Sport
17 June, 2026
Good Counsel U15 winners
GOOD Counsel College experienced both triumph and heartbreak at the Townsville Blackhawks Schoolboys rugby league grand finals on 8 June, with the under-15s storming home to claim a dominant 44-12 victory over Blackheath and Thornburgh College, Charters Towers, while the open boys fell agonisingly short in an extra time thriller against Columba Catholic College, Charters Towers.
The under-15s overcame a 12-6 half-time deficit despite controlling much of the opening stanza.
They exploded in the second half, led by man of the match Ethan English and dynamic dummy half Jake Stephenson, who both crossed for doubles. Additional tries from DJ Weare, Cooper Healey, Brayden D’Urso and Tony Pham sealed a commanding win.
Coach Brayden Huey said he always felt his side was in control.
“We did everything right except put the ball down,” he said.
“After half-time the boys capitalised. Jake Stephenson turned the game when he came on, and our forwards, especially Tony Pham and Cooper Millwood really impressed. Ethan English was outstanding again and deserved his man of the match award.”
While the under-15s returned home with silverware, the open boys endured a rollercoaster grand final clash against Columba Catholic College.
Columba raced to a 14-0 half-time lead, determined to avenge their extra time loss to Good Counsel two weeks earlier.
But Good Counsel mounted a spirited comeback, with captain Tama Wilson scoring a double to help his side surge ahead 22-18 with just three minutes remaining.
Columba struck back to level the scores at 22-22, forcing yet another extra time showdown.
This time, the momentum swung the other way, with Columba finishing strongest to claim a 32-22 victory and showing they are a quality side and why they have won this competition for the fourth consecutive year.
Huey praised his team’s resilience.
“Columba came out hungry and put us to the sword early,” he said.
“To our credit, we overcame a 14-0 deficit to take the lead late. The boys were understandably disappointed, but I couldn’t be prouder. They showed they can compete with the top schools in the region.”
Try scorers for the opens were Wilson (two), Marlion Swain and Noah Balderson, with Case Durighello perfect off the tee (3/3).
Good Counsel’s open boys’ team now shift their focus to the prestigious Confraternity Shield at Marist Ashgrove in Brisbane later this month.