South West ascended back to the top of the representative underage ranks with a 16-point win over the Great Southern Storm in the CBH Group Colts Carnival last weekend.

One of the closest carnivals in recent years saw every team win at least one of their qualifying games whilst only one team, the South West, won three out of their four games. In an indication of the carnivals closeness the second finalist was not known until the dying stages of Saturdays final qualifying game between the Regional Districts and Northern Suns.

Northern Suns second half comeback and narrow victory was enough to see Great Southern into their first top flight colt’s decider since 2004, and it was a fitting match up given the Storm had been the only side to defeat South West leading into the final.

The first quarter of the final was a tight affair with neither side able to build any momentum. Great Southern’s Ethan Burton snapped the game’s first major before a goal to Blake Shanahan late in the quarter gave South West a one-point lead at the first change.

After an early goal to Storm’s Thomas Baldwin, South West hit back with the next three goals, including two to Jed Kemp to take the ascendency nearing the main change. Two late Storm goals though through Corey Linthorne and Declan McNamara turned the tables and saw the Storm enter the main break in front by the narrowest of margins.

The third term belonged to the South West, kicking four goals to one to set up a match winning 17-point margin at the final change and when Mitchell Tenardi goaled at the 10-minute mark the game was out of reach for the Storm.

South West quartet Reece Ralston, Connor Walker, Jordan Westaway and Mitchell Kings were fantastic all day whilst big man Jake Bloomfield (pictured) was awarded with the Kym ’Freddy’ Curnow award as best player on the ground.

For the Great Southern Storm Hamish McMorran, Declan McNamara, Addison Dew and Mitch Lenegan toiled hard in a losing cause.

For full carnival results visit http://www.foxsportspulse.com/comp_info.cgi?c=1-4100-0-414826-0&pool=1001&round=0&a=ROUND