The St James College 1st and 2nd XI Football teams participated in the annual National EREA Football Tournament held at St Joseph’s Nudgee College recently.   

Report by Callan Wiseman

Before the tournament, the teams had the honour of having their Jerseys presented by former student and player, Godwill Thomas Remijo, one of St James’ most talented alumni.

Day one was tough for both teams, with matches against St Paul’s NSW and St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace for the 2nd XI, and St Laurence's College and St Dominic’s College, Penrith for the 1st XI.

The second day had the First XI with a difficult match against Nudgee College, but an exciting match against St Paul’s putting the First XI into the quarter finals. The Second XI also had a successful day with a 1-1 draw against Nudgee College and a 1-0 win against St Laurence’s College.

The final day of the tournament was our day to put St James on the map, with our First XI facing Rostrevor College, Woodforde, and our Second XI taking on Christian Brother's College, Adelaide in their respective divisions. The Second XI put in a gritty, determined performance against a strong CBC Adelaide outfit in their quarter final. Despite the result not falling our way, the boys fought valiantly until the final whistle, displaying resilience and spirit that reflected the very best of our school's sporting culture. Their sportsmanship and composure on the field earned the respect of teammates and opponents alike, and showed just how much pride they took in representing the College.

The First XI’s match was also a thrilling spectacle. After conceding early, the team responded in style, with Simeon McAuliffe levelling the score through a thunderous volley from a corner that lit up the pitch. With the game ending all square, it came down to penalties to decide the winner. Although we had defeated Rostrevor in a shootout just last year, this time the South Australians held their nerve and converted all of their spot-kicks. Rostrevor’s quality was further underscored by their eventual grand final victory over St Laurence’s, 3–2. This is a testament to the high level at which our First XI competed, pushing the tournament champions all the way to penalties.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our dedicated coaching staff, helpers, parents and supporters, whose passion, guidance, and expertise and help were instrumental in preparing our teams and taking us deep into the competition and in making the tournament such a memorable and meaningful experience for our students.