Euroa under 12s finish season in style with 5–2 win

SOCCER UNDER 12s By HAYLEY ROWAN The Euroa side saved some of their best soccer for the last game of the season, powering to a 5 to 2 victory over GV Grammar. Leo opened the scoring early with a clever strike on the goalkeeper, putting Euroa on the board and setting the tone for the day. From there, the team showed just how well-drilled they have become, holding positions, moving with purpose, and backing each other up at every turn. Euroa created chance after chance but the GV goalkeeper stood tall until Jasper finally broke through. GV Grammar answered back with a strong run and goal of their own. Owen, Lucas, Dex, and Jayden combined brilliantly in defence and midfield, working tirelessly and applying relentless pressure to keep GV on the back foot. Nick’s well-placed corners and passes set up another Jasper strike, giving Euroa a 3-1 lead before an unlucky deflection gifted GV an own goal. Harry responded immediately, finishing sharply and celebrating in style to restore momentum. Remy and Lylah from the under 12 girls also impressed, with Lylah capping the day with a late goal to seal the 5-to-2 victory. Euroa now has a bye before finals begin. UNDER 10s By DAN GODSMARK The under 10 Thunder team faced St Mels with several players missing, leaving just one substitute for the game. Ritchie stepped up as captain and took charge of the kick-offs, while Hunter, standing in as goalkeeper, made a strong contribution. His powerful kick-outs gave the defence valuable time to recover. Dominating field position, Thunder pushed hard to keep up the pressure. Forwards Teddy and Max had plenty of supply, but a lapse in concentration allowed St Mels to break through for the opening goal. A second goal soon followed, though Thunder answered back when Teddy capitalised on loose passes to score. At half time, Thunder trailed 2-1. In the second half, Anakin took over in goals, with William C handling the kick-outs. Will H was excellent, rebounding through the midfield and driving the team forward. Hudson, Max, and Bradley earned the awards for the day, while Montunui showed great ball control and composure. Despite a spirited effort, the match ended 4-to-1 in favour of St Mels. With one more game and the gala day still to come, the Thunder are looking forward to finishing the season strongly. UNDER 8 By KIM FLACK It was Euroa Thunder vs All Saints this week for Under 8s soccer. With a full side and coach Julio back from his knee injury, the Thunder were ready to go. Skylah, Darcy, and Max all started strongly, taking powerful strikes at goal. Noah and Patrick chased back hard in defence to keep All Saints scoreless despite their many breakaways. The middle of the pitch was busy this week, with Isaiah tackling, Ruby chasing, and Tommy dribbling up and down the centre on repeat. Patty, Skylah, Darcy, and Max took many sideline throw-ins, listening to coach Julio who encouraged them to move the ball forwards down the line. It was nil-all at half-time, and the Thunder were still full of energy. Will came out of goalkeeper in the second half and took a good shot, only missing by a whisker. Noah led the way with corners, creating many scoring opportunities for Skylah and Darcy. Max made a fine save in the second half, limiting All Saints to just one goal. The crowd praised the Thunder for their improved passing and teamwork, showing just how far they have come since the start of the year. It was all smiles at the end, with Ruby and Max awarded the honours for their efforts.