Ladies Proctor Park Challenge comes of age

This past weekend saw this wonderful tournament reach its highest peak with 32 Premier Youth, Super Youth, Country representative and association club teams compete in 70 matches of football on six magnificently prepared fields at Proctor Park.
Before very large crowds and in perfect weather conditions the competition was intense, yet played in great pre-season spirit with only five yellow cards and not one red card issued over the entire tournament.
Grade 12:
The Grade 12 Ladies tournament saw eleven teams challenging for victory.    
The highlight of this group however was the fantastic performance of the little girls from far away South West Slopes who took all before them winning thee matches against Bathurst , Western and Apia Leichhardt Tigers, before drawing with Illawarra Stingrays and only going down 2-1 to eventual finalist Macarthur Rams. 
After five rounds of preliminary matches it was the Macarthur Rams from Group A and Sutherland Sharks from Group B in the final.  These two Premier Youth league teams set the standard for the finals with a terrific match on Sunday afternoon which saw the Sharks defeat the Rams 2-0.
Result:  Sutherland Sharks  2   Macarthur Rams  0 
Grade 14:
The maximum twelve teams contested this category and with a lift in age came a lift in intensity and talent.  Group A was well contested, however it was Macarthur Rams again winning through from the very well performed Capital Football girls. 
In Group B it was the newly promoted Inter Lions that won through very narrowly from Southern NSW.  The final was another great contest, however the class of established Premier Youth club Macarthur Rams shone through with a fine 3-0 victory.
Result:  Macarthur Rams  3   Inter Lions   0
Grade 16:
In the Grade 16 category we had nine teams vying for the coveted Proctor Park Challenge Champions title and with all teams displaying outstanding skills so early in the season, it was the locals, Western NSW Panthers winning Group A for their chance to meet the winners of Group B, which eventually was won by Inter Lions but only after a last match win against the previously unbeaten Southern NSW. 
So after two fantastic days of football we were witness to a dream final contested by two very good sides, both newly promoted to Premier League and in the end it was the Western NSW Panthers gaining the ascendancy over Inter Lions 2-0 and give the huge local crowd plenty to cheer for as the sun set slowly behind the adjacent Mt Panorama in the west.
Result:  Western NSW Panthers  2   Inter Lions  0
The Bathurst Association and their hard working committee, led by their President Kelvin Moore and Secretary Robin Hall are to be congratulated on the magnificent way their six fields were turned out in perfect condition only to be matched by the professional manner in which they met everyone?s requirements over a very busy weekend.
Larry Grant
Head of Competitions (a)