Hockey bye for junior championships
Wimmera Hockey Association will break for a competition-wide bye this weekend for Victorian Junior Country Championships in Melbourne.
The association has no teams in the championships due to logisitical issues, but some Wimmera players are part of other association teams.
Wimmera domestic competition will resume on May 22, with round five scheduled at Yanac where the feature game in open competition will involve second-placed Nhill Rangers taking on third-placed Warrack Hoops.
Last weekend featured battles in open and women’s competitions at Dimboola and in both cases fast-improving Nhill teams took on Yanac counterparts with outright place on top of respective ladders the prize.
In open company, Yanac Tigers and Nhill Rangers put on a great display of hockey.
Yanac earned a succession of penalty corners in the first half but failed to capitalise, due mainly to saves by Nhill goalkeeper Kayden Rowe and solid defending by David Reichelt and Lee Marra.
Tiger attacking moves eventually paid off when Jasper Croot got his stick onto a solid pass from Todd Alexander to get the ball past the goalkeeper and earn a lead at the break.
The second half was more even, with solid Nhill defence thwarting all attacks by the strong Tigers’ defence.
At the other end, the Rangers’ forwards were also giving the Tigers’ defenders a hard time.
Finally, with neither team able to score again, the Tigers earned the win and have now taken a six-point lead.
Umpires voted Simon Farmers best for the Tigers along with Brad Alexander and Jamie Harding, with goalkeeper Rowe, Blake Miller and Jason Reichelt best players for Nhill.
A shower of rain just after half time between Warrack Hoops and Kaniva Cobras forced teams to master a variety of conditions, but this did not diminish the intensity of the game.
The Cobras had confidence in their quick, long-hitting game, which contrasted significantly with the Hoops’ shorter possession-style hockey and combined for a thrilling match.
In the past five minutes of the opening half, Sandon Schultz broke a deadlock with a goal in favour of the Hoops.
In the second half a field goal off Jarrod Knoop’s stick extended the Hoops’ lead.
Half-back Royce Bennett was among the Hoops’ best players, as was Cameron Bardell and Ben Williamson. For the Cobras it was Clint Beattie, Lachie Mills and Max Goodwin.
Dimboola Burras and Horsham Hurricanes vied for their first win for the season, and after an even start, Zack Collard gave the Burras the lead after 10 minutes of play, to which Fraser Cullen and Cory Youngson added one more goal each before half time.
The Burras maintained pressure on their opponents and ended the game with eight goals.
Jason Harris, Fraser Cullen and Zack Collard were among the Burras’ best. William Gulline, Colin Williams and Tom Batchelor tried hard for the Hurricanes.
Women
In the women’s division, Nhill Thunderbirds challenged Yanac Women for
the competition lead. The game started evenly, but both teams failed to capitalise after earning several penalty corners. Some great saves by Yanac’s goalkeeper Natalie Farmers repelled solid Nhill attacks.
Long hitting and fast runs characterised Nhill’s moves into attack, which contrasted with Yanac’s effective use of short, square passing, which paid off late in the second half when Charlotte Dickinson swept the ball into the goals. Erin Alexander followed this up to create a two-goal margin.
Mikayla Farmers played a solid game on Yanac’s forward line, while Kellie Farquharson did well for the Thunderbirds.
Horsham Jets opened their account for the season with a win over Dimboola Roos, scoring twice in each half, keeping them in fourth place on the ladder and in touch with the leaders.
Top players for the Jets included Clarie Barnett, Alana Morrow and Launa Schilling, while sisters Faith and Leah Eilola both played strongly for the Roos.
Results – Open: Warrack Hoops 2 (goals, S. Schultz, J. Knoop; best, R. Bennett, C. Bardell, B. Williamson) d Kaniva Cobras 0 (C. Beattie, L. Mills, M. Goodwin), Yanac Tigers 1 (J. Croot; S. Farmers, B. Alexander, J. Harding) d Nhill Rangers 0 (K. Rowe, B. Miller, J. Reichelt), Dimboola Burras 8 (Z. Collard 3, F. Cullen, J. Harris, C. Baldock; J. Harris, F. Cullen, Z. Collard) d Horsham Hurricanes 2 (S. Hoffman, T. Batchelor; W. Gulline, C. Williams, T. Batchelor). Women: Yanac Women 2 (C. Dickinson, E. Alexander; M. Farmers, E. Alexander, C. Beattie, S. Hedt) d Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (K. Farquharson, K. Murden, J. Hauselberger, C. Kesler), Horsham Jets 4 (M. Guest 2, L. Schilling, C. Barnett; C. Barnett, A. Morrow, L. Schilling) d Dimboola Roos 0 (F. Eilola, L. Eilola, N. Kuhnell). Under-16: Warrack Revengers 2 (C. Bennett, J. Di Pietro; L. Eilola, C. Bennett, K. Schwarz, N. Eilola) d Kaniva Raiders 1 (C. White; C. White, L. Krelle, T. Batchelor), Yanac Warriors 3 (R. Croot 2, Archie Zanker; H. Pedie, A. Farmers, R. Croot) d Nhill Leopards 1 (I. Deckert; K. Clark, D. Clark, I. Deckert).