Top performers from Langer Trophy, Walters Cup, Langer Res, Schoolgirls Cup clashes
Grand final day heroes revealed from the Langer Trophy, Walters Cup, Schoolgirls Cup and Langer Reserves after four thrilling deciders.
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Could we have seen a better day of schoolboy grand finals? Seriously, has there been better?
Three of the four deciders came down to the final minutes.
NRL Schoolgirl Cup: Ipswich SHS captain Shalom Sauaso scored the winning try seven seconds from fulltime to pip Marsden SHS 16-10 in grand final classic.
JUSTIN HODGES MEDAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR REVEALED
BOBB, RENOUF AND HANCOCK CUPS PLAYERS OF GRAND FINAL DAY
The match was like an old western shootout on a Sunday afternoon as both teams went hammer and tongs at each other. You did not know where to look as bodies flew in all directions as girls thudded into tackles, ricocheted off each other before throwing the ball about.
Walters Cup: Two tries in the final four minutes elevated a fast finishing Keebra Park SHS beyond Marsden SHS’s clutches in a gripping Walters Cup decider.
Keebra Park won 24-16, hitting the front four minutes from fulltime when fullback Israel Lotaki scored after lightning hands by halfback Harvey Smith.
Five-eight talent Cornelius Kelsall then burst away in the final seconds to set up a try for centre Simione Tauelamgi.
Langer Reserves: Mabel Park SHS five-eight Titus Marsden kicked a last-second field goal as his side claimed a miracle 17-16 Langer Reserves grand final win over a gutted Ipswich SHS.
Marsden kicked a 35m drop goal with no time left.
Ipswich had led 12-nil and 16-4, but No.6 Marsden was twice a later hero - once for his field goal and another for a chip kick, just seconds earlier, which forced a turnover of possession.
Langer Trophy: The fourth and final match saw a drama charged affair won 28-8 by PBC SHS over Marsden SHS, but even that match was event filled. REPLAY HERE
PLAYERS OF THE DAY
LANGER RESERVES
MABEL PARK SHS 17 DEF IPSWICH SHS 16
Motootua Kia (Mabel Park SHS)
Man mountain Motootua Kia scored a grand final try for the ages with a massive individual performance.
The thunderous middle forward consistently made post contact metres and made the most important play of the game when he dislodged the ball from his rival’s grasp with a thumping tackle.
That won possession for his side and handed Marsden his opportunity to take care of business.
He has been a loyal servant of the Mabel Park SHS Langer Reserves side over the last two seasons and none, except for matchwinner Marsden, would have cherished this premiership more than him
Dom Ierome (Mabel Park SHS)
He hit hard, hit often and he hurt.
A sledge hammer in defence, hard running lock Dom Ierome capped off a brilliant season bending bodies backwards at will.
His performance in the final, and consistently across the season, put a down payment on the No.13 jersey in next year’s Langer Trophy team.
Titus Marsden (Mabel Park SHS)
Mabel Park SHS’s matchwinner.
After a quality display of long and short kicking throughout the game, Marsden saved his best for last to land a telling blow on the stroke of fulltime.
Marsden’s wobbling field goal from 32m out sent a dagger through the heart of his courageous Ipswich SHS opponents and the fact he could make that kick after 60 minutes playing five-eighth was just outright impressive.
Tyler Theuerkauf (Ipswich SHS)
The No.4 in News Corp’s Langer Reserves Team of the Season, left centre Tyler Theuerkauf added the bling to the brawn in a complete first half performance by Ipswich SHS.
The contact hungry 18-year-old rewarded his forwards’ performance with fluent finishing, twice scoring tries and assisting on another try all in 30 minutes work.
James Pau (Ipswich SHS)
Hired hit man James Pau was a battering ram in defence who sent Mabel Park attackers backwards.
Pau’s powerful right shoulder was in everything, especially late in the piece when he detonated in defence.
He could be seen taking two tackles in one set multiple times while Ipswich SHS played a man down.
Mel Nonu (Ipswich SHS)
Nonu was a prime mover for Ipswich SHS all season long and enhanced his reputation with a stirring performance.
In a losing side, Nonu’s fearless carries, exit runs and stoic defence set up a 12-nil and 16-4 lead approaching oranges.
Bailey Downs (Mabel Park SHS)
In a game of inches, Downs was ever present as a disrupter in the ruck and an enforcer in defence.
The headgear wearing assassin hit hard and led the charge on defence, applying the same pressure in the 60th minute as he did in the first.
Matt Joyce and Tyson McDonald (Mabel Park SHS)
Mabel Park SHS’s wingers were faultless and came alive in the second half to recapture momentum after Ipswich SHS had the running for much of the game.
McDonald’s pressure on Titus Marsden’s kicks and his metres out of from defending was first rate.
Joyce had nerves of steel slotting the all-important penalty goal from that equalised the scores at 16-all approaching fulltime and was measured with his runs down the left edge to ensure he kept the ball in the field of play.
WALTERS CUP
KEEBRA PARK SHS 24 DEF MARSDEN SHS 16
Cornelius Kelsall (Keebra Park SHS)
Special K had the Midas touch in Keebra Park SHS’s epic Walters Cup performance where they came from behind to win 24-16.
The hot stepping five-eighth didn’t have the ball too much, but when he did the youngster made up for lost time after missing much of the home-and-away season through injury.
The freakish playmaker scored a ridiculous solo try in the first half where he evaded a handful of defenders on the way to the tryline before setting up a late try to Simione Tauelangi when a telling left to right step and 50m dash set up a dazzling try on the stroke of time.
Lennox Whaiapu (Keebra Park SHS)
Keebra Park SHS 16-year-old Lennox Whaiapu clicked into sixth gear in his Walters Cup finals campaign to influence the semi-final and grand final with magnitude.
Whaiapu deservedly took out the player of the match award in the biggest game of the season - a week after being the best forward on the ground in his team’s semi-final win.
Mairangiatea Walker (Marsden SHS)
What a season the young gun from New Zealand had.
The gutsy, fleet a foot left centre started the year with a bang away against Redcliffe SHS and finished it on a high note scoring a try and threatening with limited touches for the mighty Makos.
Grayson Wharakura (Marsden SHS)
The big fullback tried his best to get his side forward with his fearless strides into the teeth of the tackle hungry Keebra Park SHS pack. He also scored a powerful try from close to the line.
Harvey Smith (Keebra Park SHS)
Halfback leader Harvey Smith runs the Keebra Park SHS attack, gives his flair filled outside backs room to move and plugs the corners well with his kicks.
But what you may not notice is the diminutive pivot defends like a hooker or lock and on Wednesday was one and a half players with his ball skills and defensive efforts.
Of course was involved in fullback Israel Lotaki’s match winning try three minutes from time that sent Keebra ahead 20-16.
Tyrel Anderson (Keebra Park SHS)
Keebra Park SHS middle forward Tyrel Anderson was somewhat of a grand final hero at Langlands Park.
Anderson was unrelenting with his hits on defence and for a big boy got through an immense amount of work.
The head gear wearing big bopper scored the fantastic try nine minutes from time that cut the deficit to just two and then made a cool 20m off the restart when he charged at the Marsden line.
He was the linchpin for his side in defence and in attack moved mountains before giving flashy dummy half Qubin Anderson a quick play the ball.
Keebra Park No.13 Hamilton left nothing in the tank on grand final day.
NATIONAL SCHOOLGIRLS CUP
IPSWICH SHS 16 DEF MARSDEN SHS 10
Tiresa Leasuasu (Ipswich SHS)
Queensland Schoolgirls national champion Tiresa Leasuasu was the unsung hero with her fingerprints all over Ipswich SHS’s frantic but fantastic charge to the premiership.
The rough-and-tumble utility forward moved mountains with her ball carries early in the game before coming to the fore with her defensive work.
A highlight of her performance came in the final 10 minutes when the scores were level at 10-all and Marsden had prime field position and a one woman overlap.
Eyes-up Marsden hooker Enah Desic bolted towards the line and Leasuasu, with help from Ariana Henderson, was there to stop her from planting the ball.
Ariana Henderson and Bailey Sorbello (Ipswich SHS)
There are not enough words in the dictionary to do justice to the Ipswich SHS centres Ariana Henderson and Bailey Sorbello who produced magnificent defence.
On countless occasions Marsden SHS threatened to snap the 10-all deadlock and the two common denominators in keeping Ipswich SHS in the match were defensive brutes Henderson and Sorbello.
When Ipswich SHS were playing 12 on 13, the pair’s brutality and precision on their goal line was out of this world.
Nikeisha Ngaru (Marsden SHS)
The diminutive Nikeisha Ngaru might be small in stature but she packs a real punch.
On the cusp of halftime the Sunnybank Dragons Premier Women finisher pulled off a spectacular try saving tackle on a runaway Emily Jackwitz and defended bravely throughout.
She also went looking for work when Marsden SHS were trying to exit their half.
Deleni Paitai (Marsden SHS)
Prolific left edge forward Deleni Paitai was in her element in this NRL schoolgirls spectacle.
The dangerously agile second rower ran try scoring lines and early in the match announced herself when she sliced through a hole and unloaded to Janique Mili who scored first.
Paitai’s presence was felt throughout and it took a real workaholic performance from Ariana Henderson and her teammates to contain her barrages.
Enah Desic (Marsden SHS)
It was a pity there had to be a loser on Wednesday because halfback Enah Desic and her mighty Makos played well enough to win.
Traditionally a dummyhalf, Desic played halfback and had her hand in both tries scored by her team. The first one was scored by Janique Mili after Desic had put Deleni Paitai through a gap and the second one she perfectly moved the ball right to left to use an overlap and put Nikeisha Ngaru over.
All this, before tackling her heart out in the final minutes of the game when Ipswich SHS marched up the field in pursuit of points.
Shalom Sauaso (Ipswich SHS)
A fairytale couldn’t depict the incredible scenes at Langlands Park when Ipswich SHS’s golden girl Shalom Sauaso snatched the NRL Schoolgirls Cup Trophy in the final play of the game.
A match of this intensity was bound to be decided in the final minute and like a thief in the night No.13 and captain Shalom Sauaso produced her most devastating blow by carving a gorge in the Marsden defence and crashing over.
Sauaso was her destructive self from the get go and her match winner, paired with the sideline conversion, was the icing on the cake for a player who has made Ipswich SHS an outfit to be feared and a player who sets the tone like no other.
“No words can explain how that game went,’’ said the hero Sauaso.
“The girls worked their backsides off in the final five minutes. I told them to get their act together and they delivered that and I am so proud of them.’’
Emily Jackwitz (Ipswich SHS)
While every winger out there was quality, Jackwitz could have been the pick of the bunch she was that sure of it on defence.
Jackwitz hit hard and often and stuck her tackles on the right wing, where she also almost scored a try.
Jackwitz held up her end of the bargain in defence, which was what kept Ipswich SHS in the game before Shalom Sauaso left her mark on fulltime.
Jackwitz, Sorbello, Henderson, Leasuasu and gutsy five-eighth Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa were just vicious.
Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa (Ipswich SHS)
Ipswich SHS’s five-eighth was crafty with the ball in hand, made the right reads, communicated excellently with her outside backs and was most impressive rushing up fast in defence.
She loved the physical battle and fronted up every time when Porche John, Rina Rancis, Memory and Deleni Paitai powered towards her.
LANGER TROPHY
PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN SHS 28 DEF MARSDEN SHS 8
Zane Harrison (PBC SHS)
This year’s Justin Hodges medallist oozed excellence on the hallowed Langlands Park turf to steer his side to their second successive Langer Trophy premiership.
A tough little rooster, Harrison rebounded from an early head knock to stamp his mark on this match with two sideline conversions, a classy 40-20 that led to a try by Josh Donovan and a solo try that put a canyon between the sides approaching fulltime.
He was masterful.
Isaac Harrison (PBC SHS)
While his twin brother came up with the high profile clutch plays, Isaac Harrison was the bedrock on which the PBC SHS forwards built their game around.
The best mop up man in the competition had three times as many carries than any of his teammates, and aside from Jac Finigan, made as many tackles as anyone in his side.
Sam Stephenson
PBC SHS’s Australian Schoolboy brought his A game and it gave the side an early 6-nil advantage when he struck away 93m to score a superb intercept try.
Then, with great gusto, Stephenson angled his runs back infield and played the ball quickly so that Jai Bilish and Kaleb Smith could get the ball promptly into the hands of Marley McLaren and Zane Harrison.
Taylan To’a (Marsden SHS)
Despite being sin-binned late in the game, To’a was mistake free and a danger in the wider channels and ran tough crash balls into the mouth of the PBC defenders.
Marsden SHS’s second rower was an offload king who acted as an extra centre in attack and a hooker or lock in defence where he got through plenty of work.
Jac Finigan and Hiawe King (PBC SHS)
They made 25 tackles between them and carried strongly despite limited playing time - because he was an interchange player and Finigan because he spent 10 minutes in the sin bin. They were the bruise brothers in defence.
Levi Rusin and Cody Goulter (Marsden SHS)
A blue collar worker, Levi Rusin’s immense workrate was clear as day.
You’d notice him immediately because of his mullet whooshing in the wind but he remained front and centre for the Makos with his telling defence and straight line carries that sent a ripple through the Reds line.
Ditto Goulter. Sometimes in life giving your all is just not enough to alter the swing of a football match, and Goulter left nothing in the tank.
Benji Quinlan (Marsden SHS)
Win, lose or draw you can put money on middle forward enforcer Benji Quinlan doing his core role well.
Seemingly an immovable object at times, big Quinlan was a goer in the final on both sides of the ball when it mattered.
Quinlan was largely responsible for getting Marsden SHS rolling forward about five matches ago and he finished the season on a high.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Adaquix-Jeramiah Watts-Luke (Marsden SHS)
Although Luke could not find a way through, he looked the most likely to make something happen for the Makos.
The hot stepping Dolphins academy talent was safe under the garryowen, sound in defence and was an inch or two away from breaking free of PBC’s shackles on numerous occasions. He is super sharp and has a very bright future for the Dolphins.
Marley McLaren (PBC SHS)
Year 11 playmaker Marley McLaren was a cool customer at five-eighth when PBC lost Zane Harrison for around 10 minutes while he was being assessed.
A highlight of his eyebrow raising performance, where his running game was dangerous, came when the match was hanging in the balance with 17 minutes left.
McLaren made an all-important cover tackle on Marsden winger Reece Gorman who looked in for all money and outside of this his defensive work was first rate for a No.6.
Josh Donovan (PBC SHS)
Sam Stephenson’s unheralded centre should also be recognised for his defensive performance. He made a dozen tackles and also had the joy of scoring on grand final day. In a team which prides itself on defence before attack, Donovan delivered.
Reece Gorman (Marsden SHS)
Fiery right wing Reece Gorman brought energy, passion and fearlessness to this contest.
Although he was sin-binned early in the game, Gorman’s general high work rate, wonderful defence on opposition players Josh Donovan and Beau Hartmann and team mentality was to be admired.
He did not shy away from the moment.
Sunny Kama (PBC SHS)
Faultless right wing Sunny Kama was his usual calm and composed self and it demanded praise.
Kama was a workhorse early in attacking sets with his hit-ups and was rewarded for doing the grunt work with a try early in the second half that put a crevasse between the sides.
Originally published as Top performers from Langer Trophy, Walters Cup, Langer Res, Schoolgirls Cup clashes
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