THE Met West U15 girls’ football team has achieved a remarkable hat-trick, securing gold for the third consecutive year in a thrilling penalty shootout.
On May 16, 20 teams from 10 regions across Queensland flocked to Wynnum Wolves FC, each striving to secure a spot in the Queensland School Representative Team.
The 2024 Football Girls State Championships featured four days of competitive football, with 10 regions each fielding U15 and U19 teams.
Culminating in an intense penalty shootout, Met West squared off against Met North in the Grand Final.
Met West U15s coach Jeff Jasch said his team initially took the field as the underdogs.
“Met North went into the final without losing a game,” Jasch said.
“Even though we had come top of Group A, we did have two close losses on our path to the final.”
Despite being down 1-0 at halftime, Jasch said the girls remained incredibly positive.
“They believed that if we continued to play the way we were, we would get something out of the game,” he said.
The girls’ perseverance paid off with a stunning team goal early in the second half, levelling the game and ultimately leading to a thrilling penalty shootout.
Jasch said the girls’ determination remained unwavering even after falling behind 1-0 in the initial round of penalties.
“Our goalkeeper saved the next three penalties, and we successfully scored our next three to win the shootout 3-1,” he said.
Outside of the Grand Final, Jasch said the success of the four-day competition was truly a result of the collective effort of the entire squad, with all 16 girls playing crucial roles in achieving victory.
“The U19 girls were on the bench for the shootout and provided great encouragement for the 15s,” he said.
“It was a great celebration when the last penalty was stopped, with both squads celebrating in the middle of the field.”
In addition to striving for gold in the competition, players competed with the aspiration of being selected for the 16-player state squad in their respective age groups.
