West Pennant Hills aiming for a hat-trick

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It will be a historic day for West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook’s Grade 17 side as they prepare for their PUMA Champion of Champions clash against Nepean’s Glenmore Park at Valentine Sports Park.

Coached by Stuart Zalunardo and Cecil Louw, the dynamic coaching duo have taken the squad to two successive Champion of Champions titles and are hoping to make it number three this Sunday.

“We’re going for a hat-trick of titles,” Zalunardo stated to Football NSW.

“It’s been an outstanding year for the boys but we are really looking forward to the challenge ahead against a very tough opponent in Glenmore Park.”

The Gladesville Hornsby based association side smashed Granville’s Pendle Hill 8-1 en route to the final while their opponents Glenmore Park defeated Mt Pritchard 1-0 to reach the big finale.

“Glenmore Park are a very strong side and I know they will provide our boys with one of their toughest matches all year.

“We have a lot of respect for them and I know they will be up for the challenge.

“We played them last year in the Football NSW State Cup semi-final and just got over the line 2-1 so it’s going to be a pretty interesting affair.”

Zalunardo, also the proud president of West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook, has this year seen the side take out the Premiership and Championship title where they remained undefeated in the GHFA competition but were brought back down to earth suffering a State Cup loss to Connells Point.

“It was a loss that we needed.

“It was a pretty tight match but it wasn’t to be as we lost the match but took a lot of key learnings from it.”

One amazing aspect that the club has managed to work hard at has been keeping this team together with the majority of the players kicking off their football relationships at the tender age of 8.

“We’ve been fortunate that the boys have kept a close bond since the age of 8 playing alongside each other.

“We’ve held onto the nucleus of the squad and what I mean by that is ten out of the fourteen have stayed on which has been great for us.

“This has really helped the cohesion and understanding of each other on the pitch.”

The 2015 season has thrown a few challenges to both co-coaches who have known each other for years as mates, players and also coaching their kids, currently in the squad.

“We’ve had a couple of interruptions but it’s been a challenging season as the boys have had to deal with the HSC as well as work commitments but they’ve remained disciplined and committed which has seen them progress this far.”

One things for sure, the club, backed by a passionate support base, are chomping at the bits in gracing the football pitches at Valentine Sports Park, a facility Zalunardo heavily praised.

“I have to say that Football NSW run a great show up there with the Champion of Champions and I know the boys are all looking forward to playing in what is a wonderful new facility.”

Match Details

Sunday 18th October (11:15am)

West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook FC v Glenmore Park FC

Valentine Sports Park 3

-By Mark Stavroulakis