June 11, 2012
Blackbutt’s Ian “Bunny” Pearce Oval hosted three South Burnett Premier League matches on Saturday.
The triple header featured A Grade clashes between Wondai and Kingaroy, Nanango and Murgon, and Cherbourg and Blackbutt.
In the first game, the Kingaroy Red Ants defeated the Wondai Wolves 32-22 in a stop-start armwrestle which saw many penalties and dropped balls.
Both sides seemed unable to hold onto possession for a full set of six and had difficulty getting deep into the other’s half.
Kingaroy’s Darren Bowden scored first, almost 15 minutes into the game, but Wondai soon replied through Brenton List and the score was 4-all.
Mitch Schilling then crossed in the corner for Kingaroy and Matt Allen converted, but Kingaroy’s lead was short-lived. About four minutes to half-time, Luke Hedges scored for Wondai. The conversion by Danny Alberts took the tally at the half-time break to 10-all.
The second half opened in much the same fashion. Luke Evans scored first for Kingaroy. Wondai replied five minutes later when Kingaroy failed to take a high ball and Cody Begg collected and crossed the line. The conversion by Danny Alberts was successful and Wondai led 16-14.
Wondai then drew ahead again, scoring from a scrum win. Luke Hedges converted his own try.
But Kingaroy weren’t about to throw in the towel. Josh Barkle scored twice for the Red Ants (the second try almost on full-time) and Nathan Champney planted the ball under the posts. Matt Allen booted home all three kicks – the last one after the siren – taking the final score to Kingaroy 32, Wondai 22.
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In the second match, a brave performance by Nanango Stags wasn’t quite good enough to overcome the Murgon Mustangs.
The Stags – who have been struggling at times this season to make up a team let alone a bench – played much of the game with 12 players after Dion Williams injured his ankle. They kept the final score to 40-32 and looked to be in a winning position at times against a tiring Murgon, who were coming off a victory last week against Kingaroy.
Special mention must be made of Williams, who despite his injury, managed to score a try after coming back on when another player retired.
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In the third game, the Cherbourg Hornets continued their winning ways, downing the Blackbutt Timbertowners 64-18 and maintaining their undefeated top spot on the South Burnett Rugby League ladder.
Two games in the Wide Bay U18s competition were played at Murgon alongside the U15s carnival.
Kingaroy defeated Across The Waves (Bundaberg) 30-16. Jack Schaffer picked up a hat-trick of tries and three conversions for Kingaroy; other try scorers were Nathan Bowering (two) and Scott Evans.
Michael Formosa, Dylan Arnelt and Warrick Kay scored tries for ATW and Arnelt kicked two goals.
Hervey Bay Seagulls defeated Murgon 38-6. The sole try scorer for Murgon was Arthur Saltner who crossed the line with nine minutes left on the clock. Danny Edwards converted.
Try scorers for the Seagulls were Steven Dwyer (three tries), Daniel Goodwin, Dylan Fryer, Kurtis Everett and Ashley O’Donnell; goals to Nick Collins and Daniel Goodwin (four conversions).
Junior footballers from across the South Burnett travelled to Stafford Park in Hervey Bay at the weekend for a two-day Mini Mod Carnival for U8s, U10s and U12s.
Nanango, Murgon, Kingaroy and Wondai competed in various age groups against teams from Gympie and the Hervey Bay area.
In the U12s, it was an all-South Burnett grand final with the Kingaroy Red Ants taking on the Nanango Stags.
[Updated with correction June 12]
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