Lilli Pilli become soccer’s Champions while Bosco almost

Lilli Pilli has become NSW Football’s Champion of Champions in the under 15 men after a comprehensive 3 nil victory over Wakehurst S C at Valentine Sports Park, Football NSW headquarters last Sunday
Bosco’s under 18 women were unlucky to lose on penalties 4 – 3 after holding their opponents to 1 all in extra time. Also just missing out were the Menai Hawks under 21 men who went down narrowly 3 – 2 to Hurlstone Park.
As the Champion of Champion tournaments are held between winners of the various grades from football associations across NSW being the champion is a real achievement for a local team but to come second should also be celebrated.

The results of the finals involving local teams on October 26 were:

Under 15 Men: 
F:  Lilli Pilli 3 Wakehurst S C 0

Under 21 Men:
F: Menai Hawks 2 Hurlstone Park 3

Under 18 Women:
F:  Bosco 1 Hurlstone Park 1; Hurlstone Park won 4 - 3 on penalties

Gan’s young guns still on fire

Former Sutherland Sharks star Brendan Gan’s Sydney FC Youth League have continued their winning ways but not without a scare in Melbourne last weekend. Sydney’s young stars travelled to Melbourne full of confidence with three good wins under their belts but found themselves behind on the scoreboard at half time in the round 5 contest, and in a real battle to secure their fourth win on the trot.

 “It was a bit shaky to begin with because we didn’t start very well,” said Sydney saviour, Kofi Danning. “We went into the game thinking the Victory weren’t that strong and didn’t play as well as we had been and we almost paid the price.”

The young Sky Blues were clear favourites against Melbourne, despite playing away from home, but they were a long way from victory after Steve Pantelidis headed the hosts to a well deserved advantage after 22 minutes of play. FC showed signs of recovery heading towards half time, but it was the introduction of Danning off the substitutes' bench on the hour that swung the momentum back the visitor’s way.

Less than 10 minutes after taking the field the Canberra striker fired his side back onto level terms from distance, and the AIS recruit sealed the points for Sydney with a second finish late in the game.

“When I came off the bench I wanted to prove myself and I did have an impact on the game, so I was happy, it was really satisfying,” said the two goal hero.  “It was a big wake-up call because whenever you take teams for granted they can hurt you, and that’s what they (Victory) almost did,” said Danning. “I think if we go in with the same mentality we took in against Melbourne we might struggle but I’m sure we’ll have a different attitude and we’ll turn up ready to play.”

To see Brendan Gan and Sydney FC’s Youth League team’s outing against the Mariners the game kicks-off at 4:15pm and will be the curtain raiser to the Sky Blues’ Hyundai A-League clash with the Central Coast. One ticket provides entry to both games and gates open at the Sydney Football Stadium at 4pm.

Sydney FC 2 (Kofi Danning 69’ 85’) Melbourne Victory 1 (Steve Pantelidis 22’)

Story and photo sourced from Terry Aylett and Sydney FC. (http://www.sydneyfc.com/default.aspx?s=latestnews )

Go down the highway to Wollongong to see Baseball’s Claxton Shield

Australian Baseball officials have advised that one of the prize games of this season’s series between current titleholders Western Australia / Barbagello Perth Heat and their opponents from last year’s finals series, the New South Wales Patriots, will be played on December 14 at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley in Wollongong.

For those not familiar with the Claxton Shield it is the National Baseball Championship that has been played for between the Australian States since 1934. The 2009 event has added significance in being the 75th anniversary.

This season’s tournament will see all five teams play each other on a home and away basis. This revised format is being used as a trial for the planned return of an Australian Baseball League (ABL) in 2010.

The Wollongong game is one of a 46 games schedule in the overall series. Four other provincial centres Lismore, Mount Gambier, Mildura, Geelong and the national capital Canberra, have also been chosen to host games.
The rosters of the teams that will play in Wollongong will not be announced until around two weeks beforehand but it is known all teams will feature national representatives and many Australian based players who play with United States Major League Baseball organisations.

The Western Australians announced a major signing during last week with the inclusion of Graeme Lloyd as a coach. A past Perth Heat ABL player, Lloyd is the only Australian to date to be a member of a Major League Baseball World Series winning team achieving the feat twice when pitching with the New York Yankees in 1996 and 1998.  Lloyd could be activated to player status during the coming series. (Report by Frank Booth)

Background on the Claxton Shield

Celebrating a 75 year milestone in 2009, Australia’s oldest and most prestigious baseball competition will herald an unprecedented format that many see as a vital step towards a revamped national competition.

For the first time, the game schedule will commence with a Showcase Round at Blacktown Olympic Park from December 2 through December 7, 2008, where five teams will congregate to play the first ten games of a forty game series.

The remaining thirty games will be played in a subsequent five-week ‘Home and Away’ Series that will commence on December 12 and conclude on January 18, with each state hosting a minimum of six games.

The ‘Home and Away’ schedule has been manipulated to include regional venues in Lismore, Mount Gambier, Mildura, Wollongong, Geelong and Canberra. This format will provide local fans with the opportunity to see their Aussie heroes play on home soil for the first time in almost a decade.

The Semi-Finals will be held from January 23 through January 25, with the Finals to be played February 6 through 8, 2009.

The five-team competition will include the Queensland Rams, Victoria Aces, Barbagello Perth HEAT, New South Wales Patriots and South Australia.

Australian Baseball has released 2009 Claxton Shield information that is available at their Internet site – http://www.baseball.com.au  Select – Events – Claxton Shield.

Towradgi hosts NSW Surf Series followed by Wanda

Wanda SLSC is to host the second round of the NSW Surf Premiership series on November 29. The first round is to be held next weekend on November 1 at Towradgi Surf Club in the Illawarra.

For further details contact: Andrew Considine, Surf Sports Events Officer; P 02 9984 7188, F 02 9984 7199; email: aconsidine@surflifesaving.com.au

Entries for the NSW Surf Premiership Rounds can be completed online at the SLSNSW
Competition Registration website: www.registration.surflifesaving.com.au

This year the NSW Surf Premiership is open to proficient 13 and 14 year olds. Entry fees for these age groups are free of charge to promote participation and grass roots development.

Round 2 is to be held at Wanda SLSC on November 29, while round 3 is at Redhead SLSC on January 3, 2009. Round 2 entries will close at 5pm Wednesday 19 November 2008, while Round 3 entries will close at 5pm Wednesday 24 December 2008.

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