THE Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League Under 17.5 side stood tall in the Limestone Coast Regional Carnival at Naracoorte on Saturday, with a solid day of football to claim the honours.
The Knights went through the round games undefeated, before taking out the grand final in fine style over the Western Border Football League 7.1 (43) to 2.0 (12).
The opening match saw the Knights set the scene, with a nine-point win over the WBFL.
William Walker scored two of the Knights’ three goals, with Lucas Schultz adding a single.
The WBFL scored just two goals through Zac Bradley and Emmerson Marks.
Sam Gartner, Sam Klemm and Jesse Martin were best for KNT, while Marks, Noah Lang and Thomas Gould were given the votes for the WBFL.
The second round game saw the Knights flex thier muscles against the Mid South East, with a 27-point win the result.
Accuracy in front of goals did not help MSE’s case, with six shots to eight resulting in just one major score to six from the Knights.
Walker kicked five of the Knights’ goals and was named best for the KNT side.
He was joined by Elijah Owen and Gartner, while Taylor Allen, Harry Bigmore and Jack Muhovics were best for the MSE.
The final round game saw the WBFL book its berth in the grand final after a solid 33-point win over the MSE.
Frazer Bradley kicked three goals for the WBFL, while Noah O’Brien added another two.
Brandon Nicolle was the only multiple goal scorer for the MSE with two goals.
Finn Grimes, Marks and Zac Bradley were best for the WBFL, while Bigmore, Allen and Joel Virtanen were given the votes for the MSE.
From there the WBFL and KNTFL faced off in the grand final, but the Knights were simply too strong right around the ground.
Klemm provided plenty of run out of the centre, while Walker was a strong target up forward.
The WBFL back six was under siege for much of the game and did well to hold out the Knights’ charge.
In the end it was simply too much pressure and the Knights ran out comfortable 31-point victors.
Schultz kicked three goals for the Knights, while Walker added another two to his tally.
William Thompson and Frazer Bradley added singles for the WBFL.
Klemm, Elijah Owen and Zachary Walker were best for the Knights, while Gould, Brock Keding and Finn Grimes were given the nod for the WBFL.
WBFL’s Zac Bradley was voted player of the carnival.
Best player for the WBFL went to Marks, for MSEFL to Bigmore and KNT to Klemm.
An Under 17.5 team of the carnival was then selected by a representative of each of the competing leagues and the Glenelg Football Club.
Forward pocket: Jacob Robbie (KNTFL); Full forward: Will Walker (KNTFL); Forward pocket:Joel Virtanen (MSEFL).
Half forward: Jack Muhovics (MSEFL); Centre half forward: Frazer Bradley (WBFL); Half forward: Emmerson Marks (WBFL).
Wing: Taylor Allen (MSEFL) Centre: Eli Owen (KNTFL); Wing: Brock Keding (WBFL).
Half back: Tom Moyle-Read (KNTFL); Centre half back: Tom Gould (WBFL); Half back: Zac Bradley (WBFL).
Back pocket: Noah Lang (WBFL); Full back: Jesse Martin (KNTFL); Back pocket: Harry Bigmore (MSEFL).
Ruck: Finn Grimes (WBFL); Rover: Kaleb Bowd (WBFL); Ruck rover; Sam Klemm (KNTFL).
Interchange: Sam Gartner (KNTFL), Zac Walker (KNTFL), Will Chay (MSEFL), Noah O’Brien (WBFL), Oscar Peltz (KNTFL).
RESULTS UNDER 17
KNTFL 3.6 (24)
WBFL 2.3 (15)
Goals – Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara: W. Walker 2, L. Schultz; Western Border: Z. Bradley, E. Marks.
Best – Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara: S. Gartner, S. Klemm, J. Martin, O. Peltz, C. Borg, T. Moyle-Read; Western Border: E. Marks, N. Lang, T. Gould, K. Bowd, Z. Bradley.
KNTFL 6.2 (38)
MSEFL 1.5 (11)
Goals – Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara: W. Walker 5, J. Robbie 1; Mid South East: L. Brown.
Best – Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara: W. Walker, E. Owen, S. Gartner, C. Watts, L. Kelson; Mid South East: T. Allen, H. Bigmore, J. Muhovics, R. Gamble, J. Virtanen, W. Chay.
WBFL 8.9 (57)
MSEFL 4.0 (24)
Goals – Western Border: F. Bradley 3, N. O’Brien 2, Z. Bradley, F. Grimes, C. Jarrad; Mid South East: B. Nicolle 2, M. Telfer, W. Vickery.
Best – Western Border: F. Grimes, E. Marks, Z. Bradley, N. O’Brien, K. Bowd, B. Keding; Mid South East: H. Bigmore, T. Allen, J. Virtanen, B. Scott, J. Francis, L. Lewis.
FINAL
KNTFL 7.1 (43)
WBFL 2.0 (12)
Goals – Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara: L. Schultz 3, W. Walker 2, J. Robbie, S. Klemm; Western Border: W. Thompson, F. Bradley.
Best – Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara: S. Klemm, E. Owen, Z. Walker, C. Watts, S. Gartner, L. Schultz; Western Border: T. Gould, B. Keding, F. Grimes, K. Bowd, R. Wilson.
