Youth girls go undefeated

By Jarrod Potter
CRANBOURNE’S Youth Girls team swept their season as they won their grand final 10.5 (65) to Noble Park 4.5 (29) to keep an unbeaten record intact – and win back-to-back premierships.
Noble Park jumped Cranbourne in the first quarter, at Shepley Oval on Sunday morning, scoring the first two goals to push the lead out, before Cranbourne wore them down with unrelenting tackling and scoreboard pressure to run away with a 36-point victory.
Cranbourne coach Keith Edwards was happy to get the win, as the word around the club was the girls would do it easily.
“It was a great team effort, the first time we’ve gone through undefeated,” Edwards said.
“The pressure from around the club was a big expectation to win, but it wasn’t easy. So we took it week by week and focused on each game.”
“Bianca (Jakobsson) was awesome all day. Cahli Parker and Jackie Roscoe down back were great and generally the backline as a whole worked brilliantly.”
“Once we set that up, every girl stood up and did their bit. We focus as a team and go ahead as a team.”
On the matter of which premiership he felt was better, Edwards thought this season’s win was a better all-round effort, with improved skills the benchmark for Cranbourne’s success.
“Last year was a bit of luck,” Edwards said. “We were working on skills and fitness as we only had eight girls at the start of the season.
“Last year’s grand final was a nail-biting one-point win, but this year was different.
“This match was the first time all year we were ever behind, so we worked our way back into it and got the win.
On the prospect of three consecutive premierships, Edwards thought it was possible, but wasn’t going to get ahead of himself.
“We only lose two girls from this side (moving from Youth Girls to seniors), but I’m not going to say we’ll do it,” Edwards said.
“I think we’ll go alright.
“We can go out and beat anyone that gets on that field.”
If any girls want to join the Cranbourne Youth Girls team, they can contact Keith Edwards on 0425 705 974 for more information.