CASTERTON Sandford is celebrating a major achievement for player Erin Horsnell, named in the Team of the Carnival at the weekend’s SA Country Football Championship.

Horsnell, along with Cat teammates Scarlett Jarrad, Zhane Crawford and Sophie Arkun were selected in the Murray South East representative side and headed to Whyalla for the two-day carnival.

The experienced Jarrad was given the role of captain for the carnival, but was left to watch from the sidelines after leaving the ground with a knee injury in game one.

The South East girls came out firing on all cylinders in their first match, the wind chill having no effect on their efforts and with the breeze advantage in the second half, took full advantage for a 46-point win over the Eastern district team.

Game two saw a similar result, the South East side taking a three-goal win over Northern.

Finishing on top, the girls lined up against Southern Districts in the final.

The Southern side managed to take the margin out to 10 points at half time, before the South East girls dragged it back to three, but were unable to keep up the momentum, eventually going down, 3.5.23 to 7.2.44.

Jarrad said she was “super proud” of the local team’s efforts over the two-day carnival and proud of her Cat teammates’ performances.

“(Horsnell) had a bloody good carnival, was just unreal, her strength throughout was just incredible,” Jarrad said.

“And Zhane Crawford, for someone having her first full season this year, her pressure on the ground was unreal, she’s definitely someone to keep an eye on in the future.”

Jarrad said despite the result in the grand final, the South East girls could hold their heads high.

“Although obviously disappointed to leave the ground so early in the carnival, it was fantastic to be part of such a great team of girls and to see what they achieved against quality opposition,” Jarrad said.

“I’m super proud of what the team achieved … it was awfully windy for the first two games then on Sunday in the grand final … (Southern Districts) have a few girls that are up and down in the SANFL, so they play at that higher level.

“We definitely had our opportunities to win, we were probably a bit rushed with our decision-making and our accuracy ,.. wasn’t that great at times, but for a team that’s only trained together for seven weeks, it was incredible.

“It really shows what amazing talent the Limestone Coast has to offer.”

At time of going to print, Jarrad was scheduled for an MRI on her injured knee but was “thinking positive” and hopeful that rest and minor treatment would see her back on the footy field and netball court, in the near future.