Five in a row for champion team

The champion Otago blue 15th grade boys football team with their winner’s medals in Timaru (from left) Finn Quigley, Mingee Hong, Oliver Lobb, Kyle Hastie, Jake Foster, Ben Lund, Ryan Gardiner, Kaleb de Groot Green, Brynn Sinclair, Lewis Wall, Beckham Greenell (obscured), Noah Scott, Tyson Verburg, Genta Kojima, Maxwell Fleury-Auld, Sam Taylor (captain).

The team won the South Island title with a 2-0 win over Central Otago  in the final of its tournament in Timaru earlier this week. It was its fifth title in a row,  the core of the team having remained the same since winning the 11th grade title in 2013.

Lewis Wall scored a goal in each half in the final for Otago on his way to winning the golden boot award. Central Otago’s Ryusei Ishibashi  was named tournament most valuable player.