Highlands FC Youth Team Champions

Highlands FC Youth Teams and HSA Reps squads showed a powerful display of modern skillful football at the Football NSW Southern Branch Championship in Nowra recently.

The HFC U16 and U15 Boys came away as champions and now process to the Football NSW Country Cup Branch Championships on the 12/13 June in Albury where they will compete against the winners from Riverina and Western Branches. 

The U14 Boys had a mixed tournament going down 2-1 to favourites Far South Coast in a very close first hit out, with James Sutherland slotting in the only Highlands goal of the match.

The second game saw the U14s draw with Shoalhaven 3-3, before demolishing Southern Tablelands 4-1 in the final match with goals to Sutherland, Scott Woods, Dave Phillips and Tyler Snelgrove who hit a volley from 35 metres out and put it in the top corner of the net.

The U14 Girls showed great team spirit and impressed the coaching staff with their ability to take training skills learned from the previous months to the game field. The more games they play the strong they will become.

The U13 Boys had a disappointing first day but on Sunday they showed that they are developing the skills, becoming stronger, and smarter. The squad conceded the fewest goals over the weekend with a good defensive team display. Standouts over the weekend were Brodie Moore and Ikani Vaitoni.

The U12 Boys had one of their best tournaments ever in Nowra, notching up two wins and have two losses. Their best game was a 5-3 thumping of eventual winners Eurobodalla. “I was extremely proud of the way the boys played and with their teamwork on and off the field,” under-12s coach Sean Garner said.

The U11 Boys had a tough assignment, being a team that does not regularly play together. Nine-year-olds Ben Walker and Rohan Wemyss stood out for their team, playing a representative grade above their age level. The boys were unlucky to lose their opening game 2-1 against FSC, displaying a high level of technical skill and varied attack.