Allan Langer Cup

Wavell v Keebra Park Langer Trophy

by
dailytelegraph
20/07/2023

Wavell centre Keyarn Pene is unceremoniously dumped by Jack Hudson. Pic: Steve Pohlner

Wavell v Keebra Park Langer Trophy

Author : Andrew Dawson News Corp Sport

Wavell v Keebra Park Langer Trophy

Schoolboy Cup Live stream: Wavell SHS v Keebra Park SHS, Langer Trophy

Keebra Park were given quite a scare as Wavell produced their best performance of the season to nearly pull off a Langer Trophy upset.

Watch a full replay of Wavell SHS v Keebra Park SHS (Langer).

Wavell SHS produced their best performance of the season, but it was Keebra Park SHS who prevailed in a thriller.

Keebra Park SHS won 16-8, surviving a spirited Wavell effort, which included a dramatic surge late in the second half.

Down 16-4, Wavell winger Carlos Ka scored a sensational try, snatching the ball from the night sky after a towering bomb across the field from his classy halfback Zac Herdegen. That try reduced the margin to 16-8.

Wavell centre Keyarn Pene is unceremoniously dumped by Jack Hudson. Pic: Steve Pohlner

Herdegen then sliced through minutes later, sprinting 20m and throwing a dummy.

He looked certain to score, but he lost his balance as he was headed toward the posts.

Earlier in the half, Keebra Park had extended their margin to 16-4 after a glorious ball from Austin Marsters found his centre, Xavier Tauaifaiga, who scored.

It was a good win by Keebra SHS given the improved execution of Wavell and the unavailability of star halfback Ryder Williams.

Earlier, Jesse Soric delivered Keebra a 10-4 lead at the break with two thrusts on the eve of halftime.

A replacement for Williams, Soric capitalised on Keebra’s last-gasp forward surge late in the half to put his edge forward Jett Bryce into a gap.

Wavell second rower Christian Taula, charges into the Keebra defence. Pic: Steve Pohlner

Keebra No.7 Jai Bilish grabs himself a four pointer. Pic: Steve Pohlner

While Bryce was tackled by Wavell centre Keyarn Pene, he was able to play-the-ball quickly and Soric, looping around to the blind side, blasted over to score.

Wavell winger Riley Jenkins had a busy debut, scoring the first try of the game and then putting his body in front of his opposite, Zyroam Herlihy, who went within a whisker of scoring for Keebra.

Wavell had started smartly, controlling the ball and giving energetic hooker Harrison Hill chances to shine as the starting dummy half.

They also controlled possession and with Herdegen’s smart kicking game, Wavell were playing their best football of the season.

But Keebra Park’s power forwards were the foundation of their reply, recapturing the lead 6-4, and extending it to 10-4 at the break.

It was an intense battle

Christian Taula shows his commitment

Walters Cup thriller as late conversion seals draw

The battle of the fullbacks finished in a draw and so did the match, with Wavell SHS scoring in the last minute to snatch a 20-20 draw.

Wavell halfback Timahna Tandy kicked a conversion 20 seconds from fulltime – from the sideline – after his centre, Devine Timu, had scored in the corner.

One minute earlier Keebra had scored what looked the winning try by halfback Jai Bilish.

However, Wavell interchange forward Payten Gifford stole possession back for Wavell, giving his side one last throw of the dice.

REPLAY: Wavell SHS v Keebra Park SHS (Walters)

It was a wonderful game featuring Wavell fullback Sangstar Figota and Keebra Park No.1 David Bryenton showing x-factor skills.

Both Figota and his five-eighth, Azariah Toki-Matauri, who is another big gun, provided the horse power leading up to Wavell recapturing the lead, 14-10, into the second half when centre Tremaine Courteney crossed.

In the first half, Figota also made a break from nothing to put his team into position for its second try.

With limited chances Bryenton’s footwork and speed was effortless for Keebra, and it was his half break which also positioned Keebra for its first try of the second half by halfback Jai Bilish.

This was after Bryenton brilliantly scored in the first half.

Bilish’s try 12 minutes from the end enabled Keebra Park to poke its nose level with Wavell – 14-14 – and then Bilish’s second try four minutes from fulltime looked like it had won the game for his side.

Wavell forward Eethan Laga’aia was also an impact player both in defence and with his carries, while Keebra Park prop Christian Rivers finished strongly.

Earlier in the match, Keebra Park scored first down a crowded blindside when centre Kendrix Marsh squeezed over in traffic.

However, Wavell got into their groove with power running and ball control, putting halfback Timahna Tandy into good attacking positions.

Once he ran himself to score, and on another occasion he drove a bomb toward his winger who tapped back inside for centre Devine Timu to cross.

PREVIEW

Wavell SHS students will be inspired by the jerseys they will wear designed by Indigenous students when they confront dangerous Keebra Park on Wednesday.

To celebrate NAIDOC 2023, Wavell’s proud first VIII will be wearing Indigenous jersey designed by their classmates.

Students personal handywork retains Wavell’s traditional school colours, while incorporating beautiful Indigneous artwork in the mid-drift and then bright, earthy colours snaking up the jersey to the neck line.

LOOKING FOR ANOTHER GAME? Check out the weekly Queensland Schoolboys schedule below, click the links to watch live

It could be just the connection with community to help Wavell finds its best form of the season. Wavell have a 1-3 win-loss record, and their rivals Keebra the exact opposition – a 3-1 win-loss record.

WATCH ROUND 5 OF THE QUEENSLAND SCHOOLBOYS

LANGER TROPHY

Sunday, July 16

Marsden SHS v Redcliffe SHS

Kayo Stadium

WATCH THE REPLAY

1.45pm: Langer Trophy

Wednesday, July 19

Redcliffe SHS v Marsden SHS

Dolphin Oval

WATCH IT LIVE

2.30pm: Walters Cup

Caloundra SHS v Mabel Park SHS

Caloundra JRL

WATCH IT LIVE

3pm: Walters Cup, 4pm: Langer Trophy

Stretton SHS/Ipswich SHS v Palm Beach Currumbin

Nth Ipswich Reserve

WATCH IT LIVE

3pm: Walters Cup, 5pm: Langer Trophy

Wavell SHS v Keebra Park SHS

Wavell SHS

WATCH IT LIVE

3.30pm: Walters Cup, 4.30pm: Langer Trophy

DOLPHINS CUP

Tuesday, July 18

Bundaberg SHS v Emmaus College

Brothers Sports Club, Bundaberg

WATCH THE REPLAY

2.30pm: Dolphins Challenge

Marist College/Rockhampton Grammar v Shalom College

Rugby Park

WATCH THE REPLAY

2.30pm: Dolphins Challenge, 3.30pm: Dolphins Cup

St Brendan’s College v The Cathedral College

St Brendan’s College

WATCH THE REPLAY

4.30pm: Dolphins Challenge, 5.30pm: Dolphins Cup

Wavell coach Paul Stanley said Wavell’s first two loses were “below the standards we set for ourselves’’.

But last week effort was not in question, it was execution, but the signs were positive.

“The players know what needs to change on the field, it’s up to us to get the job done,” coach Stanley said.

Keebra will aim to keep its fire burning.

Wavell’s Kobi Floro models the Rd 5 jersey

Keebra have among the fastest players in the competition, and in halfback Ryder Williams they have the best back in the competition not have made the Queensland schoolboys.

Throw in its representative forward pack and Keebra were humming.

Teams

Wavell SHS:

TBC 1. Mereki Warradoo. 3. John-Paul Donevski, 4. Keyran Pene, 2. Robertson Tusi-Tofu, 5. Carlos Ka, 6. George Taualai, 7. Zac Herdegen, 8. Beau Lucien, 9. Jai Camilleri, 10. Naz Taua, 11. Christian Taula, 12. Maddox Goodwin, 13. Lauloto Salei ©, 14.Kobi Floro, 15. Jayden Butt, 16. Ben Uini, 17. Harrison Hill.

Keebra Park SHS:

1 Mason Barber, 2 Jeremiah Havea, 3. Joseph Tupuse, 4. Xavier Tauaifaiga, 5 Zyroam Herlihy, 6. Jack Hudson, 7. Ryder Williams, 8. Jack Schmidt, 9. Isaiah Fagalilo, 10. Zac Kumbamong, 11. Jett Bryce, 12. Presley Folau, 13. Taylor Withington, 14. Dorian Lotaki 15. Tom Summer, 16. Ryan Hutchinson, 17. Austin Marsters, 18. Jesse Soric, 19. Isopo Taunuu, 20. Klay Tancred