Sport
Brought to you by
Local News
Weekdays from 5.30am on
Unpredicted results in round four T
BY SIMON KING
wo teams earned their first points for the year in the 2017 Wimmera Hockey Association season, with some unpredicted round-four results. Kaniva and Warracknabeal open and women’s teams started the round with two games on Friday at Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre. Remaining games were contested at the same venue on Saturday. The open competition ladder is taking on a familiar look, with Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops occupying the top two places, followed by Kaniva Cobras and Dimboola Burras, with Horsham Hurricanes and Nhill Rangers just outside the top four. This has been the final team positions for the past couple of years, and current form suggests this season might end with more of the same, although with Nhill Rangers earning their first points for the season, the opportunity is there for the lower teams to challenge the pace setters. The reward for the victors in Friday’s clash between Kaniva Cobras and Warrack Hoops was outright second place on the ladder. Both teams play the artificial surface at Dimboola well despite contrasting game styles. Hoops took control of the game early with a short passing game penetrating the Cobras half-back line to
IN CONTROL: Warrack’s Kelly Krahe looks to control the ball in front of her Kaniva opponent, Cally Shurdington. Picture: SIMON KING set up opportunities to score, but when they gained possession the Cobras used their big hitting game effectively to transfer the ball into their zone. This resulted in a fast paced game. It was a passage of play following a short corner that resulted in a Cameron Bardell goal opening the scoring for Hoops, 24 minutes into the game. This lead was maintained into the second half, but mid-way through the second half, the Cobras lifted and had multiple scoring attempts. A combination of solid defence by Hoops and some unfortunate luck saw them unable to find the goals. Another Bardell goal in the dying minutes stretched the winning margin to two, but this was not a true indica-
tion of how close this game was. With a majority of the play in the Cobras defensive half it was not surprising all of their better play came from the back line, with half-back Duncan Shalders nominated as best.Todd Krahe was best for Hoops. Despite struggling for players, Nhill Rangers showed potential on Saturday with a fighting come-from-behind draw with Dimboola Burras to earn their first points for the season. Lachlan Schultz scored early in the first half to put the Burras ahead, and in the even play that followed it looked like this might have been enough to win the game, but an equalising goal by Dakarai Delaney during the second half left the result as a draw.
Defenders Sam Bone and David Reichelt were best for the Rangers, and James Keating and Schultz shone for the Burras. In the last game on Saturday, Yanac Tigers were clinical in their five-goal win over Horsham Hurricanes. The Horsham team had no answer to the Tigers’ quick and accurate passing and disciplined positional play. Seth Croot with two goals and Josh Cramer, Kim Croot and Bradley Alexander with one each, shared the spoils for the victors. Seth Croot was named best for Tigers and Darren Schwarz was Hurricane’s standout.
Women
Dimboola Roos are yet to be defeated this season and sit comfortably a game-and-a-half clear on top of the ladder, but it is the rare presence of Kaniva Women in second place that is the talking point of this division. Kaniva strengthened its place in the top four with a close two-goal win over Warrack Women. In a hard fought match both teams set up opportunities in their attacking half, but it was Kaniva who found the goals first, establishing a one goal lead by half time, which they extended to two goals with a score less than a minute from full time. This result has Kaniva Women comfortably in the top three and leaves Warracknabeal winless after four games.
The evenness of play showed with midfielder Nyree Hutchins and forwards Jemima Bothe and Lisa Stimson named best players for Kaniva, and Teagan Roche and Kelly Krahe on the forward line and full-back Cassandra Schilling best for Warracknabeal. After only four games, Dimboola Women have established a six point lead at the top of the ladder. Nhill Thunderbirds made a valiant attempt to stop them, but despite a hattrick of goals by Kellie Farquharson they still finished two goals short of the Roos’ tally of five. Goals for Dimboola were shared between five different players, and midfielder Rebecca Lovett was nominated best player. As Thunderbird’s only goal-scorer, Farquharson was named her team’s best player. After a slow start to the season, Yanac Women are beginning to move up the ladder after a one-goal win over Horsham Jets. A goal to Carmel Beattie mid-way through the first half was the only score during an otherwise very even game. Susan Hedt and Louise Bone along with Beattie played well for Yanac and Launa Schilling and Sophie Robinson stood out for the Jets. • This week all local competitions have a bye while three representative teams travel to Melbourne for Junior Country Championships.
Run The Gap Sunday 21.5.17
DEMONS OF OLD: Horsham 1967 football premiership players, from back left, coach Gary Hamer, Cliff Richards, John Sleep, Ross Broun, Barry Smith, Peter Glare, Darryl Schwarz and front, Peter Morrison, John Clader and Kevin Dellar. The players rekindled memories during club reunion celebrations at Horsham City Oval. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
THIS WEEK’S MATCH:
Halls Gap, the heart of the majestic Grampians National Park, one of Victoria’s most stunning natural features, will play host to the annual Run The Gap event on Sunday, May 21, 2017. Participants can complete a 6km walk/run along Fyans Creek trail, run 12km including a lap across the wall at stunning Lake Bellfield, or test themselves in the 21km trail run. Don’t miss out on the fun!
17
NHILL TIGERS
V
Register at runthegap.com.au
HORSHAM DEMONS SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1.30pm
All proceeds go to community project to enhance walk bike/walk paths. Plus $1 from each registration is donated to Friends of the Grampians group, assisting to maintain the Grampians National Park’s trails.
Broadcasting LIVE on MIXX FM or stream the game live on mixx1013.com.au
Quest Skills for Life
Ararat Horsham Stawell
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au
Page
47