South Australia dominant U18 Nationals to sweep field crowns

South Australia have completed their coronation as Australia’s best field lacrosse State, claiming the Boy’s & Girl’s U18 National Championships in varying fashions to go along with their wins last year in the Seniors and U15s, completing their set.

South Australia held on in a thriller to defeat a gallant Western Australia to claim their first LA U18 Girls National Championship since 2019 by the score of 7 - 6. In a tough, defensive game from the outset both sides looked to create chances but were thwarted by some stingy defence. It wasn't until the game was 10 minutes old that South Australia opened the scoring through Ashlyn May, however WA answered straight back with Isla Emmerson knotting the game at 1. It took a late strike from Dani Cox to give SA the edge at the first break. The second quarter saw both keepers remain firmly on top as it was Cox and Isabel Jackson who extended the SA lead to 3 before Emmerson gave WA some momentum heading into the main break. Ashlyn May scored her second to open the third and it looked like SA may run away with it but WA held firm as Kori Rainey and Veronica Keen got WA within one before the teams traded goals late to give SA a 6 - 5 lead at the last change. The next goals was always going to be huge and it took nearly 8 minutes to come about when SA MVP Kelsea Lawson gave SA what would prove to be, a match winning lead. WA MVP Freya Pyne continued to hold SA at bay before Emmerson got one back for WA to cut the margin to 1 and WA kept pressing late, but it was not to be as WA were denied the equaliser in the dying seconds as South Australia hung on to claim their 19th Camille Hobbs Cup. Victoria defeated Waikato in the third place game to finish 3rd.

In the Girls Division 2, the LA Presidents claimed a thrilling Division 2 crown after holding off Victoria A in a spectacular end to the 2024 LA U18 Girls D2 Tournament. In an exciting opening the Presidents jumped to a small lead with Mackenzie Appleton getting the Presidents on the board before Hannah Greenhalgh and Charlize Newmarch-Ward secured a 3 - 1 lead at the first change. The second quarter saw that lead swell to 4 with the Presidents shutting Victoria A out. After the half, the Victoria A came out with some renewed vigour as Eva Bowyer and Rangimarie Gemmell cut the margin to 1 before the Presidents responded with Paige White and MVP Zoe Renshaw ensuring that the lead stayed at 4 at the final change. Newmarch-Ward then struck first to extend the margin to 5 before MVP Cullayn Swanson tried to lift Victoria A back into the game, cutting the margin to 3, but that was where it would stay as the President's held on to claim a thriller and the Girls Division 2 title.

In the Men’s draw South Australia claimed the 2024 LA U18 Boys Championship using a dominant second quarter to claim the title with a win over Victoria on Day 5. In a tight opening term reminiscent of a Championship Final, both sides grinded away, trading goals in the early going as goals to Jake Mannix and Liam Barnes were cancelled out by 2 goals from William Dallisson. The third quarter is often referred to as the "premiership quarter" however it would be the second quarter that provided pivotal with South Australia, led by an MVP performance from Dallisson, putting away 4 goals whilst shutting Victoria out at the other end to jump to a game defining 6  -2 lead. Victoria had a long road back to get back into it and they started that in the third, claiming the third quarter behind MVP Mitchell Kukucka, but they were only able to cut the margin by 1 with SA leading 7 - 4 at the final change. There Josh Gordon and Finn Cook scored for Victoria but it wouldn't be enough as 2 more to Dallison, who finished with 5, and goals to Hudson Robb and Tom Perkins were enough to see South Australia home 11 – 6 for the 10th title. Western Australia edged Victoria A for 3rd whilst Waikato finished 5th.

Congratulations to the Footscray Lacrosse Club on hosting a magnificent event and we look forward to returning to Victoria in 2025.

Womens Division 1 Results

Day 1

Victoria 16 def Waikato 9

South Australia 17 def Western Australia 5

Day 2

Western Australia 16 def Waikato 5

South Australia 14 def Victoria 5

Day 3

Western Australia 10 def Victoria 6

South Australia 19 def Waikato 2

Day 4

Semifinal - Western Australia 8 def Victoria 7

Semifinal - South Australia 17 def Waikato 4

Day 5

Final – South Australia 7 def Western Australia 6

3rd Final - Victoria 18 def Waikato 8

Womens Division 2 Results

Day 1

Victoria A 14 def Presidents 12

Victoria A 15 def Auckland 4

Day 2

Presidents 14 def Auckland 2

Presidents 14 def Victoria A 7

Day 3

Victoria A 14 def Auckland 2

Presidents 18 def Auckland 2

Day 4

Play-In - Victoria A 11 def Auckland 5

Day 5

Final - Presidents 10 def Victoria A 7

Mens Results

Day 1

South Australia 28 def Waikato 1

Victoria 13 def Western Australia 7

Victoria A 14 def Waikato 5

Day 2

Western Australia 19 def Victoria A 3

South Australia 13 def Victoria 9

Day 3

Victoria 21 def Waikato 1

South Australia 15 def Western Australia 8

Day 4

South Australia 15 def Victoria A 4

Western Australia 23 def Waikato 0

Victoria 16 def Victoria A 1

Day 5

Final - South Australia 11 def Victoria 6

3rd Final - Western Australia 14 def Victoria A 4