The second round of games in the Wimmera Hockey Association season featured two thrilling games in the Open competition where the result was in doubt until the final minutes, and both games in the Women’s division were decided by one goal each.
The third Open game was abandoned after a delay caused by an injury to a player.
Open
The Yanac Tigers and Kaniva Cobras put on an outstanding display, with both playing a quick and skilful brand of hockey, but it was the Tigers’ control of the mid-field that proved to be the difference between the two.
The Tigers’ Nathan Colbert was the first to score in the 25th minute of the first half, and seven minutes later Jamie Harding converted a penalty corner to add another, which give their team a two goal advantage at half time, but this could have been greater if not for the solid Cobra defence.
The second half was more even, but the Tigers stifled many Cobra forward moves and quickly returned the ball to their own forward line, but the Cobras’ defence denied the reigning premiers any further scoring.
The final score remained the same as at half time, with the scoreless second half a good indication of the quality of hockey that these two teams displayed.
Midfielder Simon Farmers was voted as the best player for the Tigers, and his opposite number, Clint Beattie, stood out for the Cobras.
The Nhill Rangers started their game against the Horsham Hurricanes with a bang, with Lachlan Schultz registering the first score within the first minute of play. After a further 69 minutes of tough hockey, this would prove to be the only difference between the two.
They increased the lead to two goals midway through the first half, but Horsham pegged one back five minutes later, off the stick of Bec Batchelor. With both teams scoring once more before half time, the Rangers maintained a one goal lead at the break. Rachel Clark and Jason Reichelt scored Nhill’s two goals, and Tom Batchelor scored the other one for the Hurricanes.
Nhill again extended their lead at the fifteen-minute mark of the second half, when Schultz scored again, which triggered the Hurricanes to increase their intensity.
The lead narrowed to just one goal with four minutes of play remaining when Traiyth Leffler scored, and although both teams created chances in the closing minutes, neither scored again, and the final result remained a four goals to three victory for the Rangers.
Schultz was the Rangers’ best player, and Paul Mackereth earned that honour for the Hurricanes.
The Warrack Hoops had scored two goals when their game against the Dimboola Burras was abandoned 26 minutes into the first half following an injury to a Dimboola player.
Despite leading the game, concern for the player’s welfare was a priority which led the Hoops to offer to abandon the match to focus on seeking assistance, so no result has been recorded for this game.
Women
The Yanac Women had their first hit-out for the season after enjoying the bye in the first round and took on a confident Kaniva team coming off a win in round one.
Kaniva dominated play in the first half, earning four penalty corners that they could not capitalise on due to some solid Yanac defence.
They also led the penalty count after half time with another four, but it was Mikayla Farmers who converted one of Yanac’s two to register the only score of the match
Farmers and Querida Pearse, both playing in the midfield for their respective teams, were named the best players.
It took until twenty minutes into the second half to separate the Horhsm Jets and Nhill Thunderbirds in a very even game when Kellie Farquharson scored the only goal for the match for the latter team.
Ellie Murden, Grace McLeod, and Farquharson were the better players for the Thunderbirds, and Alana Morrow, Launa Schilling, and Elly Morrow dominated for the Jets.
The Dimboola Burras had the bye this week.
Under 16
For the first time in many seasons, the Horsham Bombers are enjoying the view from the top of the Under 16 ladder as they remain undefeated after two rounds.
On Saturday, they defeated the Nhill Leopards by four goals to three.
In a very hectic first half, the Bombers established a comfortable three-goal lead that they looked to take into the break, but a shot from Issac Deckert crossed the goal line in the last second of the first half to keep the Leopard in the game.
Another two goals from Deckert in the second half saw the Leopard challenge for the lead, but a second goal to Lars Simmons ensured that Bombers were still in front at the final whistle.
The leading players for the Bombers were Leo Nuske and Kristina Schwarz, and Kendra and Deegan Clark were the best players for the Leopards.
The Yanac Warriors and Kaniva Raiders played out a very even and scoreless first half, and while the ball spent a similar amount of time at each end of the ground in the second half, it was the Warriors who finished with three goals and the win.
Under 12 Developement Program
The Under 12 Development Program was again well represented, with more than ten players per squad taking over a field to enjoy working on their hockey skills in a fun environment.
The Warrack Avengers scored seven times against the Dimboola Kookaburras, Kaniva Rampagers scored five goals to the Yanac Lowan Stars one, and Nhill Bandits hit five goals to Horsham Black Hawks One.
Round Two Results
Open
Yanac Tigers 2 (Goals - J Harding, N Colbert; Best - S Farmers, S Alexander, T Alexander) defeated Kaniva Cobras 0 (Best - C Beattie, B Lovett, D Cole)
Nhill Rangers 4 (Goals - L Schultz 2, J Reichelt, R Clark; Best - L Schultz, H Pearse, B Miller) defeated Horsham Hurricanes 3 (Goals - T Leffler, R Batchelor, T Batchelor; Best - P Mackereth, T Batchelor, T Leffler)
Warrack Hoops v. Dimboola Burras - Match abandoned due to an injury to a player.
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Tigers | 8 | 5
| | Nhill Rangers | 6 | 1
| | Warrack Hoops * | 4 | 2
| | Kaniva Cobras | 2 | -2
| | Horsham Hurricanes | 0 | -3
| | Dimboola Burras * | 0 | -3
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* - Hoops and Burras round two game was abandoned due to a player injury.
Women’s
Yanac Women 1 (Goal - M Farmers; Best - M Farmers, S Hedt, E Alexander) defeated Kaniva Women 0 (Best - Q Pearse, C Shurdington, I Williams)
Nhill Thunderbirds 1 (Goal - K Farquharson; Best - E Murden, G McLeod, K Farquharson) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (Best - A Morrow, L Schilling, E Morrow)
Bye - Dimboola Roos
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Women | 8 | 9
| | Kaniva Women | 4 | 0
| | Nhill Thunderbirds | 4 | 0
| | Horsham Jets | 2 | -1
| | Dimboola Roos | 2 | -8
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Under 16s
Horsham Bombers 4 (Goals - L Simmons 2, K Schwarz, O Nuske; Best - L Nuske, K Schwarz, L Simmons) defeated Nhill Leopards 3 (Goals - L Deckert 3; Best - K Clark, D Clark, O Bone)
Yanac Warriors 3 (Goals - Archie Zanker, H Pedie, R Croot; Best - H Pedie, Archie Zanker, A Farmers) defeated Kaniva Raiders 0 (Best - C White, B Williams, L Krelle)
Bye - Warrack Revengers
| | Pts | GD
| | Horsham Bombers | 8 | 4
| | Yanac Warriors | 6 | 3
| | Nhill Leopards | 4 | 4
| | Warrack Revengers | 0 | -3
| | Kaniva Raiders | 0 | -8
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Under 12s
Warrack Avengers 7 (Encouragement Award - Diani Nel) - Dimboola Kookaburras 0 (Encouragement Award - C Eldridge)
Yanac Lowan Stars 1 - Kaniva Rampagers 5 (Encouragement Award - R Doyle)
Horsham Black Hawks 1 (Encouragement Award - D Toet) - Nhill Bandits 5 (Encouragement Award - C Bone)
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