KIRWAN HIGH WIN STATE FOOTY SEMI-FINAL:
THE Kirwan State High School Bears are just two games away from claiming a second national schoolboys title after downing Wavell High 28-12 in yesterday’s Queensland semi-final.
Kirwan’s first-half 22-6 blitz all but shut Wavell out of the contest, with both schools scoring one try each in a tighter second stanza.
The Bears will now play Marsden State High in the state final in a fortnight, with the winner playing either Westfields Sports High or Patrician Brothers Blacktown (both Sydney) in the national final.
Marsden secured their state grand final berth after beating St Brendan’s College Yeppoon 48-12 in yesterday’s other state semi-final.
“The win was set up in the first half,” Kirwan coach Todd Wilson said.
“Wavell scored first but from then on we just controlled possession really well and got them on the edges with our speed.
“We expected Wavell to come out hard in the second half and they did; they were really hammering our line and they got a try.
“But we just kept hanging in for each other and then we eventually got down the other end and scored.”
Kirwan’s outside backs Jesse Yallop and Tyreece Woods blazed downfield for Kirwan’s first two tries after Wavell got their opening try through forward Caleb Esera.
Kirwan backrowers Isiah Kawane and Tyrone GunnJames were then rewarded for trailing kicks when there seemed little prospect of a reward, giving Kirwan a 22-6 halftime lead.
Wavell came out firing after the break and hit back when winger Ethan Olsen scored in the corner, reducing the buffer to 10 points following a classy sideline conversion, but Kirwan’s gritty defence paid off when Kirwan hooker and man of the match Adrian Trevilyan crashed over the tryline, all but ending the contest.
The win puts Kirwan in with a genuine chance of playing for its second national title, the first of which came in 2015.
“It’s exciting for the players and it’s exciting for the school,” Wilson said.
“Getting to the grand final is the goal, that’s the opportunity they have by being in the last four schools standing in Australia.
“It’s two weeks between now and the next game, so we’ll get back to work and prepare for a very big challenge against Marsden.”
KIRWAN 28 (Tyreece Woods, Jesse Woods, Abai Chatfield, Isaiah Kawane, Tyronne Gunn-gela tries, Bradley Schneider 4 conversions) defeated WAVELL 12 (Ethan Olsen, Caleb Esera tries, Riva Johnson 2 conversions)