A Tungamah side full to the brim with talent topped off an impressive season on Saturday, defeating Katandra to lift the Picola District league’s under-17 football premiership
They were the two best teams throughout the home-and-away season, with both having lost only one game — against each other — before the big dance.
After an even first half, it was the second where the Bears got over the line, with the 8.10 (58) to 5.4 (34) result an impressive one.
Early on it was league leading goal-scorer Lachlan Phillips who started the premiers’ day well, kicking the first goal of the game, before a second Bears major had them up and about.
As the opening stanza drew to a close the Kats clawed their way back into it, with the Bears taking a one-point lead into the second quarter.
The second term was much like the first, with a breeze and wet conditions making it tricky to score.
Both sides battled it out in the middle of the park, however missed chances to Katandra saw it trailing by five points at the main break.
After half-time it was the Tungamah show, with the eventual premier building a 12-point buffer at the last change.
Two more goals to Phillips in the final quarter put the Bears in the box seat and they ran out 24-point winners.
Tungamah coach Paul Sidebottom said he was extremely proud of his team.
“They worked so hard for this, like really worked hard,” Sidebottom said.
“There was a lot of training, a lot of injuries through the year and we had five kids miss out that could’ve made the team.
“But it’s just exceptional.”
Sidebottom said it was the pressure that got the Bears over the line, with a couple of players standing up at the right time.
He said best-on-ground Liam Williams put in a fine performance.
“We sort of took over the ball and controlled it a little bit,” he said.
“Liam is a champion kid. He’s a local kid, played a lot of under-14s, went into Yarrawonga for a bit and he’s come back to finish off in our thirds.
“Just an exceptional kid.”
Along with Williams’ exceptional performance, Geoffrey Montgomery and league-leading goal-kicker Phillips stood out for the Bears, while Euan Morrissey and Lachlan Malcolm performed well for the Kats.
Katandra’s Finn Walters also had a notable game, with the number 10 battling through injury to kick two goals.
PDL under-17s grand final
Tungamah...............2.1, 3.2, 6.3, 8.10 (58)
Katandra....................2.0, 2.3, 4.3, 5.4 (34)
GOALS: Tungamah: L. Phillips 3, A. Doherty, L. Williams 2, J. Costigan. Katandra: F. Walters 2, M. Lawford, K. Beaton, A. Mamone.
BEST: Tungamah: L. Williams, G. Montgomery, L. Phillips, M. Hughes, J. Raven, H. Thomson. Katandra: W. Morrissey, L. Malcolm, B. Waters, K. Beaton, A. Bollard, L. Bennett.