The penultimate round of the Wimmera Hockey Association regular season yielded several results that significantly influenced the ladders in the three competitions, setting up several enticing encounters next week to confirm several places in the finals.
- Women -
In a big round in the Women’s competition, the top two teams met to decide who would finish on top of the ladder, and the teams battling for the last place in the finals clashed.
Kaniva, keen to preserve their undefeated record, controlled more of the play, highlighted by a count of eight penalty corners to one, but the tenacious Yanac team did not allow them to convert this to the scoreboard, restricting them to just two goals for the game, while being unlucky not to score themselves.
Kaniva now claim the minor premiership, and Yanac will still finish in second place on the ladder, but they both showed enough to suggest that their next meeting in the semi-finals will be a cracker of a game.
Warracknabeal’s late-season form surge has put them in a prime position to snare the fourth spot on the ladder and a place in the finals after they defeated the fourth-placed Horsham Jets.
The Jets were missing some key players and fielded several of their Under 16 team to make up the numbers affecting their team balance. Warracknabeal took full advantage of this, scoring once in each of the first three quarters, and although the play in the fourth quarter was more even, Warracknabeal had done enough to record a three-goal win and set themselves up for a chance at the finals.
Assured of two points from the bye next week, Warracknabeal will move ahead if the Jets do not draw with or defeat Yanac in their last-round match.
- Open -
The top two teams registered wins in the Open competition but had to work hard to earn them.
The fourth-placed Kaniva Cobras proved they can match it with the leading teams by seriously challenging the competition-leading Yanac Tigers. After a very even first half, the Cobras scored the first goal midway through the third quarter, and just minutes later, in a big confidence boost, their goalkeeper successfully defended a penalty stroke to preserve the lead.
By the end of the quarter, the Tigers had equalised the scores from a penalty corner, which set up an intense last period of play.
The Tigers took the lead two minutes into the fourth quarter from another penalty corner and scored a third late in the game to confirm their undefeated status.
The Warrack Hoops also had to come from behind to win their game against the Horsham Hurricanes by two goals to one, and with this challenging workout being their last hit before the bye next week, they now focus on their next assignment, taking on the Tigers in the semi-finals.
- Under 16 -
With just one round of matches remaining, two teams are still in the race for the top spot on the Under 16 ladder, and three remain within reach of a top-two finish.
The Yanac Warriors made a big statement and moved four points clear on top of the ladder with a win over the Kaniva Raiders, who have fallen to third place but remain in the mix to return to the top two before the finals with a good performance next week.
The Horsham Bombers returned to second place after a win over the Warrack Revengers.
- Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Fourteen Results -
- Open -
Yanac Tigers 3 (Goals - K Croot, T Alexander, J Cramer; Best - B Alexander, T Alexander, S Alexander) defeated Kaniva Cobras 1 (Goal - L Mills; Best - L Mills, B Lovett, T Krelle)
Warracknabeal Hoops 2 (Goals - O Nuske, J Harris; Best - J Harris, C Baldock, T Jorgensen, L Nuske) defeated Horsham Hurricanes 1 (Goal - W Gulline; Best - T Batchelor, W Gulline, R Batchelor, C Blake)
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Tigers | 48 | 52
| | Warrack Hoops | 34 | 13
| | Horsham Hurricanes | 24 | -3
| | Kaniva Cobras | 22 | -17
| | Nhill Rangers | 12 | -45
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- Women -
Kaniva 2 (Goals - L Stimson, N White; Best - Q Pearse, J Hauselberger, S Williams) defeated Yanac 0 (Best - E Alexander, C Alexander, S Hedt)
Warracknabeal 3 (Goals - B McMaster 2, L Eilola; Best - B McMaster, L Eilola, C Hadzig) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (Best - K Krahe, L Schilling, D Vallance, H Mackereth)
| | Pts | GD
| | Kaniva Women | 48 | 33
| | Yanac Women | 40 | 31
| | Nhill Thunderbirds | 20 | -14
| | Horsham Jets | 16 | -14
| | Warrack Women | 16 | -36
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- Under 16 -
Yanac Warriors 3 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2, C Zanker; Best - Asher Zanker, C Zanker, S Pedie) defeated Kaniva Raiders 0 (Best - C White, L Krelle, J Beattie)
Horsham Bombers 15 (Goals - T Batchelor 6, J Schwarz 4, A Heal 2, H Mackereth 2, S Schwarz; Best - T Batchelor, J Schwarz, H Mackereth) defeated Warracknabeal Revengers 0 (Best - E Williamson, M Bentley, S Williamson)
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Warriors | 40 | 29
| | Horsham Bombers | 36 | 36
| | Kaniva Raiders | 36 | 21
| | Nhill Leopards | 24 | -4
| | Warrack Revengers | 4 | -82
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- Under 12 Development Program -
Dimboola Kookaburras 1 (Goal - J Ward; Encouragement Award - I Ward, L Hauselberger) v. Kaniva Rampagers 2 (Goals - L Doyle 2)
Warracknabeal Avengers 1 (Goal - S Williamson) v. Yanac Lowan Stars 5 (Goals - H Zanker 3, S Hedt, A Cramer; Encouragement Award - I Hedt, A Cramer)
Horsham Black Hawks 1 (Goal - J Mackereth; Encouragement Award - A Janetzki, H Di Pietro) v. Nhill Bandits 4 (Goals - N Krelle 2, D Bee, R Wheeler)
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