Inspirational captain Josh Adcock was absolutely sensational, bagging a double in a heavyweight all-round performance, including a stunning long-range solo goal in the 110th minute to spearhead United Park Eagles (UPE) to a 3-2 extra-time victory over League Champions Across The Waves in an epic McDonald's Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men's Grand Final at Martens Oval on Saturday night.
Six days after his 33rd birthday, goal-keeper Ryan Ward, the eldest player in the team, was also brilliant in a youthful team, making many superb saves.
Josh, 23, and Justin Ryan were the only survivors from their team which claimed their first Premier League title in 2020, also defeating Waves 5-3, in just the club’s sixth season since being formed by a merger between the North Bundaberg Eagles and Moore Park Beach clubs.
Josh is also the sole survivor of their team which lost the then Three Cities League Grand Final to Brothers-Aston Villa in their debut season in 2015.
And he rates this victory even sweeter than three years ago.
“It’s always a great feeling winning a final, but I think this one is extra special with many of our players being home grown talents. A lot of the younger guys were cheering us on last time, and now they are a part of it which is pretty special for us all,” Josh said.
One of their other prodigious junior products, Harrison Nasso, scored their other goal, while their other graduates included Finlay Bath, who recently represented Queensland at the Under-18 Boys’ Interstate Championships, and his younger brother Will, Cody and Jayden Pym, Ryder Markey, Tyler Ash, whose father Paul is the Assistant Coach to Joel Jamieson, and Cody Muller.
“But it would be tough to give standout players – I think everyone played their role perfectly,” Josh said.
Perennial Golden Boot top three finisher Josh, who also scored all three goals in their 3-0 Preliminary Final victory over Bingera a week earlier, placed third in the Golden Boot this year behind Waves young gun Preston Cox, chalking up 31 goals from 22 games for the season.
Josh, who started his career with North Bundaberg at the age of 10 and played with the Eagles through to the merger and with the United club ever since, now has an impressive career total of 196 goals from 263 games so far – and he has never received a red card.
Waves however triumphed in the FQPLWB Under-23 Men's finale, defeating Bingera 3-2 with a double to Mitchell Aslett.
But they were also beaten in the U16 and U13 by Bayside Strikers 5-2, and Fraser Flames 1-0 respectively.
Men: UPE 3 (Josh Adcock 2, Harrison Nasso) d ACROSS THE WAVES 2 (Preston Cox, Blake Hunter).
Women: FRASER FLAMES 4 (Ebony Taylor-Faint 2, Emily McDougall, Kyleigh Christiansen) d KSS JETS 0.
Under-23 Men: ACROSS THE WAVES 3 (Mitchell Aslett 2, Blake Hunter) d BINGERA 2 (Dean Pickup, Mitchell Arnold).
Under-16: BAYSIDE STRIKERS 5 d ACROSS THE WAVES 2.
Under-13: FRASER FLAMES 1 (Oluwatobi Adewumi) d ACROSS THE WAVES 0.
CRICKET
Former Queensland Country representative Arden Lankowski celebrated his home-coming to East Bundy Magpies, smashing 109 from just 57 balls to lay the platform for a three-wicket victory over North in the first round of the Bundaberg Cricket Rum City Foods Division 1 Premiership at Salter Oval on Saturday.
Last season’s wooden spooners Norths compiled a competitive 227 despite a four-wicket haul to veteran Magpies spinner Lachlan Donovan.
But Arden, who was Player of the Year for Brothers in their Grand Final victory over Waves in March but returned to the Magpies nest after a one-season exile, opened the batting and cut loose with 11 fours and seven sixes before falling to another vintage veteran spinner Bruce Worthington.
He was part of a collapse of 6-43, but former Waves Division 2 all-rounder Jack Munro then stepped up to the plate and led them home without further loss on club debut with an unbeaten 31.
Meanwhile, Brothers started their title defence with a win over Waves, racking up a mammoth 5-320 from their 45 overs with 17-year-old Oliver Boge leading the charge with 80.
Waves were docked two overs for only bowling 43 overs in the allotted time, but they met fire with fire, and replied with 8-300 with veteran former Tallon Medalist Sean Stuchbery producing fireworks at the end, dispatching eight fours and seven sixes and finishing agonizingly short of a century, unconquered on 97.
Spinner Harry Kuorikoski was Brothers’ best in his return match after a season off, snaring 3-35 from his nine overs, while paceman Jayden Santacaterina also grabbed three scalps, but he came in for late punishment from Sean and finished with 3-74.
With Waves stalwart Luke Owen celebrating his wedding tomorrow, they successfully applied to have the round split and their scheduled clash with East to be played on 28th October.
So, there will be just one Division 1 match tomorrow, with Brothers taking on Norths at Salter Oval at 11am.
Scores:
Division 1: EASTS MAGPIES 7-229 (Arden Lankowski 109, Jack Munro 31no, Bruce Worthington 9-3-27-3, Patrick Power 9-1-42-2) d NORTHS 227 (Brendan Handley 48, Patrick Power 42, Lachlan Donovan 6.2-0-39-4, Roy Heath 5-1-26-2).
BROTHERS 5-320 (Oliver Boge 80, Mitchell Parsons 77, Luke Solano 54, Sam Pearson 52, Matthew Pozzebon 8-1-49-2) d WAVES 8-300 (Sean Stuchbery 97no, Luke Owen 56, Michael Loader 52, Harry Kuorikoski 9-0-35-3, Jayden Santacaterina 9-0-74-3).
Division 2: NORTHS 9-139 (Damian O’Neall 34, Lochlan Modrow 8-1-30-3, Jack Kleidon 5-1-21-2, Drew McAullay 8-0-32-2) d WAVES 137 (Brendan Prossliner 79no, Damian O’Neall 8-1-23-4, Liam Denning 4-1-18-3).
EASTS MAGPIES 2-169 (Kurt De Silva 70no, David Bonser 58no) d BROTHERS 165 (David Boge 81no, Riley Collin 27, William Barritt 5-3-7-3, Graham Werner 5-2-11-2, Logan Woodward 8-1-23-2, Laurie McCloskey 5-0-45-2).
Division 3: ISIS 228 (Scott Willing 88, Adam McCoombe 42, Ryan Santacaterina 32, Michael Penny 7-0-57-5, Bailey Canino 3.2-1-6-4) d NORTHS 4-216 (Matthew Tucker 86, Jason Bing 37no, Jasmer Singh 30, Ethan Reeves 7-0-37-4).
EASTS MAGPIES 6-202 (Richmond Felstead 53no, Farren Rogers 36, Oliver Mathiesen 3-0-21-2) d BROTHERS 9-201 (Clint Mathiesen 52, Mark Austerberry 34, Richmond Felstead 6-0-48-4, Sandeep Singh 7-0-37-2).
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