NEWS: Geelong U12 & U14 Rep teams capture Bronze at last weekend’s Vic Boys' Country Championships
A TOTAL of 48 junior boys represented the Geelong region at the Victorian Boys' Country Football Championships in Bendigo last weekend. Geelong sent three Junior Boys’ teams to the long weekend carnival, which competed in the U12s, U14s and U16s age categories.
PHOTO: TOP - The Geelong U14s Rep team receiving their Bronze medals for finishing in 3rd place at the Country Championships in Bendigo and BOTTOM - the U12s Rep team poses with their Bronze medals (Photos: Pete Bradbury)
The Under 12s and U14s advanced through to the 3rd/4th playoff on Monday, subseqently triumphing in their respective play-off matches, after finishing runners-up in their age divisions.
The U12s finished a fantastic weekend in style with a convincing 3-0 win over Ballarat to clinch 3rd spot in their age category. Owen McCloskey scored a single while Aydin Kurul netted a brace in the Bronze Medal play-off to cap off a great display for the youngest members of the Geelong reps.
The U14s squad also secured third spot in their age division, registering a 1-0 win in the Bronze Medal play-off match over Latrobe Valley. A goal from Mylton Bailey and a fantastic save from Seth Szkuta helped the boys over the line.
The Geelong Under 14s squad included the following players: James Pante (Bell Park), Seth Szkuta (Surfcoast), Finn Paton (Surfcoast), Lachlan Santoro (Bell Park), Mylton Bailey (Surfcoast), Rafiq Halim (Surfcoast), Daniel Costoso (Surfcoast), Olegas Rodgers (Rangers), Jonathan Augello (North Geelong), Daniel Lavelle (Breakwater), Nathan Niedzwiedzki (Barwon), Antonio Pirrottina (Bell Park), Rocco Simunic (Elcho Park), Nicholas Baric (Elcho Park), Thomas Tigani (Elcho Park), Hunter Purdy (Barwon).
The Geelong Under 12s squad included the following players: Cain Donnellan (Rangers), Jacob Bertucci (Rangers), Owen McClosekey (Rangers), Marcus Spasevski (Bell Park), Hunter Lewis (Rangers), William Portch (Barwon Heads), Jeremiah Jacoby (Rangers), Will Conn (Rangers), Aydin Kurul (Bell Park), Lachlan Brown (Surfcoast), Edward Leishman (Rangers), Aaron Bridges (Rangers), Sam Bickett (Rangers), Traevarn Sparks (Barwon Heads), Noah Pitout (Rangers), Joshua Brooks (Rangers).
The Under 16s, meanwhile, failed to get past the group stage. In a highly competitive group, the U16s finished the competition in 5th place with two wins, the highlight being a 2-0 victory over Warnambool with Josh Bertucci and Patrick Skuza getting amongst the goals.
The Geelong Under 16s squad included the following players: Max Tagliabue (Rangers), Luke Coppe (Bell Park), Ruairi Donnellan (Rangers), Josh Bertucci (Rangers), Carlin McCloskey (Rangers), To, Chapple (Rangers), Kas[er Bromley (Surfside), Finn Rodgers (Rangers), Noah Broomhead (Surfside), Lachlan Gall (Rangers), Loughlin Fitzgerald (Rangers), Ben Conn (Rangers), Isaac Gragam (Rangers), Patrick Skuza (Surfside), Jayden Skinner (Surfcoast), Dougal Sims (Rangers).
This year is the first time in more than four years that the Geelong region has fielded representative squads at the annual Country Championships tournament, thanks largely to the efforts of GOFC Coaching Director, Pete Bradley and his team of coaches.
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