Above right: Pearcedale-Baxter and Victorian under 19 utility Mariah Marshall starred for her team in its three-point nail-biting grand final victory over Hallam at Casey Fields on Saturday.By Marc McGowan
IN the battle of the 2007 Footy Pak Youth Girls titans it was Pearcedale-Baxter which emerged victorious by three points over the previously undefeated Hallam at Casey Fields on Saturday.
In an enthralling rain-affected grand final, Pearcedale-Baxter turned the tables on Hallam after losing by one point to its opponent in round six and by eight points in round 13 last month.
But the pre-game hype about the game potentially being a shoot-out was ruined by the weather, with Pearcedale-Baxter winning 2.6.18 to Hallam’s 2.3.15 in soggy conditions.
Victorian under 19 representative Mariah Marshall won the umpires’ medal as Pearcedale-Baxter’s best, while Hallam on-baller Lauren Chalkley claimed the honour for her side.
Marshall and Chalkley matched up on one another for most of the morning.
Hallam coach Shane Bloxidge was disappointed by the loss, but praised his players’ display.
“It was extremely disappointing for the girls to go through the season undefeated and for it to come down to one game that decides your fate, but we all know that (is the reality when) playing sport and football,” he said.
“Our girls played extremely well, but (Pearcedale-Baxter) played that bit better on the day.”
Following on from Hallam’s effort to have four players selected for the Victorian under 19 squad at the national championships this year, five of its players – Alex Armstrong, Kristy Borg, captain Chantelle Hawkins, Alicia Heins and Chloe Peers – are in contention for the same team’s trip to Queensland in September when Victoria will take on Queensland’s under 19 outfit.
