Tara Murray
Westvale Olympic’s dream of the FV state league 3 north west title has become a reality.
Westvale took all three points against Point Cook to seal top spot with two rounds remaining.
Westvale, headed into the match needing just one point from the final three rounds to seal top spot and the championship. They had already secured promotion.
Having gone through the first 19 rounds undefeated, Westvale was backing itself in to get the one point needed.
Speaking before the game, coach Bill Georgopolous said while the only way they would not earn promotion was to lose their last three games and Altona North win their remaining four, they were focused on the task at hand.
“We’re looking forward to it,” he said. “It would be pretty cool.
“We have not taken this lightly. All the boys are still coming to training and working hard which is a really important way to finish off the year and going into next year.
“We want to be professional to the very end.”
A championship would be the club’s first senior title since 2012 when the club won the provincial 1 championship.
Georgopolous was part of that team.
He said a championship would cap off a remarkable year.
“I 100 per cent didn’t expect to be undefeated with three games to go,” he said.
“It has far exceeded our expectations.
“We set some goals a couple of weeks ago. We wanted to secure a top two spot [and promotion], second we wanted to win the championship.
“Third, if we were still undefeated, then go through undefeated.”
A championship would also set the side up for a tilt at the overall state league 3 title, with a playoff against the winner of the state league south-east competition.
Georgopolous said they were keen for that opportunity if it arose.
He said for now it was about finishing off the season well and hopefully having long term success.
