MORNINGTON Soccer Club’s U13 girls took home the state championship in a 4-2 win against Yarra Jets FC on 21 September. The win comes after an impressive undefeated season, which saw them win the premiership in the local league before coming out on top in the championship.
In the Southeast 13C division semi-final, they faced off against Manningham in a challenging match due to windy weather conditions. Despite being a messy game, the team held their ground and were victorious with a 3-2 win, thanks to some great saves from their goalkeeper, Charlotte Wanless.
The highly anticipated grand final was held at the Home of the Matildas, where the team pulled out a strong performance to secure the win. “There was good movement on the ball and communication on the pitch, and they were just switched on,” Coach Jake Gilchrist said.
Alice Yamazaki opened the scoring, followed by two own goals resulting from corner kicks delivered by Amelia Morgan. The final goal, which secured the win, was scored by Bella Gilchrist, who was the leading scorer of the season.
Gilchrist said the key to success this season was the “great culture within the team”. “I feel this year was very inclusive and the girls were really good friends with each other,” he said. Gilchrist also expressed gratitude to assistant coach, Jimmy Lawlor, as well as the parents and families of the players, whose support played a key role in the team’s success.
Craig Riley, CEO of the club, said a big “congratulations to all the girls that have participated, congratulations to the coaching staff, congratulations to all the parents.” “It’s almost unheard of to go an entire season without losing a single game. So, it’s very impressive,” he said.
The team will be bumped up to the 14B league next year, and the girls and coaching staff are hopeful their success will continue. “They’re only just starting their careers, but hopefully we can hang onto them and transition them into senior players in the next three, four, five years,” Riley said.
First published in the Mornington News – 30 September 2025
