Despite being the first competitive hit for many players since the end of last season, round one of the Wimmera Hockey Association witnessed some quality hockey along with the return of Friday evening matches and two teams from Dimboola.
After several seasons without a Women’s or Under 16 team, the Dimboola club opened the season in both divisions on Friday evening with some promising results.
In the first game, the young Dimboola Kangaroos players, many making their debut in Under 16s competition after serving their apprenticeship in the Under 12 Development Program, put on a good showing against a similarly inexperienced Warrack Revengers.
Ultimately, the Warrack side scored their first win in over a year, but the Kangaroos played a great team game with all players contributing, suggesting they have the potential to surprise some teams as the season progresses.
The Dimboola Roos made a positive return to the competition with a comfortable win against Warrack Women, but despite the scoreline, this was another entertaining encounter.
Leah Graham and Vicki Elliott scored three goals each for the Roos, with Jennie Hauselberger and Chelsea Elliott chipping in with one each, while Warracknabeal’s score came off the stick of Bridie Casey.
Not surprisingly, Warrack’s leading players, Bridie Casey, Clarice Bennett, and goalkeeper Mel Bentley, spent much of their time in defence, and Dimboola’s best included Jennie Hauselberger, Leah Graham, and Vicki Elliott.
This result sees the Roos on top of the ladder at the end of the round.
The feature match on Saturday was the rematch of the 2023 Women’s grand final between Yanac and Kaniva, which, although under different circumstances, ended with the same result.
The last time they met, it took a penalty shootout to separate them, and on this occasion, it was just one solid hit two minutes into the second quarter that was the difference.
Neither team gained dominance early, with each having periods in control of the ball, but solid defence at each end kept the game even until a crisp shot by Erin Alexander from the only penalty corner for the first half gave Yanac the edge.
Yanac began to gain the upper hand as the game progressed, earning seven penalty corners in the second half, although the Kaniva defence was up to the challenge and didn’t let Yanac extend their lead.
Throughout the game, Lexi Farmers and Mikayla Mackley controlled the midfield for the reigning premiers, and, along with the dangerous Erin Alexander, formed a formidable combination, while Lisa Stimson and Imogen Williams stood out for Kaniva, while the rest of their teammates were all very consistent performers with many contributors, Zoey Smith did enough to get a mention amongst her team’s best.
After narrowly missing the finals last season, the Horsham Jets began their quest to participate in the action at the end of this season with a victory over the Nhill Thunderbirds. Maddy Spano scored twice for the Jets and was named among her team’s best players, alongside Hannah Werner, while Helen Cannell and Naomi Kuhnell played well for the Thunderbirds.
The first Open division match pitted the Horsham Hurricanes against the Nhill Rangers. These two teams showed glimpses of good form last season but need to find some consistency if they are to make a serious challenge later in the season.
The game began with a very even and scoreless first half, but the Hurricanes edged ahead in the third period with a converted penalty corner and a field goal, both off Jason Harris’ stick, and Jonathon Horsfall scored their third goal in the dying seconds of the game, setting the margin at three goals.
Harris, Paul Mackereth, and Maddy Spano were the victor’s other better players, and for the Rangers, Joseph Knoll, Sam Bone, and goalkeeper Kayden Rowe stood out.
The Yanac Tigers began their quest for another title with a solid win over a determined Kaniva Cobras team.
Shaun Alexander opened the scoring with a field goal in the first quarter, and Todd Alexander added two more goals in the second quarter, one from field play and another from a penalty corner, to put the Tigers three goals ahead at halftime.
One of the cornerstones of the Tigers’ success over many seasons has been their wealth of scoring options, and this year it would appear this trend will continue, and if it weren’t for some tireless work by goalkeeper Thomas Ady, the margin in this game would have been greater.
Despite Ady’s efforts, two more shots found the back of the net in the second half, with Rourky Croot and Todd Alexander for a third time, breaching the Cobras’ defence to extend the margin to five goals.
Shaun and Brad Alexander were the Tigers’ best players, while the reliable Lachlan Mills performed well at centre-half-back for the Cobras.
Three goals separated the Yanac Warriors and Kaniva Raiders in last year’s Under 16 grand final, but this time, the result was much closer with a three-all draw. After earning a lead of two goals by half time, the Warriors were looking as if they would again come out ahead, but the Raiders fought back in the third quarter with two goals, but the Warriors kept the lead with another of their own.
The tempo of the game increased in the last period of play and it was Kaniva who managed to find the goal to tie the scores.
Reversing the result of last year’s first semi final, the Nhill Leopards finished ahead of the Horsham Bombers, with Deegan Clark scoring three goals and Oliver Bone one in their total of four goals, while Justin Schwarz and Jack Di Pietro were the better players for the Bombers.
Next week, the action moves to Anzac Park in Warracknabeal, where the interest will be in the rematch of last year’s Open grand final between the Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops and the fortunes of the Dimboola Roos to see if they can continue their dream return.
Wimmera Hockey Association - Round One Results -
- Open -
Horsham Hurricanes 3 (Goals - J Harris 2, J Horsfall; Best - J Harris, P Mackereth, M Spano) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - J Knoll, S Bone, K Rowe)
Yanac Tigers 5 (Goals - T Alexander 3, R Croot, S Alexander; Best - R Croot, B Alexander, S Alexander) defeated Kaniva Cobras 0 (Best - L Mills, T Ady, N Krelle)
Bye - Warrack Hoops
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Tigers | 4 | 5
| | Horsham Hurricanes | 4 | 3
| | Warrack Hoops | 2 | 0
| | Nhill Rangers | 0 | -3
| | Kaniva Cobras | 0 | -5
|
- Women -
Dimboola Roos 8 (Goals - L Graham 3, V Elliott 3, C Elliott, J Hauselberger; Best - J Hauselberger, L Graham, V Elliott) defeated Warrack Women 1 (Goal - B Casey; Best - B Casey, C Bennett, M Bentley)
Horsham Jets 4 (Goals - M Spano 2, A Heal, K Krahe; Best - H Werner, M Spano, L Schilling, K Krahe) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 1 (Goal - R Clark; Best - H Cannell, N Kuhnell, K Clark, J Rowe)
Yanac Women 1 (Goal - E Alexander; Best - A Farmers, M Mackley, E Alexander) defeated Kaniva Women 0 (Best - L Stimson, I Williams, Z Smith)
| | Pts | GD
| | Dimboola Roos | 4 | 7
| | Horsham Jets | 4 | 3
| | Yanac Women | 4 | 1
| | Kaniva Women | 0 | -1
| | Nhill Thunderbirds | 0 | -3
| | Warrack Women | 0 | -7
|
- Under 16 -
Warrack Revengers 4 (Goals - S Williamson 3, E Williamson; Best - E Williamson, M Bentley, S Williamson) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - V Ward, L Hauselberger, C Elliott)
Nhill Leopards 4 (Goals - D Clark 3, O Bone; Best - D Clark, O Bone, T Shue Bee) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (Best - J Schwarz, J Di Pretro, H Mackereth)
Yanac Warriors 3 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2, S Pedie; Best - Archie Zanker, Asher Zanker, S Pedie) drew with Kaniva Raiders 3 (Goals - C White 2, Williams; Best - C White, Z Krelle, R Williams)
| | Pts | GD
| | Nhill Leopards | 4 | 4
| | Warrack Revengers | 4 | 4
| | Kaniva Raiders | 2 | 0
| | Yanac Warriors | 2 | 0
| | Dimboola Kangaroos | 0 | -4
| | Horsham Bombers | 0 | -4
|
- Under 12 Development Program -
Warrack Avengers 0 v. Dimboola Kookaburras 3 (R Hadzig 2, R Wallace)
Yanac Lowan Stars 5 (M Dart, S Farmers, A Pedie, S Dickinson, A Cramer) v. Kanva Rampagers 0
Horsham Black Hawks 2 (L Rose 2) v. Nhill Bandits 2 (B Clark 2)
|
