With a high grand final score, defending premiers of the Creed Shield Wagga High showed their dominance in a 6-1 victory over The Riverina Anglican College.
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Sam Jenkins wowed the crowd of 100 supporters at Gissing Oval on Wednesday night, scoring four in a row for Wagga High in the grand final performance of a lifetime.
“It’s pretty special to do so in the grand final, I couldn’t ask for any better,” Jenkins said.
He moved the ball from halfway into dangerous territory, dodging around the last defenders and was in position when it counted; awarded player of the series.
“We came in confident but we never thought we’d get in 6-1, it’s a pretty momentous moment,” Jenkins said.
Wagga High held possession in the midfield and were very tough to beat in challenges, slightly more skilled and quicker to the ball.
TRAC were missing a midfielder; a crucial link in the pool match where Wagga High and TRAC drew 2-2.
“He was vital to TRAC’s performance connecting with [striker] Ivan Moi, he was left floating alone up the front there for a lot of the game because we had control of the midfield,” Wagga High coach Hamish Ryan said.
Moi scored TRAC’s sole goal, and while the boys had a number of shots, Wagga High goalkeeper Brad Yeomans made some equally stunning saves.
Considering heavy rain fell on the ground during the match, Yeomans did well to get a grip on the ball.
Cohesion gave Wagga High the cutting edge according to Ryan.
“Our team is a really talented bunch of guys and a lot of them play soccer on the weekend together so that helps a lot,” he said.
“The way they lifted for the grand final and played hands down the best game of the season, that is something I can be really proud of.”
The final goal, scored by Year 8 student Ah Nga Lagwi, was an incredible feat, clearing a third of the field, soaring over the keeper’s hands into the net. Lagwi’s work rate and skill opened up goal-scoring opportunities throughout the game.
“I haven’t seen a better goal all tournament, he’s a young player with outstanding skills,” Ryan said.
Jim Creed junior handed over the shield, at the schoolboys event run in honour of his father, a man who worked tirelessly to establish the sport in Wagga.