Grigg pulled off a desperate smother, gathered the ball and booted it through for a goal to put Mater Dei back in front with just one minute remaining.

It proved the match-winning play as Mater Dei held on to defeat TRAC 10.9 (69) to 10.7 (67) at Robertson Oval.

In a seesawing encounter, Mater Dei looked in trouble when trailing by 20 points late in the first quarter, and 15 points at half-time.

They made a third quarter comeback, only to waste a number of opportunities as they went into three-quarter-time with a slender two-point lead.

The two teams went goal for goal in the final quarter until Cooper Pavitt put TRAC in front with four minutes remaining.

Some individual brilliance from Grigg then helped Mater Dei hit back for a memorable victory.

Mater Dei coach Nathan Irvine was proud of his team's fightback.

"We're rapt," Irvine said.

"Especially with TRAC hitting the front in the last quarter, there were plenty of times where we could have hung our heads and let them run away with it but they just kept fighting and fighting."

After a loss to Kildare last week, Irvine hopes the win can reignite his team's Carroll Cup campaign.

"Especially with a young group with that enthusiasm and confidence too," he said.

"They know they led Kildare at half-time so they know they're in the hunt against them and they now know they can beat TRAC."

Meantime, Kooringal High School opened their campaign with a 150-point win over Mount Austin High School on Wednesday night.

Kooringal High coach Andrew Schmetzer was pleased with the way his team started.

"It's a great start to the campaign," Schmetzer said.

"There is a lot to work on but they played good four quarters of footy and played with some passion too, which is great to see."

The game ended in a sour note with an all-in melee.

Full-time

KOORINGAL HIGH SCHOOL (156)

4.6 9.12 14.16 23.18

MOUNT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL (6)

1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0

Goals: (Kooringal High) H Post 3, J Piercy 3, L Armstrong 3, C Willis 2, L Lawrence 2, H Schmetzer 2, M Armstrong 2, T Matheson 2, H Nelson, M McAuley, B Fisher, D Marsden; (Mount Austin High) L Goolagong.

Best: (Kooringal High) H Nelson, N McCorry, H Post, C Willis, H Schmetzer, L Lawrence; (Mount Austin High) M Charles, J White, J Baker, J Cama, J Orr, J Stewart.

MATER DEI CATHOLIC COLLEGE (69)

3.0 4.2 7.8 10.9

THE RIVERINA ANGLICAN COLLEGE (67)

5.2 6.5 7.6 10.7

Goals: (Mater Dei) N Mooney 3, A Grigg 2, H Gilmore 2, H Russell, K Hockley, W Clark; (TRAC) M Hamblin 3, B Glanvill 2, H Reynolds 2, C Pavitt 2, S McNaughton.

Best: (Mater Dei) A Grigg, H Wichman, N Mooney, A Curry, L Johnson, K Hockley; (TRAC) B Lewington, M B Glanvill, M Hamblin, S Glyde, C Byrnes, H Reynolds.

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