The Darling Downs Under 16 school girls team has come away from their first ever State Championships finishing fifth overall and winning plenty of praise.
In their inaugural State Championship, DD got their campaign off to a shaky start but by the end of the weekend at Everton AFC were a team nobody wanted to play. DD played South Coast (Gold Coast) up first on Day 1 and while the Downs girls matched South’s play for play it was South Coast who made the most of their inside 50's.
South Coast 5.3 (33) def. Darling Downs 1.0 (6)
Up second DD took on 2012 State Champions Met West (Brisbane West region) and showed the champs that they weren't a push over. Scores were levelled when the final siren went 1.6 (12) to 2.0 (12) but the key forward of Met West marked with seconds left and booted the match winner after the siren.
Met West 2.6 (18) def. Darling Downs 2.0 (12)
Darling Downs were up against powerhouse country region Peninsula (Cairns/Cape York) in the final game of Day 1, both sides were evenly matched but it was the structure of Peninsula which was too strong for the DD girls as the girls from up North ran out 6 goal victors.
Peninsula 6.10 (46) def. Darling Downs 1.4 (10)
DD faced country rivals Wide Bay first up on Day two, a much anticipated match up and it was nothing less than a blockbuster. Both teams attack, silky skills was on show but it was the Darling downs girls who stood tall when it mattered. DD hung on for an impressive 18 point victory.
Darling Downs 4.4 (28) def. Wide Bay 1.4 (10)
In their final game of the championships our girls came up against central Queenslanders Capricornia and this is where the DD girls flexed their muscles. Capricornia couldn't stop the run of the Downs girls as we cruised home by 37 points to secure a 5th place finish.
Darling Downs 9.2 (56) def. Capricornia 3.1 (19)
"It was an outstanding results for the Darling Downs, to finish 5th out of 8 regions in our first ever Championships is a great result and a credit to the talented girls that represented the region," DD coach Dan Fraser told AFLQDD Media after their 37point win over CAP.
"We wish the Championships were longer, the girls really came together well and they can't wait until the next State Championships," Fraser added.
Overall it was a successful State Championships for the Darling Downs with three girls named in the Queensland team - Danielle Wall, Grace Krautz and Sheleise Fischer.
Peninsula finished as the 2013 Under 16 School Girls State Champions.
Last Modified on 12/05/2013 10:11
