East Coast Bays have become the national U-17 men’s champions after winning the annual four-day tournament in Auckland.
Bays beat Fencibles United 2-1 in a tense final at Western Springs’ Seddon Fields to etch their name on the trophy for the first time.
Bays went ahead in the first half through a well-taken goal from Caleb Noel.
However Fencibles levelled through Kodie Nicol with 10 minutes to go.
As it looked as though the game was going to need a penalty shootout, Bays were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Fencibles area.
With little more than a minute left, Damion Kim curled his shot around the defensive wall and into the net.
The goal clinched the game for Bays, leaving Fencibles United the runners-up.
Later in the afternoon, Fencibles won the women’s division, capping a successful tournament for the club.
READ MORE: Fencibles United crowned national U-17 women’s champions >>>>
Meanwhile, Bay Olympic won the tournament’s plate section, beating Melville United 4-1 in the final while the Wellington Phoenix won the bowl.
The Phoenix beat hosts Western Springs 3-1 in the bowl final.
Squads
East Coast Bays
Jack McEwan, Hamish Strong. Niko Elie, Jack Young, Damion Kim, Caleb Noel, Peter Harrison, Fletcher Purvis, Orlando Thorpe, Luke Stoupe, Jacob Smith, Matthew Rodrigues, James Elder, Toby Coombe, Ray Ishihara, Ashtun Lake, Vincent Caminos, Adam Atkinson.
Fencibles United
Eli Jones, Ethan Holder, Finn Wessels, Frank Lu, Harrison Lloyd, James Fuller, Joey Ugwa, Khavin Kannan, Kodie Nicol, Krish Killa, Levi Saunders, Luca Johns, Nathan Martin, Nathan Walker, Nick Rooney, Prithvi Sidhu, Ryan Mackay, Will Pepper.
Honours board
Men’s U-17 winners / runners-up
2013: Three Kings United / Central United
2014: Ellerslie / Three Kings United
2015: Birkenhead United / Onehunga Sports
2016: Birkenhead United / Onehunga Sports
2017: Birkenhead United / Western Springs
2018: Wellington United / Western Springs
2019: Lower Hutt City / Birkenhead United
2020: Tauranga City / Lower Hutt City
2021: Birkenhead United / Lower Hutt City
2022: Birkenhead United / Melville United
2023: East Coast Bays / Fencibles United
Results
Games played on Sunday December 10, 2023
Championship
Final
East Coast Bays 2 (Caleb Noel 24′, Damion Kim 48′)
Fencibles United 1 (Kodie Nicol 40′)
Semi-finals
Nomads United 1 (Aidan Sandys)
East Coast Bays 1 (Orlando Thorpe)
*Bays won 5-4 on penalties
Fencibles United 1 (Nicholas Rooney)
Eastern Suburbs 0
Plate
Final
Bay Olympic 4 (Louis Busson, Adebabay Tesfaw 3)
Melville United 1 (Chester Opperman)
Semi-finals
Bay Olympic 0
Christchurch United 0
*Bay Olympic won 7-6 on penalties
Melville United 0
Hamilton Wanderers 0
*Melville won 5-3 on penalties
Bowl
Final
Wellington Phoenix 3 (Riley Allison 3)
Western Springs Development 1 (Niko Clare)
Semi-finals
Northland 1 (Max Eckstein)
Wellington Phoenix 1 (Riley Allison)
*Phoenix won 6-5 on penalties
Otumoetai 0
Western Springs Development 1 (Niko Clare)
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