Hockey warriors head north for combat

Players are battling for glory at the state championships in Cairns this weekend.

BIG WEEK FOR U13s: Levi Rhodes in possession for Warwick in under-13 boys hockey. Picture: Gerard Walsh

THIS week is set to be a huge one for Warwick hockey fans and players alike as three junior teams get ready to compete.

The under-13s girls and boys will both compete in the state championships in Cairns while the under-18s girls return from their own state comp, held in Murwillumbah.

Under-13 girls coach Angela Groves said the team had been working towards the championships for the last six months and that they were thrilled to be in Cairns.

"Some of the girls are there already and they're really looking forward to it,” she said.

Groves also said she was confident of the team's ability to win.

"There's a good chance we'll match up with all the other teams in the division,” Groves said.

"We have 14 players and they're all able on play anywhere on the field and they work well with each other.”

The team is set to play against Tweed Border, Ipswich, Cairns, Gold Coast, Mackay and Townsville sides.

Joining the under-13s girls is the under-13s boy's team who will be playing against Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Redlands, and Ipswich.

Coach Craig Windle said he was very happy with the team's progression.

"They've been hard at training and stepping out of their comfort zones,” Windle said.

"They're just jumping out of their skins, ready to go.”

The boys side be captained by Samuel Burke who was just recently selected for the Queensland team.

The under-18s girls also recently competed in their State Championships, which ran until July 2nd.

Despite not coming home with any wins,the championships proved to be excellent training for the Under-15s state championships the team will head to in September.

As for under-18s boys, Jack Rolfe didn't let the lack of a Warwick team stop him from competing too.

The 15 year old joined Gympie for the under-18s championship in Townsville, with Rolfe scoring a goal in the team's 4-0 win over Toowoomba.