UNDER 8s By KIM FLACK Euroa was under pressure early, with the team holding back for the first couple of minutes and letting Grahamvale carry the ball. Defence was strong by Max in goals and the backline made up of Toby, Rex and Patty working hard to tackle and clear the ball. Once the first goal hit the back of the net for Euroa, the flood gates opened as the boys found their groove and got busy. Their passing was the best all season. Coach Hooly calling each player to ‘hold’ or ‘look’ which the Under 8s know means to stop, control the ball and then pass it to a player. Earlier in the season the boys would kick it forward blindly and hope for the best. Today’s game shows an improvement in their understanding of the game and their skill level to execute the coach’s message. Toby took most of the sideline throw ins to Freddy and Darcy in the forward line who set up goals for others or slotted some in themselves. Noah’s job was to get the ball then pass, running forward and back, he performed his role perfectly. Half Time saw the team the quietest all year. They had run hard and had limited interchange. Coach Hooly was proud of their passing and the way Euroa were holding their positions. The second half saw Rex jump into goal keeper and under coach’s instructions play high out of the box. He preceded to boot the ball up and over the majority of the field. In fact, Rex nearly scored a goal as keeper. The passing kept resulting in some great goals. Darcy with his left foot, Freddy with a hat trick, little Will getting "oh so close" (thanks for giving our players a breather little Will), Noah and Patty kicking with either foot into every area of the goals while Max and Toby were roosting it in from further back. Team manager James Bodycoat could hardly keep up with the scoring, estimating about 15 or 16 goals for Euroa in the end. To be fair, nobody in the crowd knew and the kids had some wild guesses too. Coach Hooly noted that this was the best team game for the year. Awards went to Toby, Max and Freddy for being awesome. Next week is the last game for this crew. Will they remain undefeated for the whole season? UNDER 10s By DAN GODSMARK Euroa welcomed Jack back into the side as the team lined up against Orrvale. Orrvale’s coach advised that they would be short of players for the game and, before Euroa’s players could even be asked, Hudson volunteered to help out the opposition. Matthew captained Euroa and started in goals. He was called into action early, producing a desperate lunging save to deflect the ball away and prevent Orrvale from taking the lead. Euroa soon got on the front foot and, once the game settled, its passing began to click. Montani finished off a great cross from Will to get Euroa going. The team was on fire throughout the opening half, while Jakobi, Mia and Jordy scrambled hard in defence to ensure Orrvale had very few clear shots on goal. Jack came off the bench and made an immediate impact, scoring with one of his first involvements in the game. Owen also continued to show enormous improvement, with his confidence growing every week. Euroa went into half-time holding a commanding five to one lead and looking in control. The important orange duties were handed over to a more accomplished parent this week, although one player admitted he enjoyed the change in the half time snack. Coach Dan then swapped the magnets around, moving the forwards into defence and the defenders into attack. Hudson returned to Euroa for the second half, while Anakin volunteered to head across and help Orrvale. Will produced one of the highlights of the match when he launched a long-range shot into the goal. He appeared just as surprised as everyone else before celebrating in style. Logan H came close to adding another two goals, with both attempts narrowly shaving the post. Logan C was given the task of collecting five touches and achieved it comfortably. After being moved into goals, Owen made a tremendous save when a bouncing ball looped towards him and threatened to sail over his head. He kept his eyes on it and safely gathered the ball. The second half developed into a stalemate, with the match finishing in a six to one victory for Euroa. Awards went to Anakin and Hudson for volunteering to play for Orrvale, while Montani was also recognised for another strong performance. Next week game against Kyabram will be the team’s second-last match before Gala Day. UNDER 15s By ELECK SIBANDA What an exciting match for the Under 15 boys. It was our first game sporting the new bags, hoodies, and pants, all thanks to Scotty's Garage. Every player truly gave it their best on the field. In the first half, the team played remarkably well, dominating possession and creating plenty of opportunities. We had several great shots on goal, but the opponent's goalkeeper was in top form, making some incredible saves that kept the ball out of the net. Defensively, we held strong. Jethro locked down the opponent’s left wing, consistently winning the ball back and dribbling it upfield to support our attackers. Ethan and Freddy, playing centrally in midfield, did an excellent job disrupting the opponent’s strikers, with Ethan making crucial slide tackles to regain possession. Marcus, stationed at left back, contributed significantly to our defence. Angus was outstanding in goal, making vital saves and delivering impressive long balls to our attacking players. Unfortunately, the second half saw a shift. Shepparton Black stepped up for the opposing team, quickly overwhelming us and netting the first goal to make it one-nil. This setback affected our morale, and despite our best efforts, we struggled to find the back of the net. The opponent’s keeper continued to deliver incredible saves, and as time wore on, frustration began to grow within our team. In the final minute, the opponents scored again, bringing the score to two goals to zero just before the whistle blew, marking the end of the match. Although we faced disappointment in this game, there’s still hope. We can still reach the grand final, facing Shepparton Black again. From this point forward, it’s all or nothing; we need to win every game if we want to lift that trophy at the end of the season. Message to all the Under 15 boys: we've got this. Let’s not just play for ourselves but for the parents who dedicate their time to bring us to games and training, and for all the supporters of Euroa. A huge thank you to our sponsors, your contributions make a significant difference. Every player gave their all, and that effort sets a strong foundation for what’s to come.
