2023 IAPS U11 Girls Football Champions!
30th September 2023
The second edition of the U11 IAPS Football Tournament took place on Saturday 30th September, and what a colourful event it was! Eight teams were drawn from eight different schools, and pooled into two groups. Braeburn was pooled with Brookhouse, The Banda, and St. Andrew's Turi. The first game saw Braeburn play a goalless tie with The Banda, with the girls playing some very good attacking football. In the second game, the girls played their hearts out, creating numerous chances, and they were finally rewarded by a beautiful shot from the left from Berenice, supported immensely by Valentina. The last game of the group stages pitted the girls against a resilient Brookhouse, who scored in the first 3 minutes of the game. The girls equalised with a brilliant volley from Berenice, and that is how it ended, with Braeburn topping their pool, and setting the stage for a semi finals duel with Hillcrest.
The girls saw off their opponents with a solitary goal in the second half to qualify for the finals against Braeburn Garden Estate. The excitement and the mood was at fever pitch, with all the other schools' players, teachers, and parents cheering for their favourite team of the day. The deadlock could not be broken in regulation time, with some resolute defending amidst exciting attacks. This forced the dreaded penalties to be used to break the tie. It took the elements of skill, chance, nerve, and the luck of the golden goal rule to break the deadlock, with the girls emerging victorious from a hard fought match.
As well as the team receiving the trophy and winners medals, Berenice was voted the most valuable player of the tournament. Well done Braeburn.
