Darling Downs Region won the 15 Years State Championships in Townsville after a hard fought 28-18 victory over a strong Metropolitan West team who fell at the final hurdle attempting to defend their 2017 title.
It is the first 15 Years State Championships for the region since 1993, with captain and front rower Xavier Va’a leading by example with a man of the match performance.
The team were strong across the park, with standout performances from halfback and goal kicker Brayden Paix, centre Blake Cesari, hooker Shaun Packer and second rower Nathan Kleidon.
For the Metropolitan West team, Player of the Carnival Ezra Mam (pictured below) was once again dangerous, with great support from second row powerhouse Vergedah Kolio.
Games were held across four days at the home of the Mendi Townsville Blackhawks at Townsville Brothers, with all 12 school sporting regions playing each day.
Saturday saw a festival of rugby league with the schools games combining with Foley Shield matches and the top-of-the-table Intrust Super Cup clash between the Blackhawks and Burleigh Bears.
Two Queensland teams were selected from the carnival to compete at the National Championships held in Mackay from July 1 – July 6.
In a first for the Championships, all games were live streamed, with matches now available via the following link:
--> 15 Years Championships games
The 18 Years State Championships for boys will be held in Toowoomba from May 24, with live streaming also available for these games via the Queensland School Sport 13-18 Years Rugby League Facebook page.
Queensland 15 Years Maroons to play in Mackay from July 1-6, 2018
Daniel Ah Chong (Redbank Plains SHS)
Blake Cessari (St Mary’s College)
Tyler Conroy (Unity College)
Jai Hansen (The Cathedral College)
Nathan Kleidon (Lockyer District SHS)
Vergedah Kolio (Ipswich SHS)
Tuvalli Khan-Pereira (Keebra Park SHS)
Ezra Mam (Ambrose Treacy College)
Bailey Martin (Palm Beach Currumbin SHS)
Manihi Maurangi (Trinity Bay SHS)
Jeremiah Nanai (Trinity Bay SHS)
Kaleb Ngamanu (The Southport School)
Shaun Packer (St Mary’s College)
Orlando Swain (Ipswich Grammar School)
Keenan Tempest (Alexandra Hills SHS)
Herman Tofaeono (Keebra Park SHS)
John-Thomas Manuofetoa (Coombabah SHS)
Xavier Va’a (St Mary’s College)
Ragarive Wavik (Kirwan SHS)
Keane Wright-Dunrobin (Dalby SHS)
Coach: Joe O’Callaghan (Marsden SHS)
Manager: Matthew Jahnke (St Mary’s College)
Trainer: Marty Steiger (Noosa District SHS)
Queensland 15 Years Whites to play in Mackay from July 1-6, 2018
Zachary Alley (Ipswich Grammar School)
Jackson Barling (St Augustine’s College)
Paul Bryan (Holy Spirit College)
Xavier Chatfield (Kirwan SHS)
Ethan Cocco (Mercy College)
Flynn Daniel (Palm Beach Currumbin SHS)
Prinston Esera (Wavell SHS)
Riley Hall (Ipswich Grammar School)
Luke Jack (Burdekin Catholic High School)
Kmani Levi (Ignatius Park College)
Shaymus Malone (Ambrose Tracy College)
Thomas McIntosh (Ignatius Park College)
Braydon Paix (St Mary’s College)
Mason Pintegne (Ipswich SHS)
John Radel (St Peters Lutheran College)
Kruz Rimene (Coombabah SHS)
Brody Smitka (Coomera Anglican College)
Syris Schmidt (The Southport School)
Ezra Ubaldino (Palm Beach Currumbin SHS)
Trey Valentine (Ignatius Park College)
Coach: David Porter (Wavell SHS)
Manager: Darren Hart (Keebra Park SHS)
Trainer: Michael Armstrong (Laidley SHS)
