Jake Hayes, Alexander Law, AJ Madondo, Lucas Maguire, Thornton Reid, Milton Sedze, Nicholas Sharr, Jack Slater, Austin Smith, Nicholas Winefield, Lucca Wiseman After winning their first game 15–0 in Division 1, it quickly became apparent that the 14A team were a class above. Following some discussions revolving around the possibility of joining Canterbury’s premier clubs in the Canterbury United Development League (CUDL), an amalgamation between College and the Ferrymead Bays club took place. This resulted in the team being promoted to the CUDL division where they competed as the Ferrymead Bays 14A team. Competing in this grade was very ambitious, especially for a school team. However, fully aware of the sporting challenges within the new league, the focus on player development was heightened, and Ferrymead Bays Director of Football Joe Hall took up the role of head coach in order to plan and maximise the growth and evolution of each player. After a promising start in the new league, with a convincing 8–1 win against FC Twenty11, the team quickly realised the immense increase in opposition quality their promotion had brought about. There followed a small losing streak – with losses to Waimak United, Nomads United, Cashmere Technical and
grit and determination, the boys shrugged off losses, ending the season in style. The season started with the boys recording some big wins. Their determination shone in their on-field play – and Dion McCrostie quickly put himself in contention for Golden Boot, scoring goals in double figures in the first three games. It was clear, however, that this division was not going to stimulate improvement of their football. The regrading matches turned out to be against the top two teams of the top division. This was a real learning process for the boys and, although the scores were tipped in the opposition's favour, the games were much closer, and the team was promoted two grades. It was a big task to take on 1st Division. The team needed to be at their best every game, learning from their mistakes. Their willingness to listen to coaches and take instructions brought them together as a solid unit. Goalkeeper Isaac Field did a tremendous job all season, keeping us in the games when it looked dire. The ability of Ollie Gormack to read the play from the backline helped our defence. Kieran Christey produced many goal-saving tackles, and Oscar Compton-Moen and Max Howard provided solidity, cementing the building blocks of defence together. Our attack with Paddy Cochran, Freddie Coates and Dion McCrostie ran hot and cold, at times providing some great opportunities we could not capitalise on. Finlay Sharpe and Lyndon King had good coverage of our centre midfield, providing a link between defence and attack, while wingers Rahal Pathirana and Luka Legeay-Fisher worked tirelessly to create opportunities out wide. What was most impressive about this team? They were willing to play any position that benefited them, like Riley Diver and Oliver Walker providing great coverage at the back when needed. Baxter Lamberg, having never played football, worked tirelessly and kept improving all season, proving a valuable addition in our midfield.
discovered his shooting boots and could almost be guaranteed to deliver at least one goal each game. College’s midfield proved versatile, but structured and composed just the same, with a number of attacking and creative players, such as AJ Madondo, Jack Slater and Thornton Reid. The necessary “defensive steel” was also present, particularly in the forms of the ever-industrious Austin Smith and the master of tackling Milton Sedze. Individual player progress and subsequent boosts in confidence meant College was able to pick off wins as the season went on. A 7–1 win over Selwyn United and a 4–3 revenge win over Cashmere Technical at the end of the season highlighting the development that had taken place. The team’s mid- table finish was a highly respectable end to their inaugural season in the CUDL, and the boys can be proud of their efforts and achievements, whilst recognising the important role this step played in the development of their future football aspirations.
Played 17 Won 6 Drew 3 Lost 8
Placed 6th, CUDL, 14th Grade Kevin Guttman Coach, U14A Football
U14 BLACK FOOTBALL Manager: Kevin Harris Coaches: Ben Cornell, Josh Wynne Team: Kieran Christey, Freddie Coates, Paddy Cochran, Oscar Compton-Moen, Riley Diver, Isaac Field, Ollie Gormack, Max Howard, Lyndon King, Baxter Lamberg, Luka Legeay-Fisher, Dion McCrostie, Rahal Pathirana, Finlay Sharpe, Oliver Walker It was a great season for the U14 Black squad. Starting in 3rd Division, this was not their destination, and a move to 1st Division inspired the boys to improve not only their on-field performance, but also their off-field attitude. Playing in the top division was tough, however, with
Christchurch United, by 2–6, 1–4, 1–2 and 0–7 respectively.
Nevertheless, despite these losses, College performed respectably and showed constant improvement, with the score line often disproportionate to the flow of the game. College’s defence often found itself busy during periods in which the team was simply outplayed and overrun by the opposition. The distinct passing patterns of play, learnt during weekly training, took a while to settle and find their way into games. The team greatly increased its cohesion on and off the ball once these began filtering through, however, and results started to improve. Lucca Wiseman
223
Register 2020 Sport
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs