WINNERS: Ipswich captain, Josiah Pahulu, holds the Allan Langer trophy aloft to mark a major milestone for the school’s elite league program.
IPSWICH State High can finally lay claim to being the best rugby league school in Southeast Queensland after winning a thrilling Allan Langer Cup final last week.
The competition pits the best of the best schools over three months where they play each other once before the top four go through to the semi’s.
In a stellar year Ipswich never faltered winning every match, including two games where they fought back from being down 16-nil.
Coach, Joshua Bretherton and his support team have been working tirelessly since 2013 towards the goal of winning the Allan Langer Cup and now they have the trophy in the school cabinet.
Fittingly the Broncos legend the competition honours, is a former student of Ipswich High.
Langer was on hand at Kougari Oval last week to see his alma mater take his trophy with a stirring come from behind 16-12 win over Palm Beach-Currumbin High.
Speaking after the game Langer said how proud he was of the side and particularly the defence they showed in the dying stages of the game.
“It was great grand-final, and it was even better that Ipswich won,’’ he said.
Ipswich have been notoriously slow beginners in their early rounds of the Cup and it looked bright when they started the final with a try in the opening six minutes to Tre Fotu.
Like Ipswich the Palm Beach-Currumbin team features a number of players signed by NRL clubs and they flexed their muscles to fight back and get to a 12-10 lead.
The final try hero was Tyler Peckham-Harris who ived over after a break by hooker Tommy Luhrman.
The Ipswich team was pumped up in the sheds for the final by Cronulla Sharks winger, Ronaldo Mulitalo. Mulitalo, who flew from Sydney to address his old school side, looked just as excited as the team when the final siren went declaring Ipswich had won their first major league trophy.
Speaking to the media after the game Mulitalo said “I could cry right now. I have had my best memories here.”
“It’s such a proud rich history we have. And from where we have come from, it means even more. We finally have one.”
Coach Bretherton said Ipswich High had many things to feel proud about, but this victory was special.
“We committed to an elite rugby league program almost 10 years ago and had gone close a few times to winning the top trophy. Now we have the Cup and on Wednesday we play for the right to call ourselves champions of Queensland when we meet northern region title holders St Ignatius College from Townsville.” he said.
The game will be streamed live from Cebus Stadium on the Gold Coast. Ipswich captain Josiah Pahulu said the win should be used for his community to “aim high’’.
“Anything is possible when you put your heart and mind to it,’’ he said.
Grand-final Scores: Ipswich 16 (T Fotu, J Pahulu, Tyler Peckham-Harris tries; J Frazer 2 conv) def PBC SHS 12 (M Roberts, J Taewa tries; J Lynn 2 convs).
