Toowoomba Grammar School finds its silver cup lining

Toowoomba Grammar School finishes runner-up in national Bill Turner Cup competition

NATIONAL FINALISTS: Toowoomba Grammar School's Bill Turner Cup squad (back, from left) Callum McCarthy, Jacob Bunt, Marcus Johnston, captain Ben Moore, Jesse Sharp, James O'Sullivan, Liam Foley, Henry Wells, Nick Coonan, Luke Broderick, (front, from left) Jake Eiser, Kavinda Pererg, Harrison Searle, Tyler Wise, Menphys-Reyne Smith, Jarrah McNicol and Dylan Proctor finished runners-up to Westfield Sports High after losing 2-0 in the final. Picture: Jason Gibbs

FOOTBALL: Grammar's young Bill Turner Cup have found the silver lining to their national final defeat.

Facing Football Federation of Australia backed school Westfield Sports High in the final, Toowomba Grammar School lost 2-0, however striker Henry Wells said the team took great pride in the result.

"We are extremely proud to have made it this far in the competition,” Wells said.

"It was a little disappointing to lose the final but we got past that pretty quickly - we lost to a very good side. Westfield are a specialist sports school - but we played our best.”

Culture and a determined mindset were key to the team's cup campaign, according to Wells.

"I think we had a really good culture,” he said.

"No-one wanted to let the team down, we fought for each other and gave it everything we had.”

Grammar captain Ben Moore echoed the thoughts of his team-mate.

"The whole team gelled really well,” Moore said.

"All of us have played football for a long time but we really came together as a team when we played.

"They (Westfield) just had a little more experience than us.”

After finishing third in the same competition last year, Grammar's 2018 performance makes them the school's most successful team.

"Finishing as national runners-up is a huge achievement,” coach Chris McLeod said.

"Westfield are considered to be the number-one football school in Australia.

"It was a brave performance from the boys.

"From day one they rolled up their sleeves and fought for everything.

"We're very proud of their efforts.”

Grammar advanced to the grand final after defeating Sydney FC support team Bossley Park High in the semi-final.

Originally published as Toowoomba Grammar School finds its silver cup lining