NELSON Bay’s thriving junior touch football nursery has continued a proud tradition, with six local young guns named in NSW representative schools squads.
Outstanding prospects Harlow Colley, Jayden Hotene, Calvin McKay and Jed Hay will represent NSW Primary Schools at this year’s School Sports Australia National Touch Football Under 12 championships at Ballarat in Victoria from 20-25 October.
They will be joined by talented Tomaree High School duo Bowey Manning and Zeke Hay, who have gained selection in the NSW All Schools Under 15 representative teams.
All six players are products of the Nelson Bay Touch Football Association Junior Development program, which has unearthed an array of elite level representatives from the Port Stephens region.
Versatile Harlow is a promising middle from Corlette and rising netball centre who also represented Nelson Bay Under 12s at this year’s State Junior Netball titles in Sydney.
She was one of two Tomaree Public School students along with link Zahli Read, in the Hunter Girls representative squad, which finished runners-up to Sydney North at the recent NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (NSW PSSA) Combined Touch Football Championships at John McGrath Oval, Dubbo.
It follows her selection in the NSW Under 12 Girls Merit Team after superb displays for the Hunter Western Hornets at the NSW Junior Regional Touch Football Championships in Mudgee earlier this year.
Harlow turned in skilful performances as the Hunter Girls chalked up 10 wins and a 2-all draw with semi-finalists Polding in the pool rounds.
The gifted middle showed her class as Hunter defeated South Coast 5-0, MacKillop 1-0, North Coast 2-0, Sydney East 2-1, Western 4-1, North West 5-1, Riverina 2-0, Combined Independent Schools 3-1, Sydney South West 5-2 and Sydney North 2-1.
The only loss for the Hunter Girls in the preliminary rounds was a 3-1 defeat against fifth-ranked Sydney West on the opening day of the championships.
A highlight was the stirring 2-1 victory over eventual tournament champions Sydney North and a 4-3 semi-final triumph over MacKillop on an action-packed day three.
In a cruel twist, Sydney North gained revenge over Hunter after posting a 1-0 win in a gripping final.
Spring-heeled Jayden, a talented link, and winger Calvin attend Anna Bay Public School, while all-rounder Jed, an emerging middle from Fingal Bay, is a Year 6 pupil at Wirreanda Public School in Medowie.
They were joined in the Hunter squad by fellow Nelson Bay junior middles Oscar Green (Tomaree Public School) and Yadin Stone (Anna Bay Public School).
The classy trio produced top displays to help Hunter Boys finish with a number two ranking behind champions Sydney North at the NSW PSSA Combined titles.
Sydney North downed Hunter 3-1 in a hard fought Boys Final.
Earlier the Hunter Boys demonstrated their range of skills to top the pool standings after registering impressive wins over Riverina 5-1, Sydney South West 4-1, North Coast 5-2, MacKillop 3-1, Combined Independent Schools 4-1, Sydney West 4-2, Western 6-1, Sydney North 3-0, South Coast 7-5 and North West 4-1, and playing out a 2-all draw with Polding.
A highlight on the second day was the 3-0 victory over eventual champions Sydney North.
Hunter suffered their only loss in the preliminary rounds when beaten 3-1 by Sydney East and advanced to the trophy decider with a 5-4 semi final triumph over South Coast.
Bowey, a promising link, and classy middle Zeke earned state caps, after starring at the NSW All Schools Under 15 Touch Football Championships at Kenthurst.
They were joined by Hunter Sports High winger Zoe Smith.
Zeke helped the CHS Boys reach the final where they lost 10-5 to Combined Independent Schools while Bowey helped the CHS Girls finish with a top three ranking.
They will both represent NSW at the Under 15 National All Schools titles in Ballarat .
Shoal Bay’s Australian Emus legend Nicole Mitchell, who continues to do a remarkable job as the Coaching Co-ordinator of Nelson Bay Touch, told News Of The Area that the six students had earned their NSW touch football spurs and were products of the Nelson Bay Junior Development system.
“All six have come through our junior representative program since they were Under 10s and are now reaping the benefits,” she said.
By Chris KARAS
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