The Wimmera Hockey Association entered three teams in the Victorian Junior Country Championships played in Melbourne last weekend.
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The best players from the Wimmera in Under 17 Boys, Under 17 Girls and Under 15 Boys age groups played five games each against the elite from other country associations around the state.
The Under 17 Boys team returned the best results of the local teams, with wins against Ballarat and East Gippsland and a 1-all draw with eventual winners Hockey Albury Wodonga from their five games.
Sandon Schultz scored the goal in the draw and Bradley Walker and Blake Miller scored the goals in the win over Ballarat.
A goal by Jason Reichelt gave them the win over East Gippsland.
After finishing third in Pool A they lost the fifth-place classification match to the Goulburn Valley team.
In their Pool B matches, the Under 17 Girls team enjoyed a scoreless draw with Warrnambool and a two-goal victory over Hockey Central Victoria with Ellie Murden scoring twice.
This qualified them for the fifth-place playoff game against Ballarat, which finished in a draw.
The Wimmera’s eastern neighbours from the North Central Hockey Association defeated Hockey Albury Wodonga in the final.
The Under 15 Boys were drawn in Pool B of their age group and played Goulburn Valley, Glenelg, North Central and East Gippsland.
Although they did not finish ahead in any game, they gained valuable experience they can bring back to the Wimmera and use to improve their play in the local competition.
Albury Wodonga defeated Central Victoria in the final to win the title, while the Wimmera team suffered a five-goal loss to Ballarat in the eighth-place playoff game.
Under 17 Boys
Pool A Matches
1-1 draw with Albury Wodonga - Goal: Sandon Schultz
3-0 loss to Hockey Central Victoria
2-1 WIN against Ballarat - Goals: Bradley Walker and Blake Miller
1-0 WIN against East Gippsland - Goal: Jason Reichelt
Fifth Place Play off: 4-0 loss to Goulburn Valley
Final - Hockey Albury Wodonga 5 defeated Hockey Central Victoria 4
Under 17 Girls
Pool B Matches
0-0 draw with Warrnambool
0-1 loss to Sunraysia
2-0 loss to Albury Wodonga
2-0 WIN Hockey Central Victoria - Goals: Ellie Murden
Fifth Place Play off: 0-0 draw with Ballarat
Final - North Central Hockey Association 4 defeated Hockey Albury Wodonga 0
Under 15 Boys
Pool B Matches
8-0 loss to Goulburn Valley
6-0 loss to Glenelg
5-0 loss to North Central
3-0 loss to East Gippsland
Eighth Place Play-off: 0-5 loss to Ballarat
Final - Hockey Albury Wodonga 4 defeated Hockey Central Victoria 1