NRL Schoolgirls Cup round 4: Best and fairest named as Keebra Park come alive
NRL Schoolgirls Cup: The round 4 best and fairest named here, as Keebra Park celebrate a remarkable upset win and PBC and Mabel Park also hit the winning post.
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Keebra Park State High struck while the iron was hot to upset Marsden State High in a huge moment for the girls academy program.
Meanwhile, Mabel Park SHS and PBC SHS also enjoyed victories in the fourth round of the NRL Schoolgirls Cup.
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With their top Maroons halfback Torah Luadaka and outstanding hooker Okalani Compton leading the way, Keebra Park beat Marsden at Marsden 20-14, at Marsden.
Among a number of absentees from the Marsden SHS side was elite hooker Enah Desic, who was abroad in Andorra playing for Montenegro in the European Women’s Rugby 7s Tournament.
The talented rugby league dummyhalf, also a top gun in seven-a-side rugby, had planned to be back for Wednesday’s clash.
She was delayed in Qatar en route to Australia following the military base attack earlier in the week.
In her absence, premiership-contenders Keebra struck to enter the school holidays with an unbeaten 3-0 record.
Marsden and Ipswich SHS are both 2-1, Mabel Park and Palm Beach Currumbin SHS 2-2, Stretton State College 1-2 and St James 0-4.
Read on for a recap on how round 4 unfolded.
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NRL SCHOOLGIRLS CUP BEST AND FAIREST
PBC SHS 30 defeated Stretton SC 10
Kaylee Booth (PBC SHS)
Instrumental halfback KayleeBooth pulled all the strings in a stunning performance that guided the Reds to victory.
Her kicking game was a class above, again, Booth regularly putting the Stretton defence under pressure.
Booth was to the fore in PBC’s second-half barrage. She forced her way over for the go-ahead try in the 35th minute and hand her hand in the lead up to other tries.
Saskia Croyston (PBC SHS)
Representative middle Croyston put in a fine performance at lock.
She was rock-solid defensively and in attack was a key option from the outset.
Croyston scored PBC’s first two tries of the game and was an imposing figure in the middle.
Te Rina Pearse and Bella Alo (Stretton SC)
The halves pairing of Pearse and Alo had Palm Beach Currumbin under all kinds of pressure in the first half and both players were rewarded with tries.
Pearse’s running game in the first half was elite in creating gaps and several scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates.
Both are very fine players who contributed to Stretton gaining strong field position in the first stanza.
Mabel Park 42 defeated St James 12
Kaylani Tavita (Mabel Park SHS)
Playing at hooker, Kaylani Tavita was best on the ground in her comeback match from injury.
Tavita was lethal around the ruck when attacking the St James tryline. Her ability to get out of dummy-half and drag in defenders, opened plenty of holes for the Mabel Park front rowers to run into.
Tavita set up three tries and scored a runaway solo effort of her own.
Mele Misa (Mabel Park SHS)
If Tavita was best, then Mele Misa was comfortably the silver medal winner in a tight race. Her incredible efforts throughout the middle of the paddock stood her apart from the rest.
Misa is on a roll.
Arianah-Lei Colenso-Tavita (Mabel Park SHS)
Playing centre Colenso-Tavita is a year 10 student who had a great game starting on the edge. She later moved into the second row, and had a number of damaging line breaks.
Amanii Misa (Mabel Park SHS)
The Queensland Under-19s five-eighth was a class above her opposition with her footwork and deceptive passing game causing plenty of headaches for the St James side.
Misa also showed a clean pair of heels with two runaway tries, including a 70m effort after scooping up a dropped ball and taking off in the one motion.
Lauryn Martin (Mabel Park SHS)
The Mabel fullback possesses blistering speed but also an uncanny knack of showing up at the right time. Her support play on breaks was outstanding and she scored a deserving first half try with a blazing run down the outside.
Kina Vainga (St James)
It was hard to fault the effort and heart of the St James lock forward. At times it appeared like she was doing it on her own out there. Vainga breathed life into her side with two second half tries, both barge over efforts from short range, but it was only a brief reprieve.
Lenore Georgetown, Layla Satui and Tina Gaw (St James)
Spine players Georgetown (halfback) and Satui (hooker) were top notch with their direction and low-mistake rate under pressure.
In the middle, persistent prop Tina Gaw had her game face on and it got the St James girls rolling.
Keebra Park 20 defeated Marsden SHS 14
Keebra Park’s remarkable victory was sparked by an awesome foursome of talent — Diamond Graham, Okalani Compton, Mercedez Lisone-Siaea and Torah Luadaka.
The run and attacking ability of Graham and Compton aided Keebra’s boilover victory, as did their aggressive defence.
Halfback Luadaka was another elite performer, while middle forward Lisone-Siaea was tremendous in a battle royal with the opposition.
Second rower Saraya Smith and interchange players Elizabeth Ngahe and Tedashii Cora ensured a victory ensued after Keebra had started fast with four first-half tries.
For Marsden SHS, classy fullback Janique Mili was just outstanding under the high ball in windy conditions.
Edge forward Deleni Paitai was also excellent on defence, muscling up in the middle of the field.
The interchange impact from Marsden SHS was also brilliant, with Zerenity Tuala and Mya Tronc bringing it off the bench.
Tronc tamed Keebra on defence and Tuala’s second stint was elite.
Tuala proved unstoppable on two occasions when scoring Her centre Sienna Ibrahim was a boss in her own right, shrugging off hamstring tightness and being a dynamic attacking weapon the edge.
Originally published as NRL Schoolgirls Cup round 4: Best and fairest named as Keebra Park come alive
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