NEWCASTLE High School will make its debut in the Bill Turner Cup finals series at Speers Point on Tuesday, while Hunter Sports High continues a remarkable run of 15 straight finals series in the Bill Turner Trophy.
The top four sides from each competition play in semi-finals at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility before finals and consultations on Wednesday.
The Bill Turner Cup (boys) and Trophy (girls) are high school knock-out tournaments for students 15-years-and-under which commenced in April with teams from Cairns to Melbourne, including all of NSW and the ACT. The Cup began with 450 teams and the Trophy with 400.
Newcastle High qualified for the finals with a 1-0 win over Byron Bay High School at Coffs Harbour in August, having defeated six sides from the Hunter beforehand.
Archie Goodwin scored in the 13th minute against Byron Bay and the boys hung on to progress to the finals for the first time since the competition began in 1979.
They face a tough challenge in Westfield Sports High in their semi-final at 4.30pm with the winner to face Toowoomba Grammar or Bosley Park High.
“Really looking forward to it,” Newcastle High captain Pat Bond said.
“Third place play-off if we lose and the final if we win.
“Everyone is proud [of making the finals]; the principal, the coach and all the boys, heaps proud.”
Hunter Sports High, who have finished second in the Trophy for the past two years, take on last year’s winner Westfield Sports High – who defeated them 6-1 in the 2017 final. The semi-final kicks off at 1.30pm.
