Pumas senior coach Matt Burmeister moved him to the forward line for the 2016 season.

Vanderwaal said it was good to move up forward after he played in the back line in the past few seasons.

"The coach had it right from the start,” he said. 

“Burmeister said I would kick 100 goals and I did.”

Vanderwaal said topping the state goalkicking tally was not something he considered until late in the season.

"That was something that I never considered until I kicked the 25 goals.”

Vanderwaal said it did not take him long to adapt to the attacking end of the ground.

"As a defender you have to stop your opponent kicking goals but going forward you have to kick the goals for the team,” he said.

"I knew I would be able to play the position because I played forward in juniors.

"I have been telling all the coaches I would prefer to play forward and they never listened to me.

“Maybe now they will.”