Sport
10 August, 2023
Finals positions remain unknown
Several close results in the Wimmera Hockey Association’s round 13 have kept the order teams will go into the finals in all three divisions up in the air with just two rounds remaining. Open - The Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops match lived up to...
Several close results in the Wimmera Hockey Association’s round 13 have kept the order teams will go into the finals in all three divisions up in the air with just two rounds remaining.
Open -
The Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops match lived up to expectations, with very little separating the teams after four quarters of intense hockey. Both defences worked hard throughout the first half to keep the game scoreless by the long break, but the consensus was that the Tigers had had the better of the play on the field,m but had not put this on the scorecard.
The pivotal moment came two minutes into the third quarter when the Tigers were awarded a penalty stroke which they converted into a goal to take the lead. Following this, the momentum swung slightly towards the Hoops, and despite many forays forward, they could not finish off the moves and elude the Tigers’ defence. Equally at the other end of the ground, the Hoop’s defence repelled everything the Tigers threw at them, and the margin remained at one goal at the final whistle.
In another very closely fought game, the Nhill Rangers, although they can no longer qualify for the finals, showed they intend to make their presence felt, controlling much of the play, earning fourteen penalty corners to the Hurricanes’ five.
The game finished in a scoreless draw, and with the match-ups for the first week of the finals in this division already set, this result gives the Kaniva Cobras the chance of gaining a significant psychological advantage by moving ahead of the Hurricanes before they meet in the semi-finals.
Women -
The Women’s ladder is taking shape, with the Nhill Thunderbirds confirming their place in the finals and moving into third place after a narrow win over the Horsham Jets. A field goal in the second quarter was the only score in an otherwise even match where both teams earned the same number of penalty corners.
The scorecard suggests that Yanac had a comfortable win over a determined Warracknabeal, earning fourteen penalty corners and scoring four goals, but it was not that definitive on the field.
While Warracknabeal’s one goal was not enough to earn them a win, it was just the third goal scored against Yanac this season, but they fought the game out to the end in front of the home crowd.
These results have set up two big games next weekend, when Warracknabeal must win against the Jets to stay in the race for the finals, and the top two teams, Yanac and Kaniva, will be playing for the honour of the top spot on the ladder.
Under 16 -
In the Under 16s, the Nhill Leopards scored an unexpected one-goal win over the Horsham Bombers, who have now slipped to third on the ladder after leading the competition for the first seven rounds, and with a big win over the Warrack Revengers, the Yanac Warriors have increased their goal difference sufficiently to move ahead of the Kaniva Raiders into the top rung of the ladder for the first time this season.
With two rounds remaining and only two points separating the top three teams, all three have the chance of finishing with the minor premiership, while one will lose the second chance and go into the finals in third place.
Round 13 Results
Open: Yanac Tigers 1 (Goal: J Harding; Best: S Alexander, S Farmers, J Honeyman) defeated Warrack Hoops 0 (Best: S Schultz, J Paley, R Bennett).
Horsham Hurricanes 0 (Best: J Horsfall, J Heal, H Knoop) drew with Nhill Rangers 0 (Best: J Knoll, S Bone, J Clark).
Ladder: Yanac Tigers 44 points, 50 goal diff.; Warrack Hoops 30, 12; Horsham Hurricanes 24, -2; Kaniva Cobras 22, -15; Nhill Rangers 10, -45.
Women -
Yanac Women 4 (Goals: M Mackley, C Alexander, S Hedt, N Harding; Best: M Mackley, N Harding, E Alexander) defeated Warracknabeal Women 1 (Goal: R Cummins; Best: B McMaster, D Templeton, E Eichberger).
Nhill Thunderbirds 1 (Goal: K Clark; Best: K Clark, N Kuhnell, R Clark) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (Best: L Schilling, K Krahe, C Lawson).
Ladder: Kaniva Women 44, 31; Yanac Women 40, 33; Nhill Thunderbirds 18, -14; Horsham Jets 16, -11; Warrack Women 12, -39.
Under 16 -
Yanac Warriors 14 (Goals: Archie Zanker 8, S Pedie 2, L Cramer, H Zanker, T Rethus, A Cramer; Best: Asher Zanker, S Pedie, Archie Zanker) defeated Warracknabeal Revengers 0 (Best: M Bentley, Z O’Connor, E Williamson).
Nhill Leopards 1 (Goal: D Clark; Best: D Clark, T Shue Bee, B Clark) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (Best: H Knoop, J Schwarz, A Heal).
Ladder: Yanac Warriors 36, 26; Kaniva Raiders 36, 24; Horsham Bombers 32, 21; Nhill Leopards 22, -4; Warrack Revengers 4, -67.
Under 12 Development Program -
Nhill Bandits 4 (Goals: N Krelle 2, R Wheeler, B Clark) v. Warracknabeal Avengers 4 (Goals: S Williamson 2, Z Nuske, M Peters).
Dimboola Kookaburras 2 (Goals: C Elliott, A Corbett; Encouragement Award: E Ward, I Ward) v. Yanac Lowan Stars 2 (Goals: M Prenzler 2; Encouragement Award: A Pedie, M Prenzler).
Horsham Black Hawks 1 (Goal: E Elliott) v. Kaniva Rampagers 3 (Goal: J Beattie, C Bedford, J Mackereth; Encouragement Award: J White).