Thrilling Finish Looms as Winter Hockey Competition Nears Finals

Round 11 of the Winter Hockey Competition delivered two tightly fought contests that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.

The first game was between the Vikings and DTS. Both teams moved the ball forward well, creating early opportunities toward both goals and setting up a fairly even playing field. The Vikings moved consistently and cohesively for the majority of the match, giving them a slight edge.

Kristy White played a skilful game, showing off her stick skills, beating defenders and earning penalty corners for the Vikings. Paul Robertson was instrumental at both ends of the field, with his hard work resulting in the opening goal of the game — scoring from a penalty corner in the first quarter.

David Wark worked tirelessly for DTS, playing a pivotal role in breaking through the Vikings’ defence and posing a constant threat around the circle. Andrew Austen also proved valuable in both attack and defence, creating scoring chances for DTS.

Brendan Sheppard, leading the Vikings’ attack, capitalised on another short corner, sending the ball past the DTS defence and into the net to give the Vikings a 2–0 lead.

DTS held strong in the final quarter, preventing further goals, but were unable to score themselves, leaving the final score at 2–0 and the Vikings still on top of the ladder.

The second game of the day was between the Redbacks and Penguins. The Redbacks used the width of the field to get around the Penguins’ strong midfield defence, but their efforts to reach the circle were often thwarted, resulting in turnovers and the ball back in Penguins possession.

Conan Scott played a strong game in goals for the Redbacks, pulling off incredible saves to stop the Penguins’ attack.

He was well-supported by the defensive pairing of Emily O’Brien and Fred Dimmick. Pushing forward, the Redbacks used their skill to break through the Penguins’ defence, with Zac Williams finding an opening to slot home the first goal in the opening quarter.

The second quarter saw the ball travel end-to-end, making for hard work from both sides. Monique Woodward, Jose Webber and Janice Dunk linked well in the middle for the Penguins, combining to move the ball downfield. Donna Burns was a rock in defence, halting several Redbacks advances.

In the third quarter, Ned Mullany pounced on a loose ball in the circle, slotting it between the goalkeeper’s pads to extend the Redbacks’ lead to 2–0. The Penguins came out strong in the final quarter, mounting wave after wave of attack, but were unable to convert. The Redbacks weren’t done yet, and Zac Williams found another chance late in the game to seal the win 3–0.

With just one round remaining before the finals series begins, the competition for the minor premiers title remains alive and well. The Vikings hold top spot, while the Redbacks have given themselves valuable breathing room in second place. All eyes will be on next week’s matches to see whether the ladder leaders can hold firm or if the chasing pack can cause a shake-up before finals hockey begins.

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