SCHOOL SPORT VICTORIA - SANDHURST DIVISION

Year 8 Boys and Junior Girls Soccer

On Wednesday 6 March, the Year 8 Boys and Junior Girls Soccer teams competed in the Sandhurst Division Competition at the Epsom Recreation Reserve.

Year 8 Boys

The boys played against Castlemaine Secondary College, Crusoe College and Weeroona College Bendigo in their pool round matches.

In the first game, the boys took on Castlemaine and came out swinging, scoring 3 unanswered goals in the first half and 6 in the second for a final score of 9-0. All members of the team played well, with Jonah Say snagging a hat-trick. Nate Thompson, Mitchell Cope, Simeon Bu, Kyren Rowlands and Harlan Laporte also scored throughout the game.

In the second game, the boys had a challenging match against Crusoe College, finishing the first half a goal down 0-1. The boys did well to keep their heads up and get back in the game in the second half. After multiple shots on goal, the boys were finally rewarded as Kyren Rowlands scored with a great shot from inside the 18-yard box to draw the game 1-1. Excellent defensive pressure from George Grewar, Oscar Gilbertson, Declan Winfield and Joh na tha Shee definitely kept the team alive and their ball transition sparked many attacking frays.

The boys' third match was a nail-biter against Weeroona College, and the team knew that they needed a win to earn a spot in the Grand Final. The team had several opportunities to score throughout the game, but just couldn’t capitalise until the final minutes of the match when Mitchell Cope and Simeon Bu engaged in some excellent passing through the entire Weeroona defence to find Jonah Say, who scored to secure a fantastic win 1-0.

With a Grand Final spot secured, the most exciting match of the day took place against Bendigo South East College. There were a lot of ebbs and flows in the match, with BSE scoring the first goal and Jonah Say levelling the score just before half-time. BSE started the second half strong, scoring early, but Kyren Rowlands managed to find some space and strike the ball towards goal. With luck on his side, the ball rebounded off a BSE defender and into the back of the net to level the game at 2-2. With game time elapsed, the match finished in a draw, putting the teams into a penalty shootout to determine the winner of the day. Will Smith put in an amazing effort as goalkeeper, saving all of BSE’s shots at goal. In contrast, the boys successfully scored 3 of their 4 penalties, giving them the win!

A special mention to Coen Kendal and Angelo Cuadra for a great job refereeing throughout the day, and also to Archie McCullough for being our linesman.

An amazing job from the team over the course of the day, culminating in CMCB placing first for the day and earning the shield. The boys represented CMCB with outstanding sportsmanship, competitiveness and respect for the other teams.

Mr Shannan Merrett, Coach

TEAM: Archie McCullough, William Smith, Say Ku Shwe, George Grewar, Nathaniel Thompson, Kyren Rowlands, Simeon Bu, Mr Shannan Merrett (Coach), Oscar Gilbertson, Delcan Winfield, Jonah Say, Mitchell Cope, Harlan Laporte, Mar Dret Mary, Joh na tha Shee

Junior Girls

Our Junior Girls team featured a blend of Year 7 and Year 8 students, all eager to showcase their skills and teamwork.

Their opening match kicked off at 10am against Crusoe College. The girls started strong, dominating possession and setting a skilful tone early. Sofia Angove opened the scoring, followed by goals from Katija Gallagher and Eva Tsiorlas, giving them a commanding three-goal lead by halftime. In the second half, the teams’ momentum continued as Isabella Khodja, Olivia Parker, and Penelope Pah eh each found the back of the net, with Penelope scoring twice. 

The team displayed impressive passages of play throughout, with Penelope demonstrating excellent ball control and providing key assists. Arlan Evans contributed offensively with a promising goal attempt, while Sofia Angove anchored the midfield with sharp vision and precise passing. Indi Saunders worked tirelessly along the wing, supporting both attack and defence. The match concluded with a decisive victory: CMCB 7 – Crusoe 0.

The second game was against a formidable Castlemaine Secondary College team, who had a number of more experienced players and a seasoned coach. Castlemaine struck early, scoring twice in the first half and putting the defence under continued pressure. However, the girls rallied in the second half, holding Castlemaine scoreless thanks to several outstanding saves from goalkeeper Jayde Young. Penelope Pah Eh and Eva Tsiorlas each had serious attempts on goal in the closing minutes, while our defenders, led by Imogen Keller, with support from Zoe Goudge and Charlie Chambers, worked relentlessly to protect the net. Despite the girls’ best efforts, the final score saw Castlemaine secure the win 2 goals to 0.

Although the tournament ended without a final, all the girls found joy in cheering on the boys’ team as they clinched victory in a dramatic penalty shootout. Special thanks to Rose McSweeney for her invaluable assistance with coaching and warm-ups throughout the day; her support was greatly appreciated. We would also like to thank Emily Doherty for her leadership and refereeing on the day.

Mrs Rachel Winfield, Coach

TEAM: Suzanna Hay, Imogen Keller, Pawhtee Ler Say, Penelope Pah Eh, Olivia Parker, Jayde Young, Sofia Angove, Charlie Chambers, Katija Gallagher, Mrs Rachel Winfield (Coach), Ella Brown, Arlan Evans, Indi Saunders, Eva Tsiorlas, Isabelle Khodja, Zoe Goudge, Rose McSweeney (Assistant Coach)