SPL: Ariss Laghai and Noah Davies believe Helensvale State High are set to shed their underdog tag

Ariss Laghai and Noah Davies have an abundance of favourite football memories. But their best could still be yet to come.

ARISS Laghai and Noah Davies have an abundance of favourite football memories.

But their best could still be yet to come.

On Thursday, the pair will make history as the first Helensvale State High School senior boy’s side to qualify for the Queensland Schools Premier League semi-finals.

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In the age old battle of the underdog, Helensvale will face off against Gold Coast rivals and reigning champions Palm Beach Currumbin State High School in the fight for a grand final berth.

But simply making history isn’t enough for the pair, who are also members of Gold Coast United’s junior squad, as they prepare to prove Helensvale can match it with Queensland’s best.

Helensvale and Palm Beach Currumbin will go head to head in the Queensland Schools Premier League semi finals on Thursday. Helensvale players, Ariss Laghai, 16 and Noah Davies, 15. Picture: Jerad Williams

“Everyone else sees us as underdogs and I understand that we’ve never made it this far and they’ve been here every year but we’ll give them something,” Laghai said.

“It just shows the players are getting better and the coaches are getting better and we’re just all keen for Thursday to come.

“It was a shock we were pretty gassed but it was amazing to make it.”

Davies added: “We’ve been training into our lunchtimes and putting in lots of effort so we planned to keep doing what we’ve been doing at training and it paid off.”

“The Gold Coast rivalry makes it a bigger game.”

Laghai, 16, started playing football to follow in the footsteps of his older brother.

But he arguably has bragging rights over his older sibling after a memorable display for his school in futsal.

With their backs against the wall and 3-1 down at half time in a battle to win an Australasian futsal pool, Laghai scored a hat trick in the second half to advance his side into the next stage of the competition.

“It was a good memory but there’s a lot of great things happening at Helensvale for myself and Noah,” he said.

Davies hopes to eventually make it as a professional footballer after his dad got him into the sport at a young age.

“I’d like to go pro anywhere in the world,” he said.