Sport: Year 7 Boys Football
Brave Effort at Upper Hume
Eighteen of our Year 7 Boys, it was their first chance to strip into our famous Football jumper, at the Upper Hume carnival on Tuesday 20th May at the Barr Reserve.
The boys finished with an 0-4 record for the day against tough opposition from Galen College, Catholic College Wodonga, Cathedral College and Wodonga Middle Year College, but battled bravely across the 4 matches, with only 17 men for half the day.
Team Captain Ollie Fisher was our standout player, playing midfield all day including taking some Ruck contests. Fisher displayed a large bag of skills - ability to read the play, clean hands, marking overhead and gathering cleanly at ground level, and delivering skillfuly to advantage. On top of that he had a considerable X-factor and athleticism, moving like a cat, burning off opponents with bursts of speed and spins, and getting forward to kick our only goal of the day, and almost kicking three others.
Vice Captain Zach Tamme was terrific in the Ruck, Centre Half Forward, and Full Back. His clean marking and neat kicking was exceptional for a big man, and he time and time again won the ball and put it to adantage. Like Fisher, a natural leader.
Joah Van Bergen was terrific on his Wing all day. He got to the right spots and took multiple marks in the open space, and was also strong at ground level, putting his body on the line despite his light frame and young age (youngest in the team). For a kid that has mostly played Soccer, it was a sterling day out.
Jake Vincent was brilliant early at Centre Half Back, and then again when moved to the midfield. With speed, energy and clean hands, he won it every time it was in his area, despite being the 2nd youngest on the team. He sadly injured his knee during the 2nd match, but bravely wanted to keep playing despite limping.
Jack Riddell was an extremely strong physical presence starting on the Back Flank, then also going into the middle. He hit contests harder, and earlier, than those around him, crashing bodies and either spoiling opposition or taking the ball himself. His clean hands and ability to snatch it in the air, for someone who doesn't play Footy, is a natural skill you can't teach.
Dayne Jeffries, Billy Thorpe, Clay Thewlis and Jesse Walkerden were all good, especially in the latter 2 matches. Jeffries in the midfield tried hard all day, Thorpe took several strong marks, Walkerden was a terrier with his pressure and almost snagged a goal, and Thewlis stepped into the midfield for the last 2 games and got his hands on it regularly.
Ryder Lack was huge too. Starting at Full Back, he was quick and strong, continually reacting and impacting the play, crashing bodies and packs. He also played in the Ruck, and pulled off one of the plays of the day when gathering his own tap, and spinning through a tackle while slipping a handball to a barnstorming Fisher for our deepest clearance of the carnival.
BEST PLAYERS: Ollie Fisher, Zach Tamme, Jake Vincent, Joah Van Bergen, Jack Riddell, Dayne Jeffries, Billy Thorpe, Jesse Walkerden, Clay Thewlis.
GOAL KICKERS: Ollie Fisher 1.
HOW THEY LINED UP -
B: Clay Thewlis, Ryder Lack, Shannon Orr
HB: Jack Riddell, Jake Vincent, Billy Thorpe
C: Jesse Walkerden, Ollie Fisher (C), Logan Fraser
HF: Linken Stow, Zach Tamme (VC), Lennox Da Silva
F: Tyler Harrison, Mason O’Brien, Darcy White
RUCK: Lucas Doig, Dayne Jeffries, Joah Van Bergen
There was some significant family history made with Ollie Fisher becoming the 3rd generation in his family to represent the school in Football.
His grandfather Brian was named by legendary Vice Principal, coach and historian Bill O’Callaghan in our Best Team of 1950-1975.
Father Joel was a key player in our 1999 Senior team that won the Herald Sun Country Shield by 53 points over Ballarat High School at VFL Park Waverley.
He was also in our Year 8 team that came State Runner-Up in 1995, losing by 8 points to Warrnambool High after coughing up 2 goals in the final minute. And a State Top 4 Intermediate team in 1997.
Uncles Todd (1994 Intermediate) and Jordan (1999 Intermediate) were also in State Champion Football teams. The Fisher brothers are one of only 2 families to ever have 3 brothers win a State Football title - the other being the Stamp boys (Heath, Jack and Matt).
Thanks to Dale Unwin for supporting on the day, our Year 7 Girls helpers (Evie Fisher, Jolie Mitchell, Marley HIgham, Havarna Long and Milly Higham), our Year 8 boys helpers (Noah Anderson, Dodge Lawrey and Lane Sloan), and Year 9s Clarence Lampa and Will Sayers for umpiring.
Jud Mullins
Sport Coordinator
