SOCCER
LATROBE VALLEY
By SEBASTIAN HASSETT
THEY’LL talk about this team in Latrobe Valley sporting folklore for decades.
And why not: we may never see a team dominate women’s football like this ever again.
Falcons 2000 were confirmed as Football Victoria Latrobe Valley senior women’s league champions on Sunday afternoon after steamrolling a tough, physical Fortuna side 5-1 at Crinigan Road South Reserve.
The result confirmed what has seemed to be on the cards since the opening day of the season, when Falcons hammered Monash 7-1.
They haven’t been beaten since, and only a 1-all draw with Traralgon City a fortnight ago stopped them from having a perfect season.
Some say Rob Guarascio’s side wouldn’t be out of place in the NPL – and on the strength of this performance, one wonders just how far these Falcons girls could go if given the opportunity.
“We were on the receiving end of some early reckless challenges but we dusted ourselves off and produced a dominating performance, with leaders all over the park playing beautiful football,” Guarascio said of the win.
“We had a standout performance from Madison Rossi, who stood up to the physical challenge. She dominated the midfield and then scored two sensational goals.
“We were heavily supported by our fans and sponsors and all of our ladies gave them exactly what they wanted to see.”
With the newly renovated Falcons Park opening in six weeks’ time, there’ll be a queue out the door to watch this team next season.
But with Fortuna proving dogged foes all season, it seemed fitting the title race came down to this. Fortuna’s reputation as the league’s most intimidating side was there for all to see in the opening 20 minutes. Never one to fear a physical threat, Falcons’ explosive striker Sophie Jarvis opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, before Rossi doubled the lead just after the half-hour mark, putting Falcons well on its way.
“At halftime we went into the sheds and had the advantage 2-nil but all our focus was on how we wanted to play,” Guarascio said.
“We could not get caught up in any emotions that were coming. We just had to stay calm, stick together and keep searching for the openings that we knew would come.”
Dakota Cook added a third goal in the 50th minute as Falcons took complete control and its legion of fans began to celebrate, having previously obeyed the wishes of Guarascio all season to not mention the ‘C’ word: champions, that is.
Fortuna briefly threatened a comeback when Carlie Thompson converted in the 55th minute, but any hopes of a revival were short–live when Rossi restored the three-goal cushion in the 62nd.
Who else but Monique Lapenta to formally seal the win with her 31st goal of the season in the 86th minute.
Lapenta has been, without question, the best player in the league all season, and it was fitting she was the one to wrap up the title.
The result capped a remarkable turnaround for Falcons, who finished eighth last year but have now claimed their second women’s league crown following their maiden triumph in 2022.
Fortuna must be commended for providing the competition with a team that, in any other season, would have walked to the title. They just had the misfortune of their neighbours reaching a level seldom seen by regional teams.
Falcons still has one match to play, away to Traralgon Olympians at 3pm this coming Saturday (August 22). Needless to say, once the final whistle is blown at Harold Preston Reserve, the party will start and continue long into the night.
