TAREE High’s girl’s hockey team had a few anxious moments in the State finals at Lithgow before securing a second successive Combined High School (CHS) championship.
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The team hadn’t played much hockey together before qualifying for the last eight because of byes and forfeits. However, Taree steamed into the quarter final with a 9-1 shellacking of Tuggerah Lake to secure a spot.
Coach Jordan Hardy said the last of game time was offset by the fact the majority of team members play together at club or representative level.
However, Taree faced a major hurdle in the quarter final at Lithgow when they took on Westfield Sports – the school they beat in last year’s final.
With time just about up Westfield led 2-1 before Taree converted a corner sending the match to a stroke off.
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Here Taree goal keeper Phoebe Cause rose to the occasion to give Taree the win and a semi-final berth against Mulwaree High from Goulburn. Taree showed some championship form when winning 2-1. This set up the final against Orange.
Taree started favourite, but this didn’t go to plan in the first half.
“We were down 1-0 at halftime,’’ Hardy said.
She said the player were trying to make things happen too quickly.
“I told them at halftime just to calm down and not to try and score from every play,’’ Hardy said.
The players heeded the advice to score three unanswered goals in the second half to secure a 3-1 win.
Goals were scored by Lara Watts, Jordan Moscatt and Hayley Manusu.
The coach wouldn’t single any player our for special mention.
“It was a team effort,’’ she said.
However, planning has already started for 2019 and the possibility of Taree High securing a three-peat. Captain Tahni Walters and Taylah Clark will be leaving school. They’ll be missed, but Hardy said the school has a great depth of hockey talent.
Team members were Tahni Walters (captain), Lara Watts, Abby Watts, Jordan Moscatt, Taylah Clark, Tyler Williams, Hayley Manusu, Bree Pensini, Brianna Williams, Makayla Manusu, Chloe Neal, Georgina Tran, Phoebe Cause, Kalani Cross.
Bright future
TAREE High can build on the team’s fifth placing in this year’s NSW Combined High School hockey championship.
“We only lose two seniors from this year’s squad,’’ coach Kerrie Davy said.
“So we’re well placed for the future.’’
Taree’s hopes of higher honours in the State finals at Lithgow were snuffed out in the quarter final when beaten 8-1 by an impressive Camden side.
“We were never in it,’’ Davy said.
Camden went on to qualify for the final.
“But they boys had a good attitude about it and they were still positive. The best we could do from there was finish fifth so that was our goal.’’
Taree produced a strong showing in their next game to defeat Evans River 3-1 and then trounced Crookwell 4-1 in the match to decide fifth and sixth. Here a goal by Kane Chester was a highlight.
Coach Davy said a keeper Ryan Doherty was a standout for Taree throughout the campaign while Kurt Walters, who is only 13, was strong. Cooper Murray and Brayden McIntosh both defied injuries to keep playing throughout the finals.