BALLARAT’S under-16 side has won the final of the Victorian Country junior boys soccer championship.
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The host team defeated Bendigo 1-0 in the final at Morshead Park on Monday.
Wild weather on the weekend rendered four grass pitches across Ballarat useless, meaning several additional matches had to be played out on Morshead Park’s synthetic pitches.
Bendigo and Gippsland shared the under-14 title with a 2-2 draw, while grand finals were cancelled in the under-15, 13 and 13 divisions.
Teams on top of the ladder at the end of the weekend were awarded the respective championships.
Albury-Wodonga and Gippsland shared many of the results, with Gippsland taking out the under-13 title, while the former won the under-15 and 12 divisions.
Ballarat’s victory in the under-16s was its first taste of success in several years.
Country Leagues Football Association president Neville Keen said the tournament was a success, despite the poor weather conditions.
“It turned out quite a success, even though we had rain, hail and sleet,” Keen said.
“Without those two artificial grounds, we would have had to abandon the whole tournament.”
Keen said next year’s titles at Albury would be played out in a different format.
Both boys and girls would contest under-12, 14 and 16 levels in a joint championship.
Next year’s titles are likely to be held in March.
RESULTS
Under-16: Ballarat 1 over Bendigo 0
Under-15: Albury-Wodonga over Gippsland
Under-14: Bendigo 2 drew with Gippsland 2 - shared title
Under-13: Gippsland over Albury-Wodonga
Under-12: Albury-Wodonga FC over Gippsland