Year 12 Mosman High student, Blake Hughes, has had a dream run on the soccer pitch, playing in the grand final of the A-League Women’s (ALW) tournament for the Central Coast Mariners – and winning!
It has been a whirlwind for Blake. Mariners coach Emily Husband saw footage of Blake playing for North Sydney and the NSW Combined High Schools team last year, and then came to watch Blake play a few games live, before signing her up to the Mariners.
Before long, Blake, a defender, was put into the top team before getting the call-up for the grand final squad.
The Mariners played Melbourne Victory in the grand-final, and Blake took to the pitch in the 72nd minute, when her team was leading 1-0. “It was quite nerve wracking, but I also knew that for my coach to put me in at the time of the game, that she must trust me to perform, so I kind of tried to let all the nerves fall away and just live in the moment,” Blake said.
The scores levelled in the 80th minute, with the Mariners going on to win in a penalty shoot-out.
Mosman High principal Susan Wyatt praised the student. “Blake is a fine young woman who is always positive, friendly and well-regarded within the school community,” she said. “She is an asset to her school and to public education.”
Blake started at Mosman High in Year 8, after moving to Australia from Colorado in the USA.