Girls Footy

Our Junior Girls Football team made history yesterday finishing Runner-Up at the Hume Region carnival at the Barr Reserve, placing them 2nd of 40 secondary schools in our area, falling 1 game short of a State Quarter Final.

Despite fielding a team with more Year 7s than 8s, and missing our best player and Co-Captain (Kaity Ford) to a family holiday in Cairns, they stormed out of the blocks in their opening game, blitzing the Ovens & Mitta region champion Tallangatta Secondary College by 14 points (3.4.22 def 1.2.8) in a dominant performance. 

They then stuck within range of the always-strong Catholic College Wodonga until half time of the Final, before being overpowered by the much bigger, stronger and faster Border outfit, who draw from a pool of twice our enrolment numbers.

Overall, a wonderful effort. Co-Captains Inanay Gilson and Ruby O'Kane were presented with our Runner-Up pennant flag which is now hanging proudly in the Sport Centre on our Wall Of Champions. It's our 4th pennant already this year, and our 1st Football pennant since our Inter Girls won in 2018 at Mooroopna.

Year 7 Mia Simpson was named our Best Player. Starting at Centre Half Forward, the Vice Captain and Wangaratta Rovers and Tigers player dominated the 1st match, taking numerous marks in the air, gathering the ball at ground level, weaving around opponents, driving it forward and scoring herself. She kicked our 1st goal, snapping brilliantly on the turn, and could have easily had 3 in the 1st 10 minutes if not for narrowly missing 2 others. She was so dangerous that calls of "Kick it to Mia" rained out whenever we got possession. An extremely talented footballer with a genuine X-factor who reminds staff of former-W.H.S student and current Carlton AFLW legend Darcy Vescio.

​Bella Boulton, another Year 7 promoted to Vice Captain, starred again to be named our 2nd best player just as she did at the Upper Hume carnival in June. The Wangaratta Rovers player patrolled the midfield all day, and was consistently the first player to the fall of the ball at stoppages, gathered with clean hands, exploded from congestion with pace, had good skills on the outside and kicked a long goal. Despite being one of the lightest-framed in the team, her courage stood out, laying strong tackles and putting her body on the line in packs - all of this  a week after running at the State Cross Country in Melbourne. Another all-round talent and footballer to seriously watch.

Ruby O'Kane of Year 8 was "The General" yesterday. Promoted to Co-Captain in the absence of Ford, the Wangaratta Devils Soccer player led from the front with outstanding commitment, toughness and skill. Playing the hardest position on the ground (Ruck), she dominated the hit-outs in the 1st game to give her mids 1st use, but also mopped up ground balls herself, put her head over the ball with courage, took timely marks, and could pretty much do everything despite never having played competition Football.

Inanay Gilson was our other Year 8 Co-Captain and was just as inspirational. Playing midfield all day, the Wangaratta Rovers footballer and Wangaratta Devils Soccer player, was in and under, winning the ball consistently, using it with skill, and extremely tough, battling her heart out all day, often getting back to save goals on the last line of defence. Another all-round talent and tremendous leader who we're lucky to have in our ranks.

Paige-Lee Dummett, the 3rd of our prominent Year 7s to be promoted to Vice Captain this round after a sterling Upper Hume carnival, demonstrated her leadership by not only playing, despite being still ill from a heavy knock on the weekend, but also putting her hand up to play the integral Centre Half Back position, covering the gaping hole left by Ford. The light but brave Wangaratta Rovers and Tigers youngster held the position down, and was a key player again.

Rounding out the Top 6, Year 8 Liv Day came in to the team after being unavailable last round, and made immediate impact on the Wing and through the Midfield. The Wangaratta Devils Soccer player, who kicked 3 goals in a School Soccer match in Term 2, was remarkably clean with her hands and skills for a Soccer player, and used her considerable endurance (State Cross Country entrant last year) to feature strongly all day.

GOAL KICKERS: Bella Boulton 1, Georgia Kelly 1,  Mia Simpson 1.

BEST PLAYERS: Mia Simpson, Bella Boulton, Ruby O'Kane, Inanay Gilson, Paige-Lee Dummett, Liv Day.

HOW THEY LINED UP:

B: Jayda Massey-Chase, Bella White, Ruby Burns

HB: Kate Preston, Piage-Lee Dummett (VC), Leila Hyland

C: Liv Day, Ruby Barnard, Willow Norris

HF: Paige Tanner, Mia Simpson (VC), Polly Oats

F: Ellouise Jones, Amelie Booth, Bianca Hagl

FOLL: Ruby O'Kane (C), Inanay Gilson (C), Bella Boulton (VC).

INTER: Arwen Castens-Hall, Ellie Hutchenson, Georgia Kelly, Claire Shilcock, Lacy Solimo.

Thanks to all the girls for playing and representing our school in a sterling manner. Thanks to the many helpers and large Cheer Squad, and the many parents, family members and staff members there to support. Special thanks to a great bunch of Junior Boys who were solid umpires - Clarence Lampa and Will Sayers(Central), Jeremy Bagley and River Mackinnon-Burman (Boundary) and Will Boulton (Goal Umpire). 

Big thank you also to Sandy "Newmo" Newman for coaching, and parent and former-W.H.S teacher Kev McGennan for again volunteering his time to take the great photos (more of which are on Facebook).

Jud Mullins

Sport Coordinator