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Quilty’s Football Yarns 56
2018 Back to Back EREA Cups
Season 2018 proved to be an exciting one. A very competitive campaign for our SPX 1st XI football side which finished with a total of 36 games being played. We played in five competitions which included the ISA League and four cups which comprised of the NSWCIS, St Andrew’s, EREA and the SPX hosted, July Cup. Our record was an impressive one winning 23 games, drawing six and losing seven, scoring a total of 114 goals while conceding just 39. Our leadership team consisted of Captain, Andres Nolan and Vice-Captains Dexter Luksich and Nathan Mellino.
In the wash up of our 36 game season we made it to two Semi-Final appearances, went through as unbeaten minor premiers and retained a cup for a second successive season.
Pre-season
Starting our preparation in early January, our squad began to take shape as we played trial games against various club and school sides early on Sunday mornings in February. By the time we faced Waverley in the NSWCIS Cup first round on 16 March, we had already played six matches, beating club sides HFC Armenia, Manly Vale, Berowra, Saints United and Chatswood HS while losing one game to St Michael’s. The annual Old Boys game saw our 1st XI down both the SPX Old Boys and SPX 2nd XI by 1-0. The squad was coming together well. In our first competitive match of the season we took on Waverley College in the NSWCIS Cup 2nd Round, down on their Astro-turf pitch. SPX debutant Lucas Rainbird had scored with virtually his first touch of the ball, sending home a thunderous free kick, top corner. Stand in keeper performed heroics in the penalty shoot-out to deliver the win, our boys scoring all five spot kicks. Unfortunately, our progress in the competition was halted in the 3rd Round by eventual winners Cranbrook. We went down 4-2 at Oxford Falls to what turned out to be a special Eastern Suburbs outfit who went on to be the eventual winners.
Canberra Tour
As ever, we went away on tour. We had won EREA Cup in Brisbane in 2017 but in 2018 it was held down in the nation’s capital, Canberra. St Edmund’s were the hosts and we had the exciting privilege of staying at the AIS for the three match days. Teams from the ACT, Queensland, Northern Territory and NSW took part and although the strength of the competition was not as strong as the previous year our boys did everything asked of them winning all four matches convincingly. St Josephs, St Edmunds and St Columban’s at the group stage and then St Columban’s again in the Final.
St Andrew’s Cup at Valentine Park
As is our tradition, we took part in the St Andrew’s Cup at Valentine Park. This has become a very strong pre-season competition. Our first game saw us draw with Riverview before recording 3-0 wins against both Sydney High and St Paul’s, Penrith. In what was a fine semi-final we went down 1-0 to old rivals Moriah College who themselves then fell 1-0 to the brilliant Cranbrook side in the final.
ISA 2018 Season
Rueing that missed opportunity, SPX started the ISA season on fire, winning our first 5 games, including fine away wins at Oakhill and St Pat’s. When the holidays arrived, we were five from five. In order to avoid a three-week break SPX puts on a five team competition called the July Cup. We lifted the inaugural trophy in 2017 but went down this holiday to an impressive Manly U16 side coached by Mr Lacey. Returning to the ISA Competition we then won four more games to make it nine in a row. The last regular game of the season saw us draw with St Spyridon’s only to face them the following week in the play between first and fourth. In game we ought to have wrapped up we could not put them away, drawing 1-1. As ever penalty shoot outs are not the most satisfying way to resolve matches especially as we lost this one! So there it was, unbeaten ISA minor premiers in 2018 but missing a chance to win the final. Congratulations to St Spyridon’s who went on to beat St Patrick’s in the final, their first ISA win for 22 seasons!
Summing up
Despite this disappointing ISA finish, the SPX 1st XI had a fine season. Our record was an impressive one winning 23 games, drawing six and losing seven, scoring a total of 114 goals while conceding just 39.
In the wash up of our 36 game season we made it to two Semi-Final appearances, went through as unbeaten minor premiers and retained a cup for a second successive season.
Our leadership team, consisting of our captain Andres Nolan and vice captains, Dexter Luksich and Nathan Mellino. All played in the NSWCIS Representative tournament for ISA, as did Matt Davey, Ed Lee, Miguel Ribas, Alex Bain and Jack Berte.
Looking forward to 2019, I believe that we are finely placed as we have 12 players eligible to back up next year. A big thanks to our Year 12 players who are leaving the college, including top goal scorer Dexter Luksich who got 21 goals in the season. Nathan Mellino leaves us having dedicated an unbelievable amount of time to the SPX 1st XI football cause, playing 108 games over the past three seasons. It has been great working with you all throughout that time.
Looking forward to 2019 already as we will be competing in the Easter EREA Football Tournament in Brisbane once again.
Mr S Quilty Coach
SPX 1st XI 2018 Record: Won 23, Drew 6, Lost 7
Statistics: For 114, Against 39
Scorers: Luksich 21; Mellino and Xeni 14; Cortes-Jones and Cetinich 12; Lee 10
Awards
SPX Football Player of the Year Matt Davey
Shahab Kargarian MVP Nathan Mellino
Players’ Player Isaac Fong
Coaches’ Award Alex Bain
Best and Fairest/ Top scorer Dexter Luksich
Captain of Football Andres Nolan
Winners EREA Cup 2018
