Coming up against the absolute best New South Wales has to offer, eight of Orange’s brightest prospects performed superbly for Country Western at the under 13s and under 14s Football NSW State Titles.
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Hugh and Will Thornhill, Jake White and Bradyn Nicol were among their under-13 side’s best, while Ethan Mackay, Mitch Kostitch, Henry Williams and Harry Puxty all acquitted themselves well in the under 14s too.
While the state championship was the ultimate prize for both sides, the country championship – contested between all the sides based in regional areas – is also a highly sought-after award.
Playing at Griffith and Glenwood respectively, the under 13s side managed to secure that gong and the under 14s went agonisingly close to doing so, finishing second.
In scoring that under-13 title Country Western finished seventh overall, winning two of its eight games.
Those two games happened to be against regional rivals Country Southern (2-1) and Country Riverina (1-0).
The side was rarely outclassed, its biggest loss a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Metro Far North.
Country Western also suffered defeats to Metro North (2-0), Metro West (1-0), Metro South (4-1) and Metro Far North (4-0), drawing 0-0 with Metro East as well.
The under 14s side put it to their metropolitan counterparts at times as well, finishing eighth with one win. That victory came over Country Southern.
Mackay, Kostitch, Williams and Puxty’s side was pipped for the country championship by Country Riverina, a side which beat theirs 8-0.
The quartet’s side was also defeated by Metro West (10-0), Metro Far North (3-0), Metro North (7-0), Metro East (11-0), Metro South (8-1) and Metro Far North (5-0).
The under 12s boys’ and girls’ state titles, along with the under 14s’ girls, will be held at Mudgee’s Glen Willow Sporting Complex from September 25-29.
The under 15s boys’ tournament is on at the same time, however it’s being hosted at Glenwood.
The under 16s girls’ competition is also at Mudgee’s spectacular, multi-purpose precinct, from September 26-28.