best games of the season later in the evening when he lined up in the starting side of the Premier Men. Playing a key role in the midfield, Lovewell found himself in the middle of a torrid encounter with Caboolture who had an outside chance of getting into the top four if they won.
A quick-thinking Paul Arnison slotted a left-footed gem into the far corner of the net to give Noosa the lead in the 38th minute. Despite a number of chances for both sides in the second half that’s how the game ended.
The win takes Noosa to 45 points, only two behind ladder leaders Woombye, and means they have not been beaten at home in any regular season game this year.
With a bye to finish the season Noosa hasn’t got the opportunity to improve on that.
With one of the closest leader boards in many years, a win to Kawana next week over Buderim would leap-frog them above Noosa.
Buderim however, will be determined as they need to win to keep the fast finishing Maroochydore out of the finals with only two points separating fourth and fifth.
