Hockey season roars into gear

The race for the Wimmera Hockey Association premierships has begun, and although it's difficult to reach any significant conclusions after just one round, there were some intriguing results from the weekend.

By Rosalea Ryan

Brooke McMaster and Imogen Williams were the best players for their respective teams when the Dimboola Roos and Kaniva Women clashed on Friday evening.

Several teams have set themselves a high benchmark to maintain, and while others may claim a lack of match practice or missing players contributed to a more sedate start from which they intend to improve, there should be some good hockey played as the season progresses.

A respectful minute's silence for Anzac Day heralded the start of both matches on Friday evening before the Dimboola and Kaniva teams set a high standard for the others to follow.

The under 16 and women’s matches were both entertaining encounters, only decided in the last minutes of the final quarter.

In the under 16 match, the Kaniva Raiders earned the lead early with a goal at the start of the second quarter, and this looked to be enough, but a goal to the Kangaroos with three and a half minutes of play remaining in the game equalled the scores, and another a minute and a half later gave them a lead they were able to defend until the final whistle.

The women’s match continued the high-quality hockey, with the midfields of both teams sharing control of the ball throughout the game, setting up opportunities for their forwards to attack.

However, at each end of the field the respective defences proved to be solid, matching everything that was thrown at them for most of the match.

The defining moment came late in the last period of play when the Roos got the ball past the Kaniva defenders to take the lead, and with just two and a half minutes left to play Kaniva ran out of time to reply.

The two big games launched the open division premiership race, with the Warrack Hoops holding off the Nhill Rangers and reigning premiers Yanac Tigers having to dig deep to fend off a determined Horsham Hurricanes.

With a few regular players missing, the Hoops called on a few old and several new players when they took on the Rangers, who also boasted a few new faces, and between them they put on an entertaining display of hockey.

Although the Hoops won the day by four goals to one, it was a fast, free-flowing game and the Rangers showed enough to suggest they are capable of some better results as the season goes on.

The Tigers and Hurricanes then stepped up the action with a very fast-paced encounter, the Tigers showing why they have remained undefeated since 2019.

However, the Hurricanes showed they play their home pitch well and that they, too, can play an entertaining brand of hockey.

Yanac took the lead with a converted penalty stroke in the first quarter, which the Hurricanes matched with a goal scored off a penalty corner early in the second quarter.

Yanac regained the lead soon after from a penalty corner and kept this lead after Horsham missed an opportunity to equalise from a penalty stroke just before half-time.

After catching their breath in the half-time break, the Hurricanes made amends with a field goal two minutes into the second half to again equal the scores, but the Tigers soon reclaimed the lead from another penalty corner.

The remaining 20 minutes of play saw both teams display some skilful hockey but neither could add to the scoreboard.

The Tigers have started their premiership defence with another win but the Hurricanes were not disgraced and have let the rest of the competition know they intend to make their mark this year.

The Kaniva Cobras remain an unknown as they had the bye in the first round.

Yanac’s premiership defence in the women’s competition got off to a good start with a victory over the Horsham Jets.

Single goals in each of the first two quarters and two in the third set the winning margin of four goals, and in the remaining match, the Nhill Thunderbirds had a confidence-boosting win over a short-handed Warracknabeal.

The two under 16 matches on Saturday morning saw the Yanac Warriors and Nhill Leopards record three-goal victories over the Horsham Bombers and Warrack Revengers, respectively.

RESULTS

Open: Warrack Hoops 4 (goals T Jorgensen, S Williamson, D Schultz, J Knoop; best T Jorgensen, B
McKenzie, J Knoop) d Nhill Rangers 1 (goal L Marra; best B Tischler, D Reichelt, J Reichelt); Yanac Tigers 3 (goals B Alexander 2, T Alexander; best B Alexander, Z Dorrington, S Alexander) d Horsham Hurricanes 2 (goals W Gulline 2; best J Harris, W Gulline, C Hassall); bye Kaniva Cobras

Women: Dimboola Roos 1 (goal N Kuhnell; best B McMaster, J Hauselberger, A Rintoule) d Kaniva
Women 0 (best I Williams, N Hutchins, J Wallis); Nhill Thunderbirds 9 (goals K Clark 3, R Clark 2, C Rowe 2, L Clark, B Clark; best C Rowe, K Clark, C Shurdington) d Warrack Women 0 (best K Williamson, E Williamson, S Williamson); Yanac Women 4 (goals C Alexander 2, M Mackley, I Hedt; best E Alexander, C Alexander, M Mackley) d Horsham Jets 0 (best L Schilling, H Mackereth, A Heal)

Under 16: Dimboola Kangaroos 2 (goals J Ward, A Corbett; best J Ward, V Ward, W Hadzig) d Kaniva Raiders 1 (goal O Curtis; best O Curtis, C Champness, J Beattie); Nhill Leopards 3 (goals B Clark, C Bone, J Bee; best T Bee, B Cannell, B Clark) d Warrack Revengers 0 (best E Williamson, S Williamson, N Eilola); Yanac Warriors 5 (goals S Pedie 2, H Zanker 2, R Dickinson; best L Cramer, A Pedie, N Pedie) d Horsham Bombers 2 (goals A Newman, H Knoop; best J Schwarz, H Knoop, K Besselaar)

Development program: Warrack Avengers 0 v Nhill Bandits 3 (goals H Albrecht 3); Yanac Lowan Stars 2 (goals A Cramer, P Dart) v Horsham Black Hawks 1 (goal C Claassen); Kaniva Rampagers 0 v Dimboola Kookaburras 2 (goals L Hauselberger 2)