Sport
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Eureka primary school soccer team comes third in the state Eureka Public School has finished third in the 2019 Small School’s statewide-soccer competition after travelling to Sydney during the school holidays to compete in the finals. The semifinal involved a close and hard-fought game against Willow Tree public who came out the winners 3–2. But in the playoff for third place Eureka triumphed over Kulnara Public 5–2, in a fast running game. Willow Tree Public and Otford Public shared first place after finishing tied, after extra time. The finals were played in Sydney at the Valentine Sports Centre, the home of NSW Soccer. ‘Seeing the team run out onto such a big and professional ground made you
An EPS player (L) defends in the big finish to the small schools soccer competition. Photo supplied realise how enormous their achievement was to get to the final four teams in NSW,’ Andrew McPhee said. Last year was the first
time any of the students had played in the competition and one player has never been part of a soccer team before.
Hole-in-one for Byron golfer Margaret Pierce was thrilled to score her first hole-in-one on the Byron Bay course in September, after 20 years of playing golf. ‘It was quite thrilling actually,’ she said. She was playing in the regular Byron Bay Golf Club stableford competition with Lyn Barber, Alison Dreyer and Mary Vincent. ‘It was the eighth hole, the longest par three on the course, roughly 160 metres. I hit a good shot and watched it roll onto the green but didn’t pay any further attention. I just thought, “Oh that’s good, on the green,” she said. ‘When we got to the green there was a ball about a metre onto the green which I thought was mine – but it wasn’t, so we looked everywhere – in the bunker, off to the side and over the back, but I was sure it was
Margaret was thrilled with her hole-in-one. Photo supplied not a big enough shot to run off over the back. ‘Eventually Lyn walked past the hole and there it was. There was a lot of excited screaming, ‘There were congratulations and high-fives all ‘round and I sported a big
grin on my face for quite a while. ‘It was the first hole in one I have scored in 20 years of golf, so, yes, I was quite chuffed,’ Margaret said. Margaret is the assistant secretary of Byron Bay Ladies Golf.
Mullum Giants go back Girl groms go all the Byron Bay to the future for 2020 way in Sydney Lighthouse run
coming soon
Cody puts one down under the black dot in his playing days with Parramatta. Photo supplied The Mullumbimby Giants are positioning themselves for a successful 2020 in the NRRRL after announcing new coaches and players for the upcoming season. Dwayne Moseley will be the head coach for the Club in 2020, assisted by Wayde Kelly and Damon Scott. Moseley has a wealth of knowledge and experience having represented Poland, played for Blacktown Workers and won a premiership with Glen Innes as well as being an integral figure for the Giants since his return home in 2017. Kelly, who is now the regional manager for the NRL, has won five senior premierships across four competitions, most recently a man-of-the-match effort for Murwillumbah in the 2016 NRRRL grandfinal. ‘This is a great
opportunity to give back and finish where I started,’ Kelly said. Scott, who is a former premiership winning coach with the Giants, is hoping to ‘instill a winning attitude and culture into a young group’. Ken Watkins will coach the reserve grade side with Mark Hartley as his manager. The Ladies League tag side is looking for a coach. In the player department, former Junior Giant, Cody Nelson will be joining the side, when available, from his home-base in Melbourne. Cody has played for Parramatta and the Gold Coast Titans. Along with Cody, a number of current and former Giants have agreed to play next year. Club president Adam McKenzie was very happy with the club’s direction.
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Blast Off champion Leihani Zoric . Photo Jack Barripp Our local super groms had outstanding success down in Sydney at the 14th annual BL’s Blast Off with Byron Bay’s Leihani Zoric and Lennox Head’s Keke Brain winning their six-girls and eight-girls divisions respectively. Byron Bay’s Henley Smith was runner-up to Brain in the eight-girls. Ocea Curtis of Lennox Head was runner-up in the 10-girls. The competition was held over four days with early rounds at Avalon Beach and finals day at Whale beach.
Kennedy Stu Kennedy from Lennox Head has turned his season around with a huge result in Portugal and has now leaped up the WSL QS ratings ladder
after his runner-up finish at the QS10,000 EDP Billabong Pro Ericeira. Kennedy was back to his best with fast, smooth and electric performances over the event. The runner-up result and 8,000 points could turn his year around as he jumped 35 spots into 15th place on the rankings, with a good shot at cracking the top 10 with a big finish in Hawaii. ‘I can’t give up now if I’m making finals,’ Kennedy said.
‘Mono’ Byron Bay’s Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart has struck gold again with a win at the US Open Adaptive Surfing Championships held at Oceanside Pier in California. Stewart has won the event three years in a row.
‘Everyone is a winner’. Thanks to sponsors, all of the funds raised from this year’s Lighthouse run will go to charity. Photo supplied The 13th Annual Byron Bay Lighthouse Run is set for Sunday October 22 and will be raising money to support headspace Lismore and the Women’s Resource Service at Mullumbimby and Districts Neighbourhood Centre. Up to 1000 competitors are expected to take on the 10km run, 6km walk or 1km dash for the kids. Lisa Parkes started the event in 2006 and it was recognised with an Australia
Day Award for Best Event in the Byron Shire in 2016. ‘I am very proud to be able to donate 100% of the profits [from the event]. This is only possible through the generous support of local sponsors and businesses and the great work by our committee and team of volunteers,’ she said. Head to www.byronbaylighthouserun.com.au to register, and get in touch if you’d like to volunteer at the event!
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