Four goals from James Priest was a highlight of the season opener for Shepparton Junior Soccer League team Kyabram Knights as it began its defence of the under-14 title it won last year.
The Knights won 8-nil against Shepparton City Schools and Saturday was its first match of the season, having had the bye in the first week of the season.
There were several familiar faces in the team, with eight or nine from the premiership winning team still eligible for the competition.
Coach Daryl Harrison said there were only two or three members of the 13-member squad that were in their first game.
All four of Priest’s goals were by boot, the striker working in tandem with midfield players Wil Harrison and Anthony De Pasquale, who both scored two goals each.
Priest was the golden boot of the competition last year as a bottom age player and is also one of Kyabram’s best under age AFL footballers.
Xavier Dodos played in defence and Max Coates worked well at left back.
Matt Priest and Daryl Harrison will be coaching the team during the season.
– At Under-12 level the five round grading season continued and Kyabram Knights Red followed up a 5-1 round one win with a 10-nil success against Numurkah Knights.
The team the Knights beat in the first round, St Luke’s Stars, won its second round match 8-2, against Tatura White.
A big test for the Knights Red under-12 team will be this weekend when it faces GV Grammar, which won its opening round grading match 11-1.
At the end of the grading weeks there will be different divisions created to reflect the results of the grading games.
Kyabram Knights Black won its round two match 3-2 against Nagambie Red after losing last week to St Brendan’s Saints.
The Knights Black outfit face Guthrie Jaguars on Saturday, which has lost both its first two games.