Girl power: SEQ’s top female junior sports of 2021
Who were some of the SEQ’s top junior girl sporting achievers of 2021? We present 60 of the best that we saw in action this year.
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Girl power thrives across Queensland’s sporting ranks, with the next generation of stars starting to poke to the surface.
Here we highlight some of our best junior and youth talent (age under 20 years) based on performances across 16 sports through SEQ in 2021.
CRICKET
GEORGIA VOLL and COURTNEY SIPPEL
A schoolgirl prodigy, batter Voll is starting to come into her own after being blooded by both Heat and Queensland Fire selectors last season. She has been given the responsibility of batting No.3 in the WBBL campaign.
New ball bowler Sippel continues a proud, proud tradition of South Burnett cricketing talent who have excelled in cricket for Queensland.
Carl Rackemann, Matthew Hayden, Martin Love, Nathan Hauritz - and now Courtney Sippel (WBBL Heat) is making a name for herself.
There are other elite Queensland cricket rookies around as well including Tewantin Noosa junior Lilly Mills (Perth Scorchers) and 18-year-old Ipswich top order batter Ellie Johnston who this season signed her first WBBL deal (Heat) after making her Women’s National Cricket league debut last year for the Queensland Fire.
And while BGGS alumni and Western Suburbs junior Josie Dooley (Adelaide) is over he age limit for nomination on this list, it is still great to see her progressing in the WBBL.
RUGBY UNION
MALAELA SU’A and ATHENA VILI
The girls have emerged from a crack pack of Mabel Park SHS schoolgirl juniors to be named in the extended Queensland Reds women’s training squad.
Both backs, they impressed helping the Easts Tigers to win the women’s premiership.
Su’a also starred in rugby league earlier this year where she was named the outstanding player for the state schoolgirls carnival in the 16-18 years age group. She won the same award in the 14-15 years age group in 2019.
Su’a has a big motor. A centre of No.13, last year she played as a middle forward in Mabel Park SHS’s year 9-10 Titans Cup side, then backed up to play the full game in the year 11-12 - scoring her team’s only try.
SKYLA ADAMS
A brilliant ball-playing, swift running playmaker from Keebra Park SHS who shines in both rugby league and rugby union.
Her game went up a gear when she helped Bond University into the senior women’s rugby semi-finals.
COOLANGATTA GOLD
ELECTRA OUTRAM
The Noosa SLSC iron willed athlete and Sunshine Beach State High School alumni stormed to victory in the short course event on Sunday, with second place to Dominique Stitt (second, Maroochydore).
BIANCA RAYWARD
The Gold Coast schoolgirl claimed the Coolangatta Gold Youth Challenge for her swim, board, run effort. An under 14 athlete from North Burleigh, Rayward is an elite multi sports woman who excels in swimming, rugby league, cross country, triathlon and athletics. On Sunday she defeated her sister Jasmine Rayward (second, North Burleigh) and Elsie Shrapnel (third, Dicky Beach).
RUGBY LEAGUE
DESTINY BRILL
The Marsden SHS alumni is the best youth league and union female player in the game who plays for both the Queensland Reds Super W side and the Queensland State of Origin team. A Gold Coast Titans NRLW signing, Brill, 18, had the honour of scoring the winning try for the Origin women against NSW earlier this year. Also keep a close eye on the progress of another Marsden SHS alumni, middle forward April Ngatupuna, who has also been signed by the Titans after helping the Easts Tigers women to the premiership.
JAIDA FALEONO
Here is a bit of a wildcard from Keebra Park SHS. Last week we sang the praises of both Skyla Adams and Chantray Ratu (see top 50 grand final performers story here), and earlier gave the Keebra Park sisters Ebony and Sky Raftstrand-Smith, a halfback and fullback combination, enormous praise. But mobile middle forward Faleono finished with player of the match honours ahead of that awesome foursome when Keebra Park SHS won the Titans Cup earlier in the year.
SHAYLEE JOSEPH
Joseph is following in the footsteps of her older sister Keilee who will be on the verge of her NRLW debut for the Sydney Roosters in 2022.
Middle forward Shaylee Joseph is part of an exciting crop of players out of Mabel Park SHS which includes Gold Coast Titans training squad rookies Malaela Su’a, Athena Vili, Jaydah Tofae, Kaylani and Tahliya Tavita, Danielle Tutakangahau and Delilah Eliu.
And success is sure to continue for Mabel Park SHS, with the school to launch its Girls Sporting Excellence Centre - a dedicated space to support female participation in sport
FOOTBALL
JAMILLA RANKIN and MIA BAILEY
An 18-year-old defender originally from the Sunshine Coast, Rankin is an emerging Brisbane Roar star who was selected in the last two senior Matildas squads. She was also a Young Footballer of the Year nominee last season
Bailey, 17, is a goalkeeper originally from Cairns who has now signed her first A-League Women’s contract with Brisbane Roar.
WATER POLO
TENEALLE FASALA and ABBY ANDREWS
The daughter of Olympic swimming gold medallist Greg Fasala (Mean Machine, 1984 Olympics), Tenealle is the best Queensland young talent not in the Olympic team. An Ipswich Girls Grammar School alumni, Fasala is part of an all-star UQ Barras squad who made it to an extended Olympic Games training squad last year.
She has been learning off tour-time Olympic Bronwen Knox playing in the Queensland Thunder side and the 19-year-old has made huge strides in 2021 and 2020 despite COVID-19 competition disruptions.
UQ Barras junior Abby Andrews had a huge 2021, making her Olympic Games debut.
The prolific goal scoring left hander was the baby of the squad and has returned bigger and better than ever for the experience.
St Rita’s College schoolgirl Amelia Watt and North Brisbane Cougars junior Charlize Andrews are another two boom teens on the rise, with Merlo Mermaid’s Molly Nasser is a dangerous left hander.
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
MAGGIE HARMER
Yet another boom rookie from the Noosa region, Harmer had a huge 2021 which saw her picked up by the Brisbane Lions in July’s 2021 NAB AFLW Draft.
An 18-year-old defender, Harmer is a Noosa Tigers junior who now plays with the Maroochydore Roos in the QAFLW.
She was named in the Team of the Year and played for the Queensland under 19s where she took five marks in the defensive 50m and 15 disposals - plus five tackles.
Hats off also to Coolum Breakers junior Belle Dawes on a rousing 2021, also with the Maroochydore Roos in the QAFLW. .
DIVING
ALYSHA KOLOI
The Cavendish Road SHS alumni took her performances to another level in 2021 despite the disruptions to international competition caused by COVID-19.
From a gymnastics background, Koloi won a bronze medal at the world juniors and is on track to be the next in line on women’s 3m.
Koloi was a winner of the Sport Australia hall of fame scholarship last year
NETBALL
LOSA NIUMATA
The Marsden SHS student was rewarded for an outstanding season by being named Logan City Council young sportswoman of the year over the weekend. A North Brisbane Cougars star in the Sapphire Series, Niumata was originally a junior from the Redlands Netball Association product.
HOCKEY
JADE SMITH and GEORGIE WEST
Moreton Bay College old girl Jade Smith is a former Australian schoolgirls captain who has been recognised as a future senior representative player.
St Aidan’s Anglican College student Georgie West (Kedron Wavell Wolves Hockey Club) is also in the Australian Futures Squad after a series of outstanding performances for Queensland at the Australian Under 18 Hockey Championships in Launceston.
ROWING
SOPHIE MALCOLM
Queensland has half a dozen top notch, elite juniors, but few performances in 2021 can match that of Brisbane State High School student Sophie Malcolm.
Malcolm - who is also an outstanding cross country runner - claimed the single scull at the Australian Rowing Championship in Tasmania - her third time on the podium.
Representing Centenary Rowing Club, she then took out gold for the under 17 single scull and also silver in the under 21 lightweight single scull events.
But Rowing Queensland had other high achievers including the following who took part in a World Cup simulation event alongside the Australian Olympic rowing team:
Jaeve Proberts (Pine Rivers Rowing Club) - under 19 women’s pairs
Ella Smith (Pine Rivers Rowing Club) - under 19 women’s pairs
Sophia Wightman (University of Queensland Boat Club) - under 19 women’s single scull
Ellyn Hill (University of Queensland Boat Club) - under 19 women’s fours
Nancy Duncan-Banks (University of Queensland Boat Club) - under 19 women’s fours
ATHLETICS
ELLIE BEER, LYVANTE SU’EMAI, OLIVIA MATZER and TORRIE LEWIS
Ellie Beer continued to cut an inspiring figure for juniors by making the Olympic Games track and field team.
The Gold Coast 400m star looked like a young woman living out a dream when she waved to the crowds during a recent welcome home parade for Olympians.
Beer has set a stunning example to fellow 2021 world junior championship merit team selections Lyvante Su’emai, Torrie Lewis and Olivia Matzer.
Matzer is a withering 200m talent, St Peters Lutheran schoolgirl Lewis is Queensland’s most exciting track athlete since Sally Pearson and Marsden SHS alumni Su’emai is an elite field athlete who’s throwing continues to put Australian athletics on notice.
Su’emai grew up learning her trade at the Springwood Little Athletic Centre and is now coached by her father.
She is proud of her past school and her community and hertiage and making the merit Australian under 20 world junior side - the same team which put 2021 Logan City Council sportsman of the year Ashley Moloney on the map in 2018 - is a huge honour for Su’emai.
Both sprinters Lewis and Matzer would also have watched in admiration as Day, 21, blazed her way into the Olympic Games 200m semi-finals (22.56 secs)
BASKETBALL
News Corp’s chef Queensland basketball writer Brayden Heslehurst said the sport had a number of all-star performers in 2021
Indiah Bowyer - Played a significant role on the Logan Thunder NBL1 North women’s championship
Danielle Bayes - Played a significant role on the Logan Thunder NBL1 North women’s championship, signed with Boise State University to play college basketball next year
Ella Brow - Part of NBL1 North women’s runners-up with Southern Districts Spartans, signed with SMU to play college basketball in the US next year, selected in New Zealand Tall Ferns training squad at age 18
Lisa and Mary Barnett-Keresoma - Selected in New Zealand Tall Ferns training squad at age 18 and played on the Logan Thunder NBL1 North women’s championship side
Lilly Rotunno - Led the Gold Coast Waves to the Under-18 State Championship in January this year, played a significant role in the club’s NBL1 North women’s team, won CBSQ schools state title with Hillcrest Christian College
Jess Petrie - Led the Gold Coast Waves to the Under-18 State Championship in January this year, selected on a scholarship to the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence in Canberra
Summah Hanson - A Queensland state player who attended the Jr NBA Global Championship in 2019, was part of the Southern Districts Spartans NBL1 North squad
SWIMMING
MOLLIE O’CALLAGHAN, LIZ DEKKERS AND ELLA RAMSAY
The teenage Mollie O’Callaghan stamped herself as an Australian swimmer of the future with a series of blazing - and in once case a record - effort in 200m and 100m relays at the Olympic Games.
As a result O’Callaghan finished with a 4x100m relay gold, a medley relay gold and a 4x200m relay bronze medal after her elite heat efforts.
She will be smashing the door down to making at least one of those starting teams at next year’s Commonwealth Games.
O’Callaghan could be joined on the team by St Peters Western team mate Ella Ramsay who earlier this month was named Ipswich City Council junior sportswoman of the year.
Ramsay has consistently been Australia’s No.1 All Ages swimmer over the last four years, although she is only in year 11 and has time on her side to make the Dolphins.
And of course Dekkers will be back in business pushing for Australian Dolphins selection after narrowly missing the Olympic Games team.
The Newmarket Racers Club butterfly exponent produced multiple 200m fly Games’ times in 2021.
MEG HARRIS
The Mt St Michael’s College alumni burst onto the international stage with gold medals in the 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x200m freestyle relay.
Initially a product of Mackay’s Pioneer Swimming Club and the Eimo SLSC, the 19-year-old’s development was fine tuned by St Peters Western coach Dean Boxall.
Harris has now moved interstate to Adelaide, but she will also be a Queensland kid who, while we predicted was a wildcarrd Olympic medal chance, but who in the eyes of the Australian public is now the country’s new swimming super girl.
SWIMMING
TIANA KRITZINGER
Nudgee Swimming Club pair Jessica Mouatt (World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships) and Tiana Kritzinger (Australia world championship merit team) were high achievers in 2021. The gutsy Kritzinger is a 800m and 1500m exponent who gained great experience at the Olympic trials in 2021.
SOFTBALL
SORAYA HANSEN, JESS ROHDE and AMAYA FOXOVER
These five are Queensland’s best under 20 softballers who would have represented Australia at the 2019 under 18 world championships if it was not for COVID-19.
Hansen is a member of the all-conquering Redlands squad while Ipswich product Jess Rohde is a catcher and outfielder and Foxover a third base specialist.
Our list concentrates on SEQ talent, but two North Queensland girls, Hirari Kurihara and Stephanie Lowe, were also in the Australian under 18 championship squad. Kurihara was a pick-up player for Ipswich at the recent state titles which were livestreamed by News Corp.
Softball Queensland has a host of younger players like Tallulah Civoniceva pouring through the ranks, but Hansen, Rodhe, Foxover, Lowe and Kurihara are the best under 20 players in the state.
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