The U15 boys squad paced the Auckland Football Federation effort at the 2009 National Age Grade representative tournament held in Napier in April.
The AFF U15 boys squad, coached by Jose Figueira and Simon Richards, finished top of their age category with a perfect six wins from six matches. 
Stephen Carmichael (Bay Olympic - 2008) and Timothy Payne (Papakura City FC - 2008) finished joint-top goalscorers for the age group with both players hitting home five times during the team's six games.
Payne was also honoured as the overall MVP in the U15 boys category. Carmichael and Payne also finished as joint-top goalscorers in their last National Age Grade tournament - the 2007 event where they each grabbed nine goals in the U13 boys group.
Meanwhile, the U16 boys side - coached by Peter Martin and Stewart Robertson - finished up their tournament on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Central Football.
The Auckland side finished in fifth place with three wins and three losses from their six outings.
The U14 boys - coached by Steve Withers and Mike Murray - also had a three-win/three-loss record after their final day 0-2 defeat by Capital Football.
On the girls side of the tournament, Andrew Clay and Nicola Demaine's U16 girls team finished in sixth place with one win from their six matches.
The U15 girls team - coached by Jeff Mitchell and Steve Upfold - finished their tournament in heartbreaking fashion on Saturday with a penalty shootout loss following a roaring comeback from 0-2 down at halftime to Central Football.
The U14 girls side - led by Andrew Kirk and Mike Stephen - finished third in their category thanks to two wins, two draws and two losses from their six games.
Auckland Football Director of Football Sean Douglas applauded his federation's players and coaches for their approach to the tournament. 
"While the on-field 'results' don’t seem as impressive as previous years, I believe we have made more progress in this single year than we have in the previous three or four.
"All coaches and players took on board a long-term development philosophy.
"Individually the players set goals to work towards that would help them improve as players. Then as a team, they agreed that the games were an extension of the training programme and practiced many of the things they had been working on – while under pressure of a match situation.
"It was great to see all our teams playing out from the back and working at keeping possession of the ball. And even though it cost us goals and matches as we learnt, the players stuck with it.
"By the end of the tournament, some of the play being produced was superb, and augers well for the future of these players and football in New Zealand.
"I really do salute the players and coaches for being brave enough to take a positive step towards improving New Zealand football in the long term."
The Auckland Football contingent finished fifth overall after winning the event the previous two times it was held in 2006 and 2007.
United Soccer1 took out the 2009 title.
Click here for a look back at the 2007 tournament.
Auckland Football National Age Group squads 2009
Under-14 Boys | |
Head coach: Steve Withers | |
Assistant coach: Mike Murray | |
Oliver Sail (GK) | Three Kings Utd |
Benjamin Thomas | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Nicholas Del Moro | Bay Olympic |
Cameron Sinclair | Three Kings Utd |
Tashunka Bolton | Bay Olympic |
Joshua Moody | Three Kings Utd |
Mark Vercoe | Three Kings Utd |
Harley Tahau | Bay Olympic |
Barny Poulter | Bay Olympic |
Te Atawhai Wihongi-Hudson | Bay Olympic |
Jayden Henry | Papakura City FC |
Aaron Hamilton | Bay Olympic |
Ryan Scott | Three Kings Utd |
Kieran Woods | Three Kings Utd |
Regont Murati | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Callum O'Donnell | Manurewa AFC |
Cameron Leader (GK) | Fencibles Utd AFC |
Under-14 Girls | |
Head coach: Andrew Kirk | |
Assistant coach: Mike Stephen | |
Rebecca Casidy (GK) | Manurewa AFC |
Nicole Fairbrother | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Caitlin Flannery | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Shivanthi Anthony | Three Kings Utd |
Lauren Culpan | Bucklands Beach AFC |
Chelsea Strickland | Papakura City FC |
Kirsty Hayr | Three Kings Utd |
Lauren McErlean | Bucklands Beach AFC |
Alice Hansen | Three Kings Utd |
Raima Harding | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Shontelle Stevens | Manurewa AFC |
Sophia Fromont | Papakura City FC |
Kirsten Wong | Bucklands Beach AFC |
Elizabeth MacCulloch | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Theresa Carbines | Three Kings Utd |
Jolene Muir | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Danielle Bradley (GK) | Three Kings Utd |
Under-15 Boys | |
Head coach: Jose Figueira | |
Assistant coach: Simon Richards | |
Jake Carcaterra (GK) | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Anton Krajcer | Central Utd FC |
Thomas Mens | Papakura City FC |
Harrison Nash | Three Kings Utd |
Luke Adams | Papakura City FC |
Callum McKenzie | Bay Olympic |
Joseph Dan-Tyrell | Central Utd FC |
Erik Barczak | Bay Olympic |
Stephen Carmichael | Bay Olympic |
Rory Turner | Papakura City FC |
Calvin Opperman | Bay Olympic |
Reece Lambert | Bay Olympic |
Cameron Martin | Papakura City FC |
Timothy Payne | Papakura City FC |
Antony Cibilich | Papakura City FC |
Ahmad Al-Shamsi | Three Kings Utd |
Harshae Raniga | Bay Olympic |
Sanket Das (GK) | Papakura City FC |
Under-15 Girls | |
Head coach: Jeff Mitchell | |
Assistant coach: Steven Upfold | |
Jacinda Alexander (GK) | Bay Olympic |
Sivitha Boyce | Metro FC |
Georgia Boyle | Western Springs AFC |
Hannah Carter | Metro FC |
Kelsie Chapman | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Samantha De Witt | Fencibles Utd AFC |
Anna Fraser | Three Kings Utd |
Danielle Hareb | Manurewa AFC |
Gemma Keay | Three Kings Utd |
Christina Kolose | Central Utd FC |
Willow Lewis | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Jessie Mathews | Metro FC |
Teresa McDonald | Papakura City FC |
Georgia Meachin-Hart | Western Springs AFC |
Stephanie Skilton | Clendon Utd AFC |
Jessica Snell | Papakura City FC |
Kimberly Wong | Bucklands Beach AFC |
Georgia McLellan (GK) | Three Kings Utd |
Under-16 Boys | |
Head coach: Peter Martin | |
Assistant coach: Stuart Robertson | |
Joshua Fsadni (GK) | Central Utd FC |
Joshua Morrison | Central Utd FC |
Conor Rea | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Ryan Martin | Central Utd FC |
Matthew Rowland | Central Utd FC |
Carlos Timo | Central Utd FC |
Zachary Margison | Ellerslie AFC |
Bryce Felton | Central Utd FC |
James Routledge | Central Utd FC |
Fabrizio Tavano | Central Utd FC |
Dean Lausev | Central Utd FC |
Marshall Gurney | Papakura City FC |
Jordan Roberts | Central Utd FC |
Robert Garcia | Papakura City FC |
Keith Henry | Central Utd FC |
Fraser Cairns | Central Utd FC |
Reeda Maged | Central Utd FC |
Michael Brooks (GK) | Three Kings Utd |
Under-16 Girls | |
Head coach: Andrew Clay | |
Assistant coach: Nicola Demaine | |
Claire Leaper (GK) | Lynn-Avon Utd AFC |
Caitlin Byrne | Metro FC |
Rachael Head | Western Springs AFC |
Elizabeth Takerei | Papakura City FC |
Michelle Windsor | Western Springs AFC |
Lily-Rose Dyer | Western Springs AFC |
Tessa Berger | Three Kings Utd |
Rebecca Burrows | Lynn-Avon Utd AFC |
Min Khanthee | Metro FC |
Erina Wong | University-Mt Wellington AFC |
Rosie White | Western Springs AFC |
Lucy Carter | Central Utd FC |
Eloise Morris | Lynn-Avon Utd AFC |
Alisha Lovrich | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Tayla Heatherington | University-Mt Wellington AFC |
Brittany Dudley-Smith | Eastern Suburbs AFC |
Tepora Faalogo | Fencibles Utd AFC |
Victoria Hawkins (GK) | Western Springs AFC |
