Hockey: Geraldton girls make semifinal, boys finish sixth in Fuel to Go & Play Year 9/10 Club Championships

Two teams representing the Geraldton Hockey Association took a lot of positives from their spirited performances in the Fuel to Go & Play Year 9/10 Club Championships in Perth last week. GHA sent two representative teams to compete at the championship, with the girls taking to the turf in the first half of the week and the boys following from Wednesday to Friday. The girls team, coached by Erin Ralph and assisted by Jenna Butson, kicked off their tournament with two wins and two losses, placing fourth in their pool on goal difference and moving into division two for the remainder of the competition. They returned on day two with purpose and confidence, stringing together three strong wins to finish on top of division two. The team defeated Central Midlands 4-0, YMCA Coastal City 2-0, and Avon 1-0 in a commanding display of teamwork and determination. That effort earned them a place in the division two semi-final, where they once again faced YMCC. Despite dominating possession and creating several scoring opportunities, Geraldton went down 1-0 in a hard-fought match. Ralph said the girls had a fantastic tournament and showed real character. “We had a few close games but played with great spirit and teamwork,” she said. “We just couldn’t get a goal in that last match despite having lots of the play. The girls gave it everything.” Ralph also praised the contributions of several key players. “Lilah Beaver, Alice Hunt, Saskia Ash, Sophie Chapman and Sophie Kirkpatrick were standout performers for us. And losing Mya Mead to injury after the second game was a blow, but the girls rallied really well,” she said. The boys team, coached by Chris ‘Macka’ McNaught, started strong with a 4-1 win over Wesley and South Perth Hockey Club and a 1-0 win against Eastern Goldfields. A scoreless draw against YMCC and a 4-1 victory over Busselton secured second place in their pool and a spot in division one. Things got tougher from there, with Geraldton facing strong metropolitan opposition. They were defeated 6-0 by Whitfords, 4-1 by Vic Park 2, and 1-0 in a tight battle with Upper Great Southern. A 5-1 loss to Vic Park 1 followed, and they finished the tournament with a 2-0 defeat to YMCC in the 5th and 6th playoff. Despite the results, McNaught said the boys were up for the challenge and showed great resolve. “We decided to go for division one as a team for the experience and challenge,” he said. “We knew it was going to be hard, but we did it anyway. The boys never complained once, and they should be proud of how they carried themselves.” He added that the team may have gone further in a different division. “Had we gone through into division two, in my opinion we could have quite easily brought home top spot. But the experience of playing the best teams in the State is something that will stick with them and help their development,” McNaught said. “I could not pick a best player as all the boys stood out and played to the best of their ability. As a coach I look forward in seeing the boys grow from here.” Finley Painter led the scoring with six goals across the tournament, supported by Oscar Weston and Riley Wegert with two apiece, and Jack O’Brien with one. The Geraldton boys team finished in sixth place out of 13 teams.