Struddy’s Cup grand final - three bumper deciders here
Studdy’s Cup grand final match day coverage, best players from a gala day of finals involving St Mary’s, Alex Hills, Caloundra SHS and Stretton State College.
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Caloundra SHS, St Mary’s College and Stretton State College claimed premiership on a gala day of Struddy’s Cup schoolboy grand finals played at Bishop Park.
Alexandra Hills SHS were brave in losing two of the finals, pushing Caloundra to the last second in the Year 9 encounter.
The Struddy’s Cup is named after former Australian halfback and two-time Brisbane Rugby League premiership winning coach Ross Strudwick who has been a long-time supporter and sponsor of schoolboy rugby league.
The players of the day were: Year 7: Darius Brive (Caloundra SHS), Kade Kraut (Caloundra SHS), Hunter Tate-Roche (St Mary’s), Safin Elara (St Mary’s);
Year 8: Lexin Hill (Stretton State College), Nathan Phelps (Alexandra Hills), Sire Drinnan (Alexandra Hills), Zac Lotaki ((Stretton), Onyx Poimafiti (Stretton);
Year 9: Ellyjah Birve (Caloundra SHS), Cooper Benvenuti (Alexandra Hills SHS), Jaxon Benvenuti (Caloundra SHS)
RELATED LINKS
PHIL HALL CUP GRAND FINAL: OUR 18 TOP GUNS
BEST PLAYERS FROM LANGER, WALTERS, RENOUF, HANCOCK FINALS
YEAR 7-8 OLD BOYS, RENOUF SHIELD REPORT
THE MATCHES
Year 7 Caloundra SHS v St Mary’s College Toowoomba, progress
St Mary’s College prop Safin Elara scored a crucial late try as the boys from the Darling Downs edged out Caloundra SHS 18-10 in a tremendous decider this afternoon.
After the scores were 10-all at halftime, St Mary’s produced second half tries to Elara and Nate Goulding after star centre Hunter Tate-Roche had set up the four-pointer.
But it was a beautiful piece of play from prop Elara which enabled St Mary’s to raise their lead to 18-10, five minutes from the end.
After putting his edge forward Temanu Taahi into a gap, Elara then followed on the play to storm over from a ruck run.
It was a golden piece of play by the mobile prop to give St Mary’s a down payment in the premiership.
Earlier St Mary’s hit the front 16 minutes from fulltime when five-eight Cayleb O’Neil stayed alive with the ball, passing to danger man Hunter Tate-Roche who put his mobile edge forward Nate Goulding over in the corner. It was 14-10.
Caloundra almost struck back three minutes later, but defiant defence contributed to Cooper Bretherton unsuccessfully reaching out to score.
The teams were locked 10-all at halftime after a two-try half from St Mary’s centre Hunter Tate-Roche and Caloundra SHS five-eight Darius Birve.
Birve’s two tries were outstanding, powerful individual efforts while Tate-Roche was expertly feed possession by his halves, Cayleb O’Neil and Huey Geran.
St Mary’s would have scored again late in the half, if not for an amazing effort on the goal line from Caloundra’s Kade Kraut, forcing the ball to be lost.
Respective props Oliver Harrison (Caloundra) and Safin Elara (St Mary’s) were strong in the middle, with Elara’s agility before the defensive line eye-catching.
Scores: St Mary’s 18 (H. Tait-Roche 2, S Elara, N Goulding tries; N Scott 3 conv) d Caloundra 10 (D Birve 2 tries; goal)
Player of the Year was Mountain Creek SHS’s Cayden Jennings.
Year 8 (Alexandra Hills SHS v Stretton State College)
Two late tries by Stretton State College elevated the side to a cherished premiership, 28-12 over Alexandra Hills SHS.
Classy centre Amon Tu’aefe and barrelling prop Aydon Barney did the damage late as Stretton pulled away from their rivals after the scores had been level at halftime.
A dummy half diving try from Dakoda Yung just after the break took Stretton State College to 16-12 after the team’s fullback Lexin Hill had again made inroads.
Two brave tackles in a row from Alex Hills’ Dayle Salut was not enough to prevent Yung from taking advantage of a retreating Alex Hill defence to score.
The score was 12-all at halftime, with a tremendous late try by Alex Hills halfback Nathan Phelps drawing his side level.
This was after Stretton State College fullback Lexin Hill had shone like a beacon as his team rebounded from an early Alexandra Hills SHS try to lead 12-6.
Lexin scored one try and looked a class act before his edge forward Zac Lotaki sent his centre Amon Tu’aefe racing away to score a second try.
Alex Hills had started like a house on fire, with prop Reihana Kelly’s rampaging run a great effort in a grand final. Kai Thomas’ conversion then gave Alex Hills a 6-nil break.
Stretton State College’s Onyx Poimafiti made a difference with his big runs and one huge tackle.
Hill was named Player of the Competition.
Scores: Stretton State College 28 (ATu’aefe 2, L Hills, D Yung, A Barney, tries; L Hills 3 conv) d Alexandra Hills SHS 12 (R Kelly, N Phelps tries; K Thomas 2 convs)
Year 9 (Alexandra Hills SHS v Caloundra SHS)
Calroundra SHS held on to beat a fast finishing Alexandra Hills SHS 24-22 in the match of the day.
Caloundra SHS looked home but an inspired performance from the Alex Hills forwards dragged their side back into the match.
Alex Hills prop Cooper Benvenuti, the Player of the Competition, was enormous, scoring a try and charging to give depth to an attacking movement which saw his winger Jail Fels cross with one minute remaining. But the kick from the sideline missed and Caloundra SHS held on.
Two first half tries to Queensland schoolboys five-eighth Ellyjah Birve sent Caloundra SHS flying out of the blocks to lead 12-nil. And it proved the difference.
Birve ran in a beautiful early try, then forced his way over from close range with a show and go that sent his side hurtling to 12-nil.
But as halftime loomed Alexandra Hills, which had to be the next side to score, burrowed over after winger Jailan Fels crossed.
Then Alexandra Hills bookends, props Benvenuti and Jaxon Benvenuti breathed fire into their teams’ campaign after the break, storming their side into field position for edge forward Thomas Croker to slice over.
However, for the second time in the match, Alex Hills failed to secure possession after scoring and the resulting pressure saw Caloundra’s hooker Will Joyner break from the lock position in the scrum and score.
No.13 Keagan Zanchetta then backed it up with another try and at 24-12 with 12 minutes remaining, momentum was the Caloundra SHS.
But there was drama when Caloundra hooker Joyner was sent to the sin bin, leaving his side a player short for five minutes.
Cooper Benvenuti’s rampaging run at the Caloundra line continued with a try next to the posts and with six minutes remaining, it was 24-18 to the Coast side.
Scores Caloundra SHS 24 (E Birve 2, W Joyner, K Zanchetta tries, E Birve 4 conv) def Alex Hills 22 (J Fels 2, T Croker, C Benvenuti; tries; D Keenan 3 conv)
THE PREVIEW
Here we present the Players to Watch and the Unsung Heroes from their respective teams.
Alexandra Hills SHS, year 8s
Players to watch
Nathan Phelps and Kai Thomas
The halfback pairing both players very influential over the past two years. With a contrasting style of play, they complement each other well.
Unsung – Ted Black and Cooper Allen
Black, a prop, and Allen, a second rower or centre, have both progressed very well over last two years strong running resilient defenders.
Alexandra Hills SHS, year 9s
Alex Hills will rely on their middle unit players Cooper Benvenuti, Jaxon Peters- Falloon and Thomas Croker to lay a platform for the rest of the team to capitalise.
The side has been very well led by half back Cody Harris and backed up superbly by fullback Declan Keenan.
Stretton State College, Year 8s
Players to Watch.
Lexin Hill
The fullback and captain, Hill is the leading try scorer in the competition currently leads the Player of the Year points. He has great footwork and knowledge of the game and is the most competitive person you will meet.
Onyx Poimafiti
The prop is a hard worker on the field, the leader of the pack. He loves the challenge of big games.
Unsung
Connor Smith: A second rower in his second year og league, Smith is a great line runner, fast and great under the ball tackler.
Jai Hughes
A calm and creative half who steers the ship, Hughes is a smooth mover from a touch football player who always seems to take the right option in attack
Caloundra SHS, Year 7s
Players to watch
Oliver Smith
The young lock is his team’s forward leader who features strong running and defence. He sets a good example for the rest of the forwards.
Kade Kraut
The second rower is a tireless worker who made crucial game saving tackles in preliminary final.
Tao Chan
A hooker, Chan is a smaller forward but with a great tackle technique that keeps middle solid.
Kayan Davidson
The fullback is an exciting attacking player but also a great one-on-one defender.
Darius Birve
A five-eighth and captain, Birve features strong attacking and defensive play with leadership skills.
Caloundra SHS, Year 9s
Players to watch:
Ellyjah Birve
The Queensland 15s year state representative is an obvious selection for players to watch. He is well known and every team we come up against knows him and works hard to stop him. Birve has brought the intensity from the national carnival back to the team and has a hand in almost every try Caloundra SHS score. He is also an outstanding goal kicker who is Melbourne Storm contracted.
Keagan Zanchetta
Zanchetta is the Caloundra captain, a gifted half back with the frame of a lock forward and plays both positions well. He represented the Sunshine Coast 15yrs side at the state titles this year in the centres. The youngster is a “follow me’’ kind of leader.
Caloundra SHS
Unsung Hero:
Xavier O’Brien
O’Brien is the kind of player every coach wants in his team. O’Brien does not have an off switch and could play every minute in the middle. He is determined and pokes his nose through on almost every carry to get us on the front foot. Has the ability to stop attackers in the place defensively and deserves a lot of credit for allowing our spine to strike on the back of his momentum.
Will Joyner
Joyner is a great defender for Caloundra SHS with a smart footy mind and a pass as accurate in the first minute and last minute. Joyner has only been off the field for a total of 15 minutes all season and leads the team in his actions. Without him putting the ball on a platter for our halves, Caloundra SHS wouldn’t be in the position they are. Joyner has a habit of finding the try line this year and can transition between hooker and lock.
Caloundra SHS coaches Murray Finch (Year 9) and Andrew Gercken (Year 7) said they were both “extremely proud of the teams that have made it through to the grand final after the school’s year 8s and 10s played tier 1 Broncos competitions, while the opens fell just short of a final in the Gee Shield.
“We are the only school on the Sunshine Coast who have featured in the top tier competitions,’’ they said.
St Mary’s College, Year 7s
Hunter Tate-Roache and Temanu Taahi
Tate-Roache, a centre, and edge forward Taahi were both damaging ball runners. Every time they carry the ball they make an immediate impact and they show up in defence too.
Andrew Leach
Leach is a no nonsense type of player who cuts the legs of the opposition. He is the St Mary’s captain who leads by example
Cayleb O’Neil
A five-eight with deft ballplayer, he also doesn’t shy away from a contest. He is a player with heaps of confidence.
Safin Elara
The young prop loves hard work and often breaks the line with his tough carriers.
Unsung
Noah Davies
The St Mary’s prop has strong carries and never gets pushed back. He gives the backs all the room that they could wish for.
Oliver Nichol
One of St Mary’s impact bench players, he gives the team energy and an immediate lift when he comes on. Nichol has strong in defence and does the one per cent things well.
Studdy’s Cup Grand finals
2pm: Year 7: Caloundra SHS v St Mary’s College Toowoomba
3pm: Year 8: Alexandra Hills SHS v Stretton State College
4pm: Year 9: Alexandra Hills SHS v Caloundra SHS
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