ASSISI Catholic College, Upper Coomera, will farewell two of its players as they head to play European football following a fantastic win at the prestigious Under 19 School Boys Futsal Queensland (QLD) “Champion of Champions" competition.
Samuel Garcia Martin and Charlie Dixon helped the college defeat St Peter Claver College, Riverview, (8-5) in an all Catholic school final of the championships, which featured the top eight teams from the South East QLD School Titles, the top two teams from South West QLD, North Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, and Fraser Coast.
The victory wrapped up a long five-month journey for the team that involved playing 16 games between March and July before finally claiming the title.
The Assisi team has competed together all through their secondary years, claiming their first victory in the Primary School Futsal Championship in 2013.
The team has experienced many team successes in Futsal since then, but also thrived in Football, with Year 12 student Lewis Gibson now training with the A-League's Brisbane Roar while Samuel and Charlie are about to follow their dreams in Europe.
Samuel will be training with AC Cuneo, a professional football club in Italy's Serie C league while Charlie has received a scholarship contract with Shrewsbury Town Football Club, a professional football club in the third tier (League 1) of English Football.
Assisi's Director of Futsal, Paul McKarzel, said in the lead up to the State Futsal Championships the Assisi team was determined to finish triumphantly knowing the duo's departure meant it was the final time they would all play together as a team.
He said they did not disappoint, with emphatic victories in the quarter-final (8-1) and semi-final (5-0) before the clash with St Peter Claver College.
Paul was full of praise for both finalists.
“We've always judged our program on what sort of people our students become, not on our win-loss ratio, but it's still a remarkable thrill to win a tournament of this prestige, especially playing the way we did.
“(St) Peter Claver is a great team who we respect greatly, and the achievement of their team needs to be acknowledged as well".
While acknowledging sadness in leaving Assisi College, Charlie Dixon, paid tribute to the school's Futsal program
He said the Futsal program at Assisi Catholic College had made an incredible impact on him as a football player.
“It has really helped me towards my dream of one day being a professional footballer," he said.
While the two boys head off to Europe, the remainder of the team will turn their focus to the upcoming Australian 'Champion of Champions', a National Title contested by the four semi-finalists of each state competition, to be held in Brisbane in November.