Border Districts claimed the 2023 Kowree Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League A Grade premiership after they pulled away late against a determined Kingston team.
The Eagles came into the game as favourites to end their 32-year premiership drought and they achieved the ultimate prize by the final siren.
The start of the game was fierce from both sides as neither team could get good open play started.
It took nine minutes before the game’s first goal was kicked as Kingston’s Ben Rogers was able to give Kingston a seven-point lead.
Kingston started looking dangerous when they moved the ball forward as Travis Burns and Ben Warner added to the scoreboard for the Saints to extend the margin.
Jack Armfield, Tom Matsouliadis, Campbell Watts and Ben Warner were gathering a lot of the ball for the Saints.
Border Districts hit back late in the quarter as Zac Richards, Dylan Schoenmakers and Mark Quinn started to win the ball more for the Eagles.
Border Districts had an important period of football before quarter-time as they added two goals to the score to steady the ship and not let Kingston get away.
Isaac Hewson also looked dangerous when he could get into the clear to use his damaging kicking skills for the Eagles.
Kingston held a nine-point lead at quarter time.
Both teams continued to put the pressure on in the second quarter.
Border Districts drew first blood in the second quarter as Sam Pridham and Daniel Skinner combined to get the ball to a leading Dylan Schoenmakers who slotted the goal to reduce the margin to one point.
Kingston attacked again looking for the answering goal but the Border District’s backline was holding strong.
Dylan Auciello was the main defensive man for the Eagles as he made some great contests and spoils to try and stop the Saints from scoring goals.
Kingston broke through the Eagles’ defence as Ethan Murdock slotted a tough goal from an angle to put the Saints up by eight points after being set up by good work by Chris Draper and Campbell Watts who combined to get Murdock the ball.
Kingston took an eight-point lead into halftime.
Kingston got off to a great start in the third quarter when Chad Wood won a clearance on the half-forward flank and kicked it forward to Ben Warner who kicked long to the square and William Wiseman marked and kicked the opening goal of the second half.
Kingston continued to attack, but the Border District’s backline scrambled to shut the Saints down.
Isaac Hewson was able to get a much-needed goal for the Eagles as he intercepted a clearing kick by Kingston and went back and kicked the goal.
Border Districts attacked again from the next centre contest as Nathan Naylor won the tap down to Zac Richards and he combined the ball movement with Brodie Adams, Dylan Schoenmakers, Jameson Bower and Fraser Adams to get the ball into the arms of Mackenzie Bower just outside the forward 50.
Mackenzie went back and launched a long kick that sailed through the goals as the Saints’ lead was cut to two points.
Brodie Adams intercepted a kick in after a behind where he took a mark and kicked a goal to put the Eagles back in front at the 17-minute mark.
Kingston hit back when Jack Harding took a contested mark 15 metres out in front of the goals and was able to kick the goal to put the Saints back in front.
Kingston worked hard to get another goal as Jack Armfield sharked a ball from a contest and moved it forward to Tom Rogers who found Travis Burns who ran the ball and handballed the ball to an open Jack Harding who kicked the goal to put the Saints four points ahead deep into the third quarter.
Border Districts hit back late as the Eagles won a free kick in the centre square and Dylan Schoenmakers burst out of the midfield and pin-pointed a pass that hit Mark Quinn on the chest right as the siren sounded.
Quinn went back and kicked the goal after the siren to give the Eagles the lead heading into the final term.
Border Districts were right on the attack from the start of the fourth quarter.
Kingston’s defensive unit was doing great work to hold the Eagles back.
Jack Tapfield used his left foot to clear the ball time and time again early in the fourth quarter for the Saints.
Border Districts broke through the Saints’ defence as Mackenzie Bower and Chase Bower combined to send the ball forward where Harrison Pretlove marked and kicked straight through the goals as the Eagles went ahead by 11 points at the six-minute mark of the last quarter.
The Eagles were on the attack again as Dre Stirling won a free kick for a great tackle and then sent the ball to half forward where Carl Hausler took a mark and sent the ball inside the forward fifty where Mark Quinn took an uncontested mark and went back and kicked the goal as the Eagles were getting right on top.
Border Districts were 17 points clear and in charge of the game.
Kingston won the next centre clearance and looked dangerous until Dylan Auciello came the other way and again stopped the Saints’ chances of scoring as he won the ball and sent it back to the Eagles’ end of the ground.
Kingston worked hard and stayed in the contest after they produced their best play of the game.
The Saints won the ball back in defence and worked the ball to Orestis Gambranis who launched a chain of passes, going from Jed Castley to Jack Tapfield, onto a running William Watts, Travis Burns at half-back, to James Siviour who handpassed to Thomas Matsouliadis.
A chip to Chris Draper then sent the ball to Fisher, who snapped a kick inside the forward 50 where William Wiseman juggled a mark, beforegoing back and kicking the goal.
Kingston reduced the margin back to 12 points at the 22-minute mark.
However, Border Districts had all the answers anytime Kingston got close and had done enough to be crowned KNTFL premiers when the siren sounded.
Dylan Auciello was awarded the best on the ground medal for his outstanding defensive game.
