Great Southern Colts Carnival: Ongerup finish sixth overall after breakthrough win over Lower South West

Ongerup Football Association has broken through for a long-awaited win at the Great Southern Colts Carnival and went on to finish sixth out of eight teams competing in Lake Grace at the weekend. After a first-up loss to Upper Great Southern on Saturday, Ongerup responded with a far more competitive showing against Goldfields in game two. Ongerup then faced Lower South West in their final game on Saturday, winning by 19 point, their first triumph in several years at the carnival. Lower South West started brilliantly with four goals in the first term but Ongerup wrestled back control in the midfield and reduced the deficit to 10 points by half-time. Three goals to one in the third helped Ongerup take the lead and they added three majors in the final term on their way to an impressive win, 9.9 (63) to 7.2 (44). Tristan Ballard, Charlie Kelsall and Konnah Holmes were outstanding in the win while up forward Jackson Callope (four goals) and Tobyn Lowry (three) finished off the good work of their teammates. The win meant Ongerup tackled Eastern Districts in the fifth and sixth playoff on Sunday morning but Ongerup were overrun in the second half and went down by 31 points. Ongerup trailed by seven points at half-time but Eastern Districts were too strong after, that kicking seven goals to three on their way to a 10.6 (66) to 5.5 (35) result. Hamish Ryan, Murray Hayward and Marcus Davis were Ongerup’s best contributors while Lowry booted two goals. Callope and Lowry combined for seven goals in Ongerup’s 25-point loss to eventual grand finalists Goldfields. Kelsall, Ballard and Thomas Hicks were their best players in that game. Ongerup went goalless in a 38-point defeat to Upper Great Southern in their opening match with Milan Jaggi, Davis and Ryan winning plenty of the ball. Kelsall, Holmes and Callope were recognised for their efforts with selection in the Great Southern 20.