The 12th Annual Junior State Cup attracted a record 164 teams for the four-day event from 5-8 July 2007 at the Glasshouse Mountains Sports Club on the Sunshine Coast.
Between 4000-5000 players, coaches, referees, officials, spectators, and supporters converged on the venue that has become the home of the premier affiliate based tournament on the Queensland calendar.
Affiliates gathered from all over the Sunshine State to compete in Boys and Girls divisions from Under 10 – Under 18, and this year’s field also included 5 visiting teams from Victoria, and three teams from New Zealand.
Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association continued their dominance of the event in recent years, snaffling five of the ten available titles (18, 16, and 14 Years Girls, and 10 and 16 Years Boys), Gold Coast claimed two divisions (10 and 12 Years Girls), with Dodgers (12 Years Boys), Redlands (14 Years Boys), and Bundaberg (18 Years Boys) snaring a title each.
New Zealand teams Kotuku Touch (16 Years boys) and New Zealand Sharks (12 Years Boys) won the finals of their divisions, but were ineligible to claim the Queensland Junior State Cup crowns.
The visiting New Zealand and Victorian teams were presented with plaques of participation for their involvement in the 2007 tournament.
In the 10 Years Girls division Gold Coast (3) got up in a thriller over Emerald Titans (2).
The Gold Coast’s Bailey Marshall was awarded the Player of the Final.
In the Plate Final BMTA (4) defeated Hervey Bay (0).
In the 10 Years Boys section, traditional junior heavyweights BMTA and Gold Coast faced off.
BMTA (4) outlasted the Coastie boys (3) in a titanic struggle.
Player of the final was awarded to Joel Gittins from BMTA.
The Plate final was also hotly contested with Caboolture (3) getting home over Hervey Bay (2).
The 12 Years Girls division produced a grandstand finish with a well drilled Gold Coast outfit, coached by former Australian Women’s Open superstar Jody English, prevailing 3-2 over the visiting New Zealand Sharks team.
The scores were locked at 2-2 at full time and a drop off was required to split the combatants. Gold Coast scored with their first use of the football in the drop-off and the NZ Sharks could not respond.
Lauren Brown was named Player of the Final.
The plate final went to Bundaberg after a 2-0 victory over Hervey Bay.
The 12 Years Boys final was won by NZ Sharks (9) over Dodgers (2).
The fleet footed Kiwi combination played some outstanding touch during the tournament and thoroughly deserved their victory.
Player of the Final was Matthew Stone from the NZ Sharks.
Dodgers were the best-performed Queensland based affiliate and were awarded the State Cup in this division.
The Plate was served up to Dalby who claimed a 2-1 verdict over Coomera in their final.
The 14 Years Girls title went to a slick BMTA combination that defeated Redlands 3-1.
Lauren Green was outstanding for BMTA and collected the player of the final award.
The Plate final was won by Dodgers Green who completed a 6-1 victory over Rockhampton.
Redlands crack 14 Years Boys team escaped with a narrow 5-4 win over Hervey Bay Black who pushed the Bayside boys all the way in an entertaining final.
Redlands Captain Adam Pryde was the most dominant player on the field and collected the Player of the Final award.
In the Plate final Gold Coast (4) defeated Caboolture (3).
BMTA continued on their domination of the older junior female age divisions with a 4-2 win over Gold Coast in the Grand final of the 16 Years Girls division.
National 18 Years Youth squad member Kirsty Quince was everywhere for BMTA and deservedly won the Player of the Final.
Caboolture fought hard to repel Dalby and emerged 2-1 winners in the Plate final.
In the 16 Years Boys division, Kotuku Touch from New Zealand ran out comfortable 7-3 victors over a willing BMTA outfit.
BMTA’s National 18 Years Youth squad member Oscar Sanft was awarded the Player of the Final Award.
BMTA was the best-performed Queensland affiliate in this division and was awarded the State Cup crown.
Gladstone enjoyed an 8-3 win over Coomera Comets in the Plate Final.
The premier 18 Years division finals showcased some of the best talent the sport has to offer with National Youth Squad members Ali Brigginshaw, Gen La Caze, and Kelly Jones donning the BMTA colours in the 18 Years Girls division.
The trio engineered a comfortable 6-1 defeat of First Contact in the final, with Gen "SG" La Caze claiming the Player of the Final.
Toowoomba took the plate home to the Darling Downs with a 4-2 win over the visiting Victorian representative team in the Girls 18 Years Plate final.
Bundaberg dominated the 18 Years Boys competition with an emphatic 6-3 victory over First Contact in the final.
Nathan Broadhurst was the driving force behind Bundaberg’s campaign and deservedly captured the Player of the Final Award.
Ballina accounted for Toowoomba in the Boys 18 Years Plate final with an 8-4 scoreline.
The prestigious Kerry Norman (Girls) and Scott Notley (Boys) Medals were presented to two outstanding competitors in the 18 Years Girls and Boys divisions who have had a long history in the Junior State Cup, have performed to a high standard of endeavour, and have maintained the highest ideals of sportsmanship, teamwork, and respect for the game on and off the field of play.
National Women’s 20 Squad member Samantha Hopkin (BMTA – Girls) and the talented Nathan Broadhurst (Bundaberg – Boys) were presented with the prestigious medals commemorating their participation, contribution, and long service to the tournament and their home affiliate.
Full results of the 12th Annual Junior State Cup are available by going to the Queensland Touch Association website at: www.qldtouch.com.au and following the link to the Qld Junior State Cup home page.
