James Murphy
THE Limestone Coast was well represented at the SANFL Youth Intrastate Football Carnival last week.
Run over three days, the Glenelg Football Club fielded separate metro and country Under 15 boys’ teams, as well as an Under 14 and Under 16 girls side.
It was a successful expedition, with both the Under 15 country boys and Under 16 girls finishing the carnival undefeated.
The Under 15 boys, made up exclusively of South East talent, hit the ground running with a commanding win over Woodville-West Torrens on day one.
The Tigers held their opponent scoreless for the first half and by the main break held a 45-point advantage.
South Gambier’s Rex Jones was in full flight and his dominance was recognised at the end of the match with the best-on-ground honours.
The game continued as a one-sided affair in the second half and Woodville-West Torrens managed just three minor scores before the final siren.
Meanwhile Glenelg piled on another six goals to finish up 84-point victors.
Also among the best players were Kybybolite’s Charlie Brodie, Millicent’s Kobe Gibson, South’s Dean Harten, Bordertown’s Campbell Will and North Gambier’s Aaron Dally.
Nangwarry’s Archer Virtanen, South’s Jace Maxwell and McCarthy led the way on the scoreboard with two goals each.
Day two presented another rewarding experience when the Tigers matched up against South Adelaide.
A five-goal haul from McCarthy saw him lead the charge as they pushed out to an eventual 101-44 point triumph.
Jones was in fine touch again, as was Dally, Gibson and Brodie.
South Gambier’s Will Attiwill and Hatherleigh’s Ollie Fitzgerald also earned themselves a mention with solid games.
On Thursday a meeting with West Adelaide loomed, which produced another dominant performance from the Glenelg country boys.
This time it was Dally who topped the sheets, with a game-high two goals and the best-on-ground mantle.
Jones and Attiwill featured prominently again, while South Gambier’s Max Whitehead joined the best players, with Gibson and Mundulla’s Hamish Davies also around the mark.
It was overall a much tighter carnival for the Glenelg Under 16 girls team, which had seven Limestone Coast Football League players in its ranks.
North’s Hayley Pudney and Luca Roulstone, Kongorong’s Jasmin McKinnon, South’s Bailey Broome, Penola’s Heidi Berkin, Kybybolite’s Zara East and Eliza Orrock from Mundulla all donned the yellow and black for the carnival.
On day one they managed a slim two-point win over Woodville-West Torrens, with the final score 37-35.
Plympton’s Eloise Mackereth was best-on-ground for the clash.
The Tigers’ second match against South Adelaide was a lower scoring affair and their total of 25 points was enough to hold their rival at bay for a 10-point win.
Piper Crosby from the Marion Football Club top scored with two majors, while it was Plympton’s Bella Koch was named best on.
The girls headed into day three full of confidence and they pulled out a strong performance to cap off the carnival.
Up against West Adelaide, a 51-21 point victory was on the cards, as Mackereth pulled off a six-goal haul in a best-on-ground performance.
Also among the best was East, who put in a solid effort representing the South East.
The Under 14 girls did not taste the same success throughout their tournament, with two convincing losses to both West Adelaide and South Adelaide.
Their first game against Woodville was a closer encounter, but at the final siren Glenelg trailed by 11 points.
Summer Batchelor, Elise Hann, Grace Altschwager, Keely Rata, Penny Coleman and Ivy Wurst all represented the Limestone Coast for the youngest grade.
Coleman and Altschwager both found themselves among the best players against West Adelaide, while the latter also found the big sticks in day one against Woodville.
