Merrivale's under 15 boys side capped off an unbeaten season in perfect style.
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Despite a rocky start, the Tigers won by 16 runs over Wesley CBC in a closely-fought game at Allansford on Sunday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Merrivale stuttered when opening batter Tom Knight was trapped lbw by Ben Rouse.
But after briefly reeling at 0-1, Merrivale steadied as WDCA under 15 cricketer of the year winner Flynn Wilkinson (67) and Hugh Fleming (55) built a crucial partnership.
Xavier Ellul, Noah Greene and Harry Black each took two wickets for the Beavers as the Tigers batted out their overs to post a total of 167 runs.
Merrivale then also struck early with the ball after Jaxon Madden bowled Wesley skipper Wil Woolstencroft.
Ellul made 33 runs but Wesley were in dire straits at 6-87 as Madden, Wilkinson and Rory Gavin managed to keep the Beavers run rate down while taking wickets.
With fifteen overs left after drinks and more than 60 runs to chase with three wickets in hand, Green and Darcy Bourke put up a strong fight.
The pair's 26-run partnership gave the Beavers a fighting chance.
But the run rate would soon become overwhelming for Wesley, who entered the last two overs needing 19 runs.
And when Taj Atchison was run out by Gavin in the second-last over, the game was won and lost.
Merrivale coach Matt Wilkinson, 43, said he was rapt his side went through the 2018/19 season undefeated.
"They've been a great team to coach and this is their little bit of ice cream at the end of a tremendous season," he said.
"But Wesley did a fantastic job too - they batted responsibly and just ticked the strike over with ones and twos.
"The game got pretty close in the end...so I think it was a really good endorsement of junior cricket in the area."
Wilkinson said getting runs on the board early put his side in the box seat.
"Then the key message for our bowlers was just bowl up and straight and build some dot-ball pressure," he said.
"That's how we were going to get the wickets, rather than trying to blast people out every ball."
"They're just kids, so we keep things pretty simple and try not to over-complicate things."
"It's a bonus to win it, but ultimately you're just trying to the develop the kids - that's what it's all about with junior cricket."
Merrivale's Flynn Wilkinson won the cricketer of the year award with 30 votes.
Wilkinson also won the bowling average award after taking 13 wickets at 5.54.
Wesley CBC's Archie Bolden won the bowling aggregate award after taking 14 wickets.
Nestles' Will White won the fielding award with 15 dismissals.
Two special awards were also given to Fletcher Cousins for scoring a century against Colac Gold in Horsham Country Week, and to Wesley CBC's Archie Lenehan for taking 7-8 against East Warrnambool.
