CRAFTY HOOKER TRUE MAVERICK

HE’S a maverick on the footy field, and when he’s got the ball anything can happen.

And what’s more, Maverick is his name.

Ignatius Park College rake Maverick Pegoraro was one of the standout performers in his school’s 42-8 thumping of Mackay State High School, a result that put Iggy Park back among the Aaron Payne Cup big guns following a disappointing 26-8 loss to The Cathedral College.

It was Pegoraro who scored Iggy Park’s first try of the contest with a clever grubber kick from dummy half, and the young representative player worked tirelessly all game, helping his team overcome the plucky Mackay side with a second-half onslaught featuring five unanswered tries.

“We had a big talk at halftime and it was a big upset what happened to us last week, so we just wanted to do our school proud,” Pegoraro said.

“There was a lot of pressure on us, but we had a good dig in the end.”

Wednesday’s win has given Iggy Park the opportunity to finish inside the competition’s top two and seal a home semi-final, although the run home to finals will be tough.

Iggy Park hits the road next week to play St Patrick’s Mackay, which shocked traditional schoolboys heavyweights St Brendan’s Yeppoon this week with a 14-0 victory.

They then clash with reigning national champions Kirwan

State High School in a Townsville derby on August 26 at Jack Manski Oval to finish off the regular rounds.

Pegoraro said Iggy’s win over Mackay had provided crucial lessons his team will remember as the competition get tougher.

“We just pushed through in the second half, we didn’t really make any mistakes,” he said.

“We know we can do it; we’re a fit team and we worked really hard in the pre-season.”