Strikers dominate at home
It was a huge night at Bellbird Park in Drouin on Friday night with three out of the four West Gippsland Strikers hockey teams playing at home.
It was a huge night at Bellbird Park in Drouin on Friday night with three out of the four West Gippsland Strikers hockey teams playing at home.
Under 14 boys
Strikers 3 def Casey 1
Goals: Strikers: Oliver Fallon 2, Harrison Prigg. Casey: Kody Varga.
The first game of the home triple header saw the under 14 boys taking on Casey.
Casey were only fielding 10 and Strikers came out hot with five short corners inside the first 10 minutes.
Casey's goalkeeper was busier than a one-armed brick layer in Beirut but managed to repel everything thrown at him.
For the rest of the first half an arm-wrestle ensued with end-to-end hockey played and some tired bodies welcoming the half time break with the score at 2-. The Strikers had broken the deadlock thanks to two late goals to Harrison Prigg and Oliver Fallon.
West Gippsland continued their dominance with a second goal to Oliver 15 minutes into the second half before a goal to Casey with eight minutes remaining gave them a glimmer of hope, but the Strikers held strong to run out 3-1 winners.
Under 16 girls
Strikers 4 def Croydon Ranges 3
Goals: Strikers: Georgia Hazell 2, Alexis Hazell, Isla Ronalds. Croydon Ranges: Katelyn Charlot 2, Mila Fowler Yevenes.
In the under 16 girls the Strikers came out hard but couldn't convert before the Croydon Ranges scored first with their first entry inside the circle.
West Gippsland struck back through the hot sticks of Alexis Hazell, Isla Ronalds and Georgia Hazell, who received a lucky stick deflection to take a 3-1 lead into the half time break.
An early short corner in the second half saw Georgia Hazell with a nice tomahawk to score her second.
Just when it looked like West Gippsland would run away with the game a stroke was awarded and converted and the Croydon girls were full of energy once again and as a result scored another goal almost immediately.
With just a single goal lead to the Strikers the game turned into a hard slog with no team giving an inch. The Strikers held on though to record a 4-3 win.
Under 16 boys
Strikers 5 drew Casey 5
Goals: Strikers: Jacob Mock 4, Caleb Ballantyne. Casey: Oliver Daniell 2, Zach Coster, Samuel Albrecht, Spencer Stephens.
It was only nine degrees at the start of the game against Casey, prompting Jacob Mock to warm his stick under the gas heater beside the pitch - and judging by his four goals in the first half, it clearly worked.
Leading 4-2 at half time it looked like it might end up an easy win for the home team but Casey never stopped believing and scoring.
A questionable stroke call levelled the score at 5-5 late in the game and a draw was the result. There is a possible rematch on the cards in the semi finals which if it happens will be epic.
Under 18 mixed
Strikers 2 def Hawthorn 1
Goals: Strikers: Hamish Zurrer 2. Hawthorn: Hugo Taylor.
Gippsland Strikers' under 18s took on top of the ladder Hawthorn on Friday night away from home.
With a full team and subs for the first time this season Strikers came out ready to battle.
Playing impressive hockey they were 1-0 up at half time. Hawthorn scored in the second half but Hamish Zurrer shut them down with a textbook tomahawk, making the final score 2-1.
Best on ground went to Marisah Mock, but the whole team can be super proud of this win as they all contributed.
