By JARROD POTTER
SOUTH EAST JUNIORS GRAND FINALS – PREMIER TO UNDER 14
WHILE it’s usually the oldest age group mentioned first in these reports, it is impossible not to draw attention to the South East Juniors Under-15 Division 1 grand final for how immensely entertaining the penultimate finale at Casey Fields ended up being.
Back and forth is too commonplace of a statement to describe how this match violently lurched from Beaconsfield’s advantage to Berwick’s lead back to Beacy, on to Berwick before the Eagles finally claimed the last laugh.
Less than a goal split the sides through two quarters as both sides had a taste of the lead, before Berwick stormed to the front in the third term.
Corey Ellison and Jamie Plumridge (two goals each) led from the front to establish a 15-point break at the end of the premiership term.
But Beacy wasn’t done.
Special commentary from Star News Group’s boundary line reporter Mark Dinnie was right on the money. Firstly “this match must be a smother world record” and more importantly “Berwick is playing too defensively”.
It should’ve been closed out long before the final few minutes as the Eagles kicked two-goals-five in a wayward last ditch comeback.
The Blues tried to put the cue in the rack early in the final term and coast home on its slender lead.
But Berwick’s leisure would be its downfall as Beaconsfield never gave up hope – despite spraying its way through the match as the behinds piled up.
It came down to the dying minutes – Beacy trailing by four points.
The most mongrel-of-all mongrel punts went high and long into the Eagles’ extremely flooded forward line where the stratospheric hazard ball was plucked out of the air by Jackson Berry!
He goes back, cool as the proverbial cucumber, and slots the goal to win his side the flag – a story every single one of his relatives for the next 80 years will likely hear time and time again.
“I couldn’t watch that kick (Berry’s) in the end but, thankfully, it went through,” Beaconsfield coach Chris Curran said.
“All three games were like that this year – fair dinkum – good for us and Berwick was a bit unfortunate but they were a great team this year.”
Jarryd Wills’s efforts through the Beaconsfield midfield were rewarded with the best on ground medal, while Riley Boland at half-back, Mitch Riordan and schoolboys All Australian Alex Young rebounded strongly and broke the lines when it mattered most.
PREMIER
What was billed to be the grandest match on the biggest South East Juniors stage – a grand final under lights at Casey Fields – petered out into a one-sided domination as Berwick cantered past Endeavour Hills by 49 points.
Kicking cost the Eagles any chance of mounting a comeback – spraying 3.11 (29) to Berwick’s 11.9 (75). After starting full of vigour and dominating possession, Endeavour Hills only had an eight-point lead to show for its first term run-on but steadily there after Berwick took the lead and with it the premiership.
Only 25 points separated the sides at the final break but the Blues booted four more to finish the job and break the Eagles’ resolve.
Ty Ellison (three goals) started the Berwick rampage before Will Smith and Hayden Brough (two goals each) completed the rout to displace the minor premiers into runner-up.
Parkmore Pirates Premier 2 side – comprising under-16 and under-17 players – plundered everything in the Fountain Gate defensive end to boot 13.12 (90) to 1.4 (10).
The Pirates held the underdogs goalless until the final term as nothing would best the premiership-claims of the rampaging Parkmore brigade.
Pirates forwards Jacob Bakes and Harrison Bean booted four goals each in the grand final victory while captain Perry Lewis-Smith (three goals) starred for Parkmore to earn an additional medallion as the grand final best on ground medallist.
“Three flags in five years for these boys with back-to-back flags in under-12 and under-13,” Parkmore president Michael Palma said.
“This year they were on top all year – lost their first and only game in the last home and away round by two goals to Endeavour Hills then beat them in the semi-final the next week.
“It was a great win for the boys.”
Berwick Springs had a comfortable 30-point win over Officer in Premier 3.
Lachlan Marie (two goals) was the best on ground in a clinical effort alongside Cooper Myle and Lachlan Valentine (two goals).
Caleb Mannering (two goals) was one of the best for the Kangaroos.
UNDER-15
Division 2 and Division 3 tried to live up to the awe of the Division 1 clash and shone in their own ways as Narre North knocked off Tooradin-Dalmore by 32 points with Stuart Magee earning the honours as best afield.
The Foxes trailed at different stages of the clash but an emphatic four goal last term put to bed Tooradin’s premiership hopes.
In Division 3 Narre South Lions pumped Lyndhurst by 42 as Nathan Thomas (seven goals) and Liam Bertrand (five goals) had a field day.
Anthony Loizzo (three goals) and Brody Fuller (two goals) tried their hardest to keep the Lightning in the clash but were blown out of the water alongside their team mates through the second half.
UNDER-14
Berwick Springs brushed aside Beaconsfield by 32 points but to the Eagles’ credit they clawed their way back after a woeful second term.
They cut the margin at the final break after at one stage trailing by 48 – with goals flying fast.
Alas, the comeback came far too late to stop the Berwick Springs’ celebrations as Jarryd Barker started an impressive weekend full of accolades, winning the best on ground medallion.
Narre South Lions mauled Officer Kangaroos in a 57-point bloodbath.
Officer had to soldier on with two massive injuries.
Officer coach Darren Oates couldn’t believe his luck when wingman Aidan James broke his arm at the end of the second quarter and ruckman Jai Stevens went down with a similar injury at the start of the third, with both incidents happening in the same spot on the ground.
The remaining 20 Kangaroos battled bravely but the odds were against them as Narre South booted away via Jordan Andrews (three goals) while Matthew Bowler won the medal.
Kooweerup picked up its inaugural South East Juniors premiership in an eight-point nail-biter at Holm Park against Beaconsfield.
The Eagles soared back into the clash – booting three goals in the final term – but the cooler Demons’ heads prevailed to slot the match winner and clinch the title as Matt Voss (three goals) and Luke Glassborow (two goals) relished their chances up forward.
Regan Laurie was Kooweerup’s finest and earned the best on ground medal.
