A composite St Mary’s and St Joseph’s Catholic Schools Cyclones team created history, claiming the Kaufusi Shield after also winning the Bundaberg Primary Schools Rugby League Under-12a Grand Final.
They were the first team from either school to take out the Bundaberg Primary Schools Rugby League (BPSRL) Under-12a Premiership with a tough 12-10 Grand Final victory over St Luke’s Anglican School Lightning at Salter Oval and follow up by claiming the Felise Kaufusi Shield as the first scorer after battling out a 10-all draw with St Luke’s in the final of that competition at the same venue four days later.
Both matches went right down to the wire, with Cooper Camac a match winner for St Mary’s/St Joseph’s in the BPSRL finale with a double, while Drew Woods was Player of the Match for St Luke’s.
Carter Bush was their Player of the Match in the Kaufusi Shield after scoring a superb try to put them back in control in the second stanza, while Taylor Hale, who powered over for St Luke’s first try, received their Match Award.
St Mary’s/St Joseph’s will now go on to play in the Wide Bay Steve Renouf Shield Regional Final next term.
St Luke’s Lightning however struck in the BDPSRL U11b final, with Dominic Russo scoring all their four tries in a 24-18 dispatch of North Eagles.
St Patrick’s Catholic School Shamrocks snared the U12b and U11a double, with Cohen Gray and Deklan Ralph each posting doubles in a 24-12 triumph over North Eagles in the former.
In U11a, they weathered St Mary’s Cyclones 28-6, with Jake Wilkinson crossing twice.
Woongarra State School Wizards were far too strong for Norville State School Bulldogs in U10a, with Fraser Wegner also chalking up a bag of four tries in a 34-14 masterclass.
Avoca State School Arrows also shared in the spoils, accounting for North Eagles 28-4 in U10b, with Jake Garland posting a hat-trick of tries, and Chayse Byron snaring a double.
Results
BPSRL Grand finals
Under-12a: ST MARY’S/ST JOSEPH’S CYCLONES 12 (Cooper Camac 2 tries; Lincoln Law, Nolan Young goals) d ST LUKE’S LIGHTNING 10 (Locke Evans, Core James tries; Locke Evans goal).
Under-12b: ST PATRICK’S SHAMROCKS 24 (Cohen Gray 2, Deklan Ralph 2, Darcy Reeves tries; Cohen Gray, Darcy Reeves goals) d NORTH EAGLES 12 (Jesse Scott 2, Hayden Stewart tries).
Under-11a: ST PATRICK’S SHAMROCKS 28 (Jake Wilkinson 2, Christian Rae, Joshua Werchon, Kane Madden, Fred Lewis tries; Cohen Gray, Fred Lewis goals) d ST MARY’S CYCLONES 6 (Cooper Filo try; Enzo Russo goal).
Under-11b: ST LUKE’S LIGHTNING 24 (Dominic Russo 4 tries; Parker Brockway, Dominic Russo, Broc McLucas, Hudson French goals) d NORTH EAGLES 18 (Dexter Radel, Brock McCarron, Mason Hicks tries; Dexter Radel, Brock McCarron, Hayden Stewart goals).
Under-10a: WOONGARRA WIZARDS 34 (Fraser Wegner 4, Jordie Groszmann, Tyler Lutteral tries; Fraser Wegner, Sonny Halford, Kaylan Davis, Jayden Smith, Hendley Valks goals) d NORVILLE BULLDOGS 14 (Hayden Parker 2, Tyreece Mills tries; Hayden Parker, Hemi Nutt, Chase Payne goals).
Under-10b: AVOCA ARROWS 28 (Jake Garland 3, Chayse Byron 2 tries; Jake Garland, Hazel Heads, Ayla Volbon, Chayse Byron, Oliver Webb goals) d NORTH EAGLES 4 (Thurston White-Cobbo try).
Felise Kaufusi Shield: ST MARY’S/ST JOSEPH’S CYCLONES 10 (Cody Graham-Jones, Carter Bush tries; Nolan Young goal) drew ST LUKE’S LIGHTNING 10 (Taylor Hale, Locke Evans tries; Locke Evans goal).
Rugby league
The first piece of silverware of the Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership season will be up for grabs when Easts Magpies and Hervey Bay Seagulls battle it out for the Bundaberg Toyota Challenge Trophy at Salter Oval at 4.30 pm tomorrow.
The prize is contested between the two leading teams after the first full round of competition when they next meet.
The first round concluded back on May 7 when the Seagulls were on top of the table after notching three wins and a draw in their first five matches, while the Magpies were in second spot with three wins.
Hervey Bay subsequently had not lost another game until being mauled by Waves Tigers 48-10 last Saturday, but Easts slumped to five straight defeats, with their only point coming from a last-start lacklustre 14-all draw with cellar dwellers Wallaroos.
The Seagulls got home 42-38 in a pulsating duel in which both teams notched seven tries in the only meeting between the two sides so far in 2022 back on April 9.
There are also a vital two premiership points on the line.
For the Magpies, while their confidence is rock bottom, they still boast some of the best players in the region in captain/coach Matt Craven, fullback Trent Seeds, highly potent halves Andreas Nona and Mitchell Taylor, front rower Hayden Priestley, and hooker Lachlan Price.
If they can develop combinations with the six new Islander players in the side, Sakiusa Dreunmolea, Josateki Masibalavu, Manasa Levatabua, Jonetani Nasilasila, Simione Navuto, and Josateki Dawai, anything is possible.
In the match that follows at 6.30 pm, the claws will be out in the Battle of the Big Cats between Wests Panthers and the Tigers, while at Eskdale Park Maryborough, two-times defending champions Past Brothers will have revenge on their minds when they suit up against Wallaroos at 5 pm after being shocked by them 36-30 at their last encounter.
The Bundaberg Bears’ Open Women’s team will venture to Archer Park Mundubbera for action against South Burnett Eagles at 2.30 pm tomorrow.
In the Northern Districts League Men’s division, South Kolan Sharks will attempt to rebound from a shock 60-8 mauling by Miriam Vale Magpies when they host the in-form Gin Gin Hawks at Shark Park this Sunday at 2.45 pm.
Earlier at 1 pm, the Magpies look set to go on their winning ways against the struggling Avondale Tigers, after the Women’s League Tag High-Noon shootout between defending premiers Gin Gin Hawkettes and Avondale Tigerettes.
Football
Across The Waves will take on Frenchville in the away leg of their Football Queensland Premier League Men’s Champions League tie at Ryan Park Rockhampton tomorrow.
The tie is contested between the FQ Wide Bay and Central Coast Leagues, and another epic duel is expected after Waves defeated the Rockhampton glamour club 3-2 in extra-time at home in the sixth round of Australia Cup on May 28.
Meanwhile, in the FQPL Wide Bay Men’s division, the stakes will be high when fourth placed United Park Eagles and ladder leaders Fraser Flames jostle at Martens Oval at 7 pm tomorrow.
The winless SC Corinthians also face a tough assignment against Doon Villa at Villa Park, while KSS Jets host Granville.
There are just two fixtures in the FQPL WB Women’s division this weekend, both at Martens Oval tomorrow, with seventh seeds Diggers suiting up against cellar dwellers Tinana at 2 pm, at fifth placed Bingera having a tough gig against KSS Jets, who are sitting third, at 6 pm.
Hockey
After a 10-0 whitewash of Waves Cities II last week, Arrows/Athletics face an infinitely tougher assignment when they do battle with Cities I in the first match of the Bundaberg Men’s round at Hinkler Park tomorrow at 2 pm.
At 3.20 pm, All Blacks I will attempt to bounce back from a 4-1 loss to Cities I when they line up against Raiders/Rovers, then at 6pm, it should be an even contest in the clash between All Blacks and Cities’ No. 2 sides.
In Division 1 Women, All Blacks and Arrows will square off at 4.40 pm, and Raiders/Rovers will take to the field against two-times defending champions Cities at 7.20 pm.
Greyhounds
Bouldercombe trainer Darren Taylor had a big day out at this week’s Bundaberg meeting at Thabeban Park, claiming four winners.
He was successful with Mia Magic in the Bargara Bakery 5th Grade, Why Harmony in the TAB Mixed 4th/5th Grade, Say Some Words in the Endeavour Foundation 5th Grade, and Nomad Road in the TAB 5th Grade.
Howard trainer Tom Lowe picked up a double with litter siblings Orson Trinity on debut in the Maiden, and Doctor Rossi in the Uncle Rusty’s Photos 5th Grade.
Two District trainers were also among the winners, Allan Thrower with Alpha Humbug in the Novice Non-Penalty, and John White with Bro’s Girl in the Terry Signs Mixed 4th/5th Grade.
