Morton, Campbell secure major honours

Rose Morton and Ben Campbell scooped the major individual honours at the Southern Football awards last night.

Midfield dynamo Morton was named female player of the year for another season of tireless effort in which she captained Southern United to the national league final and led the Dunedin City Royals to second in the South Island championship.

Classy Otago University centre back and captain Campbell had a marvellous season individually and also guided the students into the Chatham Cup quarterfinals.

Royals rookie Hugh Jack was named the young male player of the year, and Roslyn-Wakari starlet Freya Des Fountain the young female player of the year.

Rhys Quarrell (Mosgiel, 27 goals) and Lauren Pen-dre (Green Island, 10 goals) won the premier Golden Boots, goalkeepers of the year were Daniel Robinson (Mosgiel) and Lauren Patterson (Royals), defenders of the year were Jed Collings (Royals) and Toni Power (Royals), midfielders of the year were Luke Clissold (Mosgiel) and Morton, and attackers of the year were Quarrell and Shontelle Smith (Royals).

Rob Mitchell was named male team coach of the year for his outstanding work at the helm of Otago University, while Grace Teah won the female team coach honour for her efforts with Northern.

Yan Hendrick-Kuepper was named referee of the the year after a breakthrough season that included refereeing Southern League games and being appointed to the National League as a fourth official.

Allys Clipsham (assistant), Fintan Walsh and Blake Martin (most promising) and Cheydon McLeod (youth) won the other referee awards.

All the various senior grade winners were recognised, including ODT Southern Premiership champions Green Island (women) and Mosgiel (men).

Finally, Darryn Greer was named Southern Football club volunteer of the year.

Greer was a key man in the formation of the Royals super-club and puts in an immense amount of work in the junior ranks.