Sunshine Coast Hockey players impress at U18 State Championships

Coast hockey players have shone bright on the state stage after securing a championship double and selection into high calibre squads. See who impressed.

Coast hockey players have more than matched it against the state’s best after securing a state championship double.

Sunshine Coast mens and women‘s teams contested the U18 State Championships in Townsville and Rockhampton over three days this week.

Both teams enjoyed undefeated rolls through their respective competitions to be crowned Division 2 champions.

Sunshine Coast mens and women‘s teams took out the U18 State Championships in Townsville and Rockhampton this week.

After a hasty preparation, men’s coach Charlee Livesey was ecstatic with her outfit’s efforts.

She said the squad only had three training sessions and secured their final player just days out of the competition.

“We were very glad we got a team away and we ended up smashing it,” she said.

The men won three and drew two of their five fixtures to finish atop the standings.

For the women, it was third time lucky in the state’s decider.

“It was a cracking win over Brisbane,” coach Jeff Lancaster said.

“We’ve made three finals in a row and have been unsuccessful in shootouts previously.

“We finally pushed it over the line.”

They had three wins and a draw heading into the grand final.

“They’re ecstatic,” Lancaster said.

“Because we were a really young team compared to previous years and very inexperienced we had a focus on team culture and it definitely paid dividends for us and everyone did well.”

Both the Coast men and women didn’t have much time to celebrate, rushing to airports straight after being presented their medals to beat lockdown restrictions.

“We were in Townsville and it was the other lockdown area and lockdown was at 6pm and our flight was at 6pm,” he said.

“We scrambled to the airport.

“It was chaos.”

There were plenty of standouts among the Coast squads, with some even garnering state selection.

Here are some of the stars:

U18 MEN

Dominic Anderson (Queensland selection)

Dominic Anderson (left) of Renegades attempts to block a shot from Callum McCurley Ault of Toowoomba in Boys Div 1 final of Under 15 Invitational Tournament at Clyde Park by Toowoomba Hockey Association in 2020. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“He was one of the boys we were lucky enough to pick up from Brisbane,” Livesey said.

“Just his work rate on and off ball set the tone for how the boys were going to play.

“His distributing (was great).

“He has the skill to go through but having that control and discipline to give the other ones the ball really set the standard.

“I think he got the Sunshine Coast boys to lift to that level where he was.

“So, overall, he kind of influenced our team to be disciplined and really work hard.”

Will Lapsley (co-captain)

Nambour captain Will Lapsley in 2020. Picture: Tom Threadingham

“There was a couple comments from a couple parents calling him for the goal of tournament,” Livesey said.

“The ball came off high and he trapped it about chest level and it dropped down and on the bounce he hit it.

“So, it was a crazy ball and it was a pretty awesome (goal).

Brody Devine (co-captain)

“We had a lot of young strikers in our group but we were lucky to have mature older players in each line,” Livesey said.

“He really helped the younger guys in the press in the striker line and really held the ball well where some of the younger and more inexperienced guys struggled with that.

“So, it was good to push Brody up font and help the younger ones.”

U18 WOMEN

Chloe Daly (Queensland representative)

Maroochydore goalkeeper Chloe Daly during the women's Division 2 grand final against Flinders in 2020. Picture: Tom Threadingham

“She’s our goalkeeper and was outstanding,” Lancaster said.

“The reason we kept a good goal balance and Brisbane weren’t able to score against us (in the grand final) was primarily because of Chloe’s work.”

Chelsea Baker

Buderim's Chelsea Baker in 2020

“She played outstanding and was a key playmaker for us for the entire tournament,” Lancaster said.

“She just commanded the play well and ran the ball when required and set up plays.

“She just gave 100 per cent the whole time.

Grace Dixon (Queensland representative)

Maroochydore Swans players Caitlyn Ross and Grace Dixon. Picture: Tom Threadingham

“She had great speed and is incredible,” Lancaster said.

“Skills in motion is really big at the next level and hers are very good.

“She had good awareness and good linking play with our other striker.”