By HAIVETA KIVIA, Post Courier
LAE won back some lost pride by winning the Northern Zone rugby league championship, beating Madang 22-4 in the finals on Sunday at the Lae rugby league ground.
The U19 Northern Zone title was a Kainantu District affair, when little known Tomerizah rugby league upstaged their more fancied opponents to lock horns with their Kainantu cousins in the final.
But their effort to win the title on their debut at the zone level was stalled by Kainantu 14-4.
In the senior finals, Lae which is the leading rugby league affiliate of the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League in the Northern Zone, brought pride back to the league.
In recent years, Lae has played second fiddle to much smaller leagues like Ramu, Madang and Kainantu for the zone title.
Over the weekend, a new team made up of youngsters and experienced hands made sure the title was brought back from Ramu sugar township of Gusap to the Morobe capital.
Ramu were the title holders but were bundled out in the semi-final by Lae.
Lae began its title campaign in the finals on a bright note, with its forwards led by skipper Killon Nagan, Desmond Lavong, Daniel Mukale and rake Peter John taking play deep into the Madang territory.
The ball was swung from the left side of the field to the right and a two-man overlap was created and five- eighth Mark Mexico sent centre Trim Isaac in for the first of his two tries.
Mexico was a menace in the Madang defence every time he had the ball, setting up play and making big metres up the middle.
In fact the Lae right side attack led by Isaac and winger Saifa Allan fed off Mexico very well and came up with all of the side’s four tries. Allan also scored a double.
Fullback Dondon Kari converted two of the tries while halfback Alfie Nime converted one.
Saifa was next in for the first of his two tries when he raced down the flanks and stepped in past the Madang defence to score under the uprights and Kari converted to lead 10-0.
The U19 Northern Zone title was a Kainantu District affair, when little known Tomerizah rugby league upstaged their more fancied opponents to lock horns with their Kainantu cousins in the final.
But their effort to win the title on their debut at the zone level was stalled by Kainantu 14-4.
In the senior finals, Lae which is the leading rugby league affiliate of the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League in the Northern Zone, brought pride back to the league.
In recent years, Lae has played second fiddle to much smaller leagues like Ramu, Madang and Kainantu for the zone title.
Over the weekend, a new team made up of youngsters and experienced hands made sure the title was brought back from Ramu sugar township of Gusap to the Morobe capital.
Ramu were the title holders but were bundled out in the semi-final by Lae.
Lae began its title campaign in the finals on a bright note, with its forwards led by skipper Killon Nagan, Desmond Lavong, Daniel Mukale and rake Peter John taking play deep into the Madang territory.
The ball was swung from the left side of the field to the right and a two-man overlap was created and five- eighth Mark Mexico sent centre Trim Isaac in for the first of his two tries.
Mexico was a menace in the Madang defence every time he had the ball, setting up play and making big metres up the middle.
In fact the Lae right side attack led by Isaac and winger Saifa Allan fed off Mexico very well and came up with all of the side’s four tries. Allan also scored a double.
Fullback Dondon Kari converted two of the tries while halfback Alfie Nime converted one.
Saifa was next in for the first of his two tries when he raced down the flanks and stepped in past the Madang defence to score under the uprights and Kari converted to lead 10-0.
