Teen duo to play for State

Youngsters Abbey Benham and Ellie Pead will be packing their bags for Canberra in a couple of months after earning a call-up for the School Sport WA girls’ water polo team.

The girls will be part of the final 11 squad who will head to the nation’s capital in May to compete at the Australian championships.

Benham and Pead, both 16, impressed selectors over two weekends of try-outs in the gruelling selection process in Perth earlier this year.

Ray Pead, who coached both girls in the Geraldton Water Polo Association tournament this year, said he was proud of the youngsters.

“Their fitness and their tenacity were definitely a big part of them earning a spot in the State side,” he said.

“I’m really happy for them and they definitely deserve it because they’ve worked really hard.

“Their success has definitely been helped along by the Mid West Academy of Sport, who have been doing an amazing job.”

In a statement, the MWAS said it would be helping with the girls’ preparation in the lead-up to the national championships.

“The MWAS wishes the girls all the best and now that the local water polo competition grand finals are over, we look forward to helping the girls prepare to be at their best when representing WA,” the statement said.

This year has already been a successful one for the pair, who were both integral in B52’s grand final win over reigning premiers Demons.

The premiership win was the first in a decade for the women’s side in the GWPA competition.

Geraldton will be well represented in the State side, with local Israel Williamson also named as a reserve.

Williamson has recently returned from the country week tournament in Carnarvon, where she triumphed over some tough competition despite Geraldton’s loss to Bunbury in the final.

“(Williamson) had a cracker of a tournament,” Pead said.

“She was up against an ex-Olympian player and held her own against her, which was really impressive.”

Geraldton lost 14-13 to Bunbury in the country week final in which the side, made up mostly of junior players, held their own against the experienced Bunbury.

Alice Brown and Amy Hagan were standouts in the final match.