Kyabam Knights Red has had a spectacular star to its Shepparton Junior Soccer Association season, scoring five goals in the opening round of the season.
Coach Cathy Dervish said the result was even more encouraging considering the team had seven new players.
“Some of our players had already played at the Under-12 level, but five that came this year from the Under-10 team and we had two boys that have never played before,” she said.
The Knights Red Under-12 team won 5-1 against St Luke’s Stars in the first of a five-week grading system.
“I wasn’t sure how we would go, given the amount of bottom age players,” Dervish said.
“All the kids did really well and worked together,” she said, returning to coaching after 12 months on the sidelines.
She put her hand up to coach this year as her son, Callum, plays in the Under-12 team.
Aiden Greiner kicked two goals, as did Ashton De Pasquale and Judah Greely was responsible for the remaining score.
“Their keeper was really good. We could have scored more, because he saved a few shots on goal in the first half,” she said.
Nine members of the 14-boy Under-12 Knights Red squad also play AFL, so they have a particularly busy weekend.
The draw for the remaining weeks of the season will be set once the league gathers all the results they will re-grade and will go through until September.
Zaeem Ishola was really strong in defence for his team, while Clayton WIlson and Ollie Walker, who had never played soccer, were really good in their first outing.
Kyabram Red play Numurkah this weekend, who had the bye on the weekend.
In other results from the weekend Kyabam Knights Black lost its Under-12 match to St Brendan’s Saints 2-0 and the Kyabram Knights Under-14 team had the bye in the first round.
The Knights’ Under-six, seven, eight, nine and 10 teams do not play for premiership points and scores are not kept. In coming weeks the Free Press will be featuring details on these players, along with the results from the Under-12 and 14 teams.