Being Named in the St Edward’s College Football Academy Team
When I found out I had made the Football Academy, it was only then that I realized how much fun an opportunity it would offer. I’m sure my teammates feel the same way. From the very first week of training, I was excited to be part of a new team. I’ve already learned not only new football skills but also valuable lessons in teamwork. The academy is an incredible opportunity for anyone who chooses to take it.
In our first game, we played Lisarow High School. Even though we hadn’t played a proper match together before, we had great chemistry – it felt like we had been playing together for a whole year. Lisarow matched our skills right from the start. It was a tough battle at the beginning, but we managed to score the first goal, and from there, we found our rhythm, scoring again and again. Lisarow kept fighting back, so we had to push ourselves to our best. They scored a solid goal through a high press on our defense. We responded with a beautiful finish into the top corner, and finally, our striker chipped the keeper to score the last goal. The final score was 5-1 to St Edward’s. Some standout players included Lisarow’s center-back, who was strong defensively, and on our team, Benjamin Hayes, who netted a couple of great goals, and Remy Garner, whose dribbling skills led to two goals.
Our second game was against Terrigal United Football Club’s 14A team, which was a much tougher opponent than Lisarow due to their more experienced players. Terrigal was strong in pressing as a whole team, which made them harder to break down. Early on, we conceded a free kick after an unlucky back pass, and Terrigal capitalised with a shot into the top corner. Even though we were down, we kept our heads up, and soon our keeper’s drop kick set up our striker, who volleyed it over the Terrigal goalkeeper to equalise. Unfortunately, Terrigal’s striker managed to dribble past our keeper and score again, leaving the final score at 2-1 in their favor. It was an evenly matched game, with standout performances from Terrigal’s keeper, Will, and on our team, Max Purkis, who was calm and composed on the ball, and Sketch Walters, who dominated the midfield.
In our final game of the term, we faced St Peter’s College Year 9 team. Like Lisarow, they gave us a tough start, but they couldn’t keep up with our fitness. Once we scored our first goal, the goals kept coming. Some brilliant through balls to Sketch Walters, Ben Hayes, and Remy Garner led to more goals. Jorge Chavez scored a fantastic goal from outside the box into the bottom corner, and Ben added another to finish the game 5-0. Top performers in this game included Ben Hayes, who scored twice, Seb Brocklebank, who delivered excellent through balls, and Ashton Mexon, who was rock solid in defense.
Overall, the Football Academy has been an amazing experience so far, and I’m sure it will continue to be for everyone who takes on the challenge.
Written by: Joseph Sanfilippo
On Wednesday night, St Edward’s Academy Black Team played their first game against Terrigal. This was an important game not only for the Black Team as their debut match but also for the entire academy.
Unfortunately, things didn’t start as planned. During warm-up, Beau Louie, one of our best players, was badly injured and had to leave in an ambulance. It was a bit of a shock for everyone, but, after waving him off, we were determined to play for him. On top of this, since some of the St Edward’s players had to play for their club, Terrigal, we were down to only 11 players which made it even harder for us. We knew it was going to be a tough game from the start.
Terrigal took advantage and scored first. Later, Fletcher Bush scored Terrigal’s second goal with a brilliant header. Seeing one of our own score against us was tough, however it was, admittedly, a great goal. Later in the game, things started to get exciting. Xavier smashed in a top-right penalty, our first-ever goal for St Edward’s Academy Black Team. It was such a big moment for all of us. Then, right near the end, Eli Pepper scored a great goal after a brilliant assist from Eli Schultz, making the score 2-2. Sadly, Terrigal scored a very late goal to make it 3-2, making it a hard-fought but tough loss for us in the end.
Even though it was a difficult game, and we were low on numbers, everyone fought really hard, and we’ll remember this match for the effort and teamwork we showed. It was a memorable start to many games to come.
Written by Nicholas Snelson
St Edward’s showcased a dominant performance in their 3-0 win over St Peter’s Catholic College on Friday, 13 September, with notable contributions from Eli “Pepps” Pepper and Krishay Jamnadas.
The match started with St Edward’s quickly asserting their control. Eli Schultz played a key role in setting up Eli Pepper, who opened the scoring with a well-placed shot, giving St Edward’s a 1-0 lead. The team’s attacking prowess was evident as they pressed forward with purpose.
As the match progressed, St Edward’s continued to build on their advantage. A penalty awarded to St Edward’s was confidently converted by Eli Pepper, increasing the lead to 2-0. This goal demonstrated his composure and skill under pressure, reinforcing St Edward’s commanding position.
St Peter’s struggled to find a way back into the game, facing St Edward’s defence that effectively neutralised their attacking efforts. In the final moments, St Edward’s capitalised on their dominance as Joey Sanfillippo provided the assist for Krishay Jamnadas to score, sealing the match with a 3-0 lead.
Throughout the match, St Edward’s exhibited a blend of solid defensive work and clinical finishing. The team’s performance was a testament to their strength and cohesion, earning them a well-deserved victory and showcasing their readiness for upcoming challenges.
