January 31 saw three Boomerangs teams travel to Penrith to compete in semi-finals of the 14/15 FNSW State League competition.
The 15 Girls played in an elimination semi-final having finished third on the table after the regular season. The Youth Men played in a qualifying semi having finished second, and the Open Women, who finished as Minor Premiers atop the table, also played in a qualifying semi-final.
15 Girls
Boomerangs FS 1 – Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2
The Boomerangs 15 girls finished the regular season in third position with an nine win, three loss record and the best defensive record of the league. The Town Rangers finished in fourth with eight wins, two draws and two losses. During the regular season (in November), the Boomer girls comfortably defeated the Town Rangers 4-0 at mPowerdome.
A tense and even goalless first half saw both teams defend stoically with neither team being able to put together sustained periods of offensive momentum at any stage.
Both half-time talks must have focussed on the ‘offensive’ as the second half saw the Town Ranger girls score within two minutes of the restart and the Boomer girls respond within another ninety seconds (Ivana Galic). The rest of the second half was a tense end-to-end battle where it seemed that either team could break the 1-1 deadlock. But the defence from both teams was solid and both ‘keepers were doing a terrific job under pressure.
Just as the match seemed to be heading towards extra time (as the match before had done), the Town Rangers scored from a perfectly directed shot that was angled just wide of the Boomers keeper’s outstretched arm, kissing the inside of the upright before going in for their second. The next 90 seconds were frantic as the Boomers threw caution to the wind in an endeavour to again balance the ledger. Alas it was all to no avail and they fell short by the narrowest of margins 1-2.
A disappointing end to the season for this group who looked destined to make it through to the Grand Final — but a great effort to make it to the finals, and of course, there’s always next year for this team chock full of emerging talent.
Youth Men
Boomerangs FS 5 – Sutherland 5 (at FT) 6-6 (after ET) 2-3 (after penalties)
These lads seem to be able to consistently deliver cracker games. Although a win would have been better…
When they met in Round One of the regular season, Sutherland edged out a 4-3 win over the Boomerangs Youth. The Boomers drew their match against Sydney City Eagles (R3) but won all others, whereas Sutherland continued their winning streak for the 12 regular season rounds. This final then was a match up of the competition heavy-weights.
Both teams were light a key man going into the match with Jake Wilsener for the Boomers out serving a one-match ban for too many regular season yellow cards, and similarly for Sutherland, they were missing Jordan Guerrero.
The match got off to the worst possible start for the Boomerangs when Sutherland scored within the first minute. After a frenetic and intense first five minutes, Zeitlhofer pounced on a defensive lapse by Sutherland to power home from close range. 1-1 it remained until the final minute of the first half when again Sutherland penetrated the usually solid Boomerangs defence to go into the half-time break up 2-1.
Sutherland had the best of the opening of the second half and started to dictate proceedings, building a lead of 5-2 when the Boomers coach called a time-out with a shade over six minutes to go. As one team who excel at fly keeper play, the Boomerangs Youth returned to the court with the keeper playing in the front court as fifth man. In what can only be described as a frenetic, fast-paced and intense battle, the Boomerangs Youth lads put three past the Sutherland keeper in the final six minutes of regular time to tie the match up at 5-5.
Finals require results, so the match headed into extra time – two periods of five minutes. The first period saw end-to-end futsal with a number of opportunities at each end. Sutherland again scored first and went into the extra time break a goal to the good. Reverting to the now tried-and-true method of coming from behind, the Boomer lads again went into fifth-man mode for the second period of extra time and once again managed to put another past the Sutherland keeper without conceding themselves (with for the most an unattended goal).
A sensational effort by all the team to get them this far, especially by Zac Sorensen and Nick van Aalst who as regular keepers both excel at fifth man play (as do the rest of the team).
So all tied up at the end of extra time sees the match head to penalties. Three each. Nick Rathjen slams the first attempt goal-ward, but it’s saved by the Sutherland keeper. Nick van Aalst and Tom Zeitlhofer both slot their’s home, but the game is lost as all three Sutherland shots hit the back of the Boomerang goal’s netting.
A thriller of a game, almost matching the excitement of the Grand Final at Nationals only a few weeks earlier.
So the Youth Men must return next week to the Preliminary Final against Mt Druitt Town Rangers (who defeated Sydney City Eagles – also on penalties) in order to take the longer path to the Grand Final and a rematch with Sutherland (who have a week off to rest up).
Nicholas Rathjen (3), Thomas Zeitlhofer (1), Chris Smith (1) and Zac Sorenson (1).
Open Women
Boomerangs FS 5 – Sutherland 4
Much like the Youth Men, the Boomerangs Women were up against Sutherland – the only team they had lost to all season – in Round One back in October. Since then the Boomerangs ladies have gone all season defeating every team they came up against, as Sutherland lost only two over the season (to West City Crusaders and Eastern Suburbs Hakoah).
A close exciting match was expected – what wasn’t expected was for the Sutho ladies to storm out of the blocks and put three into the Boomers net in the first five minutes (including a penalty in the first minute of the match). Coach Collins called a time out earlier than he would have liked, but it did the trick — and the message of ‘working their way back into the game’ paid dividends.
By half-time the lead had been narrowed to one with the Boomers scoring twice unanswered.
The second half saw the Boomerangs defence remain rock solid with some terrific blocked shots and great saves by Sophie Rolfe in goal. Their offensive efforts also started to pay dividends as the Sutherland ladies tired.
Some quality goals were the feature of the match with top strikes from Hayley Buckingham (2) and Michelle Aurousseau (2) as well as a classic Maddy Whittall strike from narrow angle.
So, the Women get a day off next weekend and are straight to the Grand Final on February 14 against either Sutherland or Taipans.
(Thanks to Roy Meuronen for the photo)