Parade College crowned ACC premiership for second straight year, defeating St Patrick’s
Parade College is celebrating back-to-back ACC premierships after defeating St Patrick’s Ballarat and will now look to defend its Herald Sun Shield crown.
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A commanding six-goal third quarter has delivered Parade College back-to-back Associated Catholic Colleges premierships.
There was no need for inspirational three-quarter-time speeches from coach Ricky Dyson this year as his team cruised to a 36-point victory over St Patrick’s Ballarat at Windy Hill.
The 13.10 (88) to 8.9 (52) win completes an undefeated season for the Bundoora school and books it a ticket to the Herald Sun Shield where it will defend its crown.
Northern Knights and Bundoora young gun Jordyn Gillard was named best-on-ground in the win.
Playing in four senior grand finals on Wednesday, Parade claimed two titles – Division 1 football and Division 3 soccer.
Dyson was rapt his Year 12 players got to go out on a high.
“Fantastic, great reward for a lot of hard work,” he said.
“The pleasing thing today was our Year 12s really stood up, while it was an even performance they led the way.
“It was really important for them to really enjoy their last game of ACC footy and they were brilliant.”
Parade started the stronger, bouncing out to a 12-point lead at quarter-time and – despite Strahan Robinson’s fireworks for St Patrick’s – extended the margin to 16 at half-time.
The defending champions then proved the old adage, the premiership quarter, correct with a dominant third term.
Parade piled on six goals to two to create a match-winning 42-point lead.
Urged to go out with a roar by coach Jason Lappin, St Pat’s kicked the first two goals of the term to give itself a sniff of a miracle comeback.
However, Angus Smith goaled 30 seconds later to wipe out any doubt.
Riley Ormerod finished with three majors, while Wil Ryan and Seb Murphy both kicked two, as 10 Parade players hit the scoreboard.
“I thought we went into half-time, not disappointed but just expecting a little bit more from each other,” Dyson said.
“They came out and showed what they can do (in the third).
“They all played a role for each other, there was no outstanding individual performances, they just played really good team footy, which is what has got us here.
“It was a little bit more comfortable at three-quarter-time this year, it was nice to get the runner to go out and tell the Year 12 boys to embrace the last 10 minutes.
“I think Jordyn Gillard, Kristian Lawson and Noah Scott stood out in the middle of the ground and Ty Kitchell and James Allison were terrific down back and all our forwards competed and presented all day.”
For St Patrick’s, Robinson was at his dynamic best with four goals and was named best in defeat.
Archie Caldow, Harvey Lewis, Nedd Bennett, Will Stevens and Lachie Pritchard also impressed.
Parade will now look to defend its Herald Sun Shield title and could be bolstered by the return of Vic Metro stars Zak Johnson and Tom Sims.
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“We’re really looking forward to that, it’s a competition that’s regarded really highly,” Dyson said.
“With guys that have come before us and won it, we want to get back to being a really prominent school and winning it.”
In the day’s other results, St Bernard’s Second XVIII took home the Division 3 premiership with an 11-point win over Parade.
In Division 2, St Joseph’s Ferntree Gully defeated Mazenod by eight points.
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