10 October 2019

Wolves take the Cup!

Article by Jamie Law

Wolves take the Cup!

In emphatic fashion, the Saint Ignatius College 1st XVIII football team have taken out the Division 2 Herald Sun Shield, defeating Westbourne Grammar at Trevor Barker Oval, in Sandringham, on Wednesday 11th of September.

Played in beautiful conditions at the Sandringham VFL ground, Saint Ignatius College entered the game playing against last year’s premiers in Westbourne Grammar. Having won the GISSA competition and then defeated Christian School Education Network (CSEN) by 110 points in the Quarter Final at Chirnside Park in Werribee and having defeated Salesian College, Sunbury by 58 points in the semi-final, Saint Ignatius College deserved the opportunity to play off in the prestigious Herald Sun Shield Competition Grand Final.

The match was expected to be close, and early on proceedings followed the script, Will Kilpatrick’s opening goal for the Wolves quickly met with reply from Westbourne. The Wolves, through Jhye Clark, Mitch Clark and Flynn Young, kicked three goals in a row to take an 18-point lead into quarter time.

Saint Ignatius then showed why they were such a dominant team throughout the tournament. In a blistering 2nd term, they piled on 6.6 to 0.1 and took a commanding 59-point lead into the half time break. The highlight of the exquisite display was a booming torpedo from Flynn Young, which sent the large contingent of Saint Ignatius supporters who had made the journey from Drysdale into raptures.

Westbourne hit back at the start of the third quarter, kicking three quick goals, but any chance of an unlikely comeback was stalled by Ben Gillians, who kicked 2.2 for the quarter. Despite Westbourne having much of the play for the quarter, especially the first 10 minutes, the Wolves extended their lead out to 67-points heading into the final change.

The last quarter proved to be a scrappy and quiet affair. Westbourne failed to score, the ball hardly heading past halfway in a quarter where the Wolves kicked 4.7, the final goal of the match coming from Flynn Young, a tight shot from the boundary tipping the margin over 100 points.

The win was a true testament to the character of the boys. It was a fitting conclusion to a year that delivered more than anybody could have expected. While the score lines and silverware are gratifying, the real prize was the humble manner in which every player in the squad carried themselves. This group of young men, have created a legacy and laid the foundation for this team to create history in being the first Saint Ignatius College team to win Herald-Sun Shield (Division 2) Title.

In recognising their achievements, it is essential to highlight the expertise and dedication of the teams coaching group, who continued to provide inspiration, knowledge and positive role modelling to all the players.

Coach: Joe McLean

Assistant Coach: Andrew Philp

Team Manager: Michael Timms

Goal Kickers: Ben Gillians (4), Jhye Clark (3), Nickolas Ash (3), Flynn Young (3), Mitch Clark (2), Will Howard (1), William Kilpatrick (1), Max Annandale (1)

Best On Ground Award: Will Kilpatrick

Final Score

Saint Ignatius College 18.15 125

Westbourne Grammar 4.1 25

Jamie Law (Year 12)

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