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0 To have one Open team in the grand final of the NSW Combined High Schools football competition would be significant enough in the multi-round, state-wide instant knockout.
But two teams? The boys and the girls?
It’s enormous.
And on Wednesday the NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus will try to make history by winning the boys and girls Open grand finals at Seymour Shaw Park in Miranda.
Enormous? History?
Consider: the last school to complete the winning double was Wollongong High School in 2018 when their star striker was Matildas’ champ Mary Fowler.
In early games this season both NBSC teams won games upwards of 15-0. In other games they squeaked by in injury time.
In Newcastle at Lambton High for the girls’ match, the entire school was given the afternoon off to support the home team. In Forster for the boys’ game with Great Lakes High it was like the whole town turned up.
There have been other challenges. Injuries, school-work (about 60 per cent of the teams are in their HSC year) and clashes with weekend club games.
To get up to Forster was a four-hour drive there, a game, and a four-hour drive back.
None of it was likely to worry NBSC’s players, however. The boys’ team contains Sydney FC development squad members and several Manly United U/18 reps. The girls’ team is nearly all Manly United.
The girls won their semi-final 2-1 in extra time against Woolooware High School while the boys got through 3-1 against Keira High School.
On Wednesday the girls will defend their title against Merewether. The boys, who last won the title in 2019, will take on Caringbah.
Beresford, who is from the school’s class of 2017 and plays for Seaforth FC, said there’s a buzz about the school.
“We’re trying not to hype it up too much but I think the Matildas’ run is definitely is having an influence … but yeah – I think they’re ready.”
The girls’ game kicks off at 5pm. The boys at 7pm.
Both games will be streamed live via this website.
Front row – Ellen Whelan, Gabrielle White, Jenny Hill, Vali Bradley, Lucy Bell, Phoebe Handcock, Lucia Rich, Claudia Vincent. Pic: Manly Selective.
Front row – Jarred Muir, Spencer Louis, Greg John, Tyler Bailey, Luke Worrell, Lucio Manuele, Edward Latham. Pic: Manly Selective.
