Livestream: BHA Division 1 grand final: Labrador v Eastern Suburbs, Division 2, Division 3 teams
Watch replays of the BHA division 1, division 2 and division 3 grand finals, won by Labrador, Easts and Pine Rivers St Andrews respectively.
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Watch replays of todays BHA division 1, division 2 and division 3 grand finals at www.couriermail.com.au and the Gold Coast Bulletin, your new home of hockey.
Over the last seven weeks we have brought you the junior finals, masters finals, BWHA grand finals and the BHA semi-final series.
And now enjoy BHA grand final day replays from the State Hockey Centre.
THE MATCHES
Division 1
Eastern suburbs v Labrador
The storyline was set in stone, that Easts and Labrador would battle hammer and tongs for an hour before the Brisbane Hockey Association Division 1 premiership was won in the last minute.
And so it was the case late today at the State Hockey Centre when, on a rain drenched surface, Labrador’s Blake Wotherspoon drag flicked a penalty corner into the goal 60 seconds from full-time on the biggest day of the season. They won 2-1.
“As you expect,’’ said Labrador coach Darren Fowler in reference to Wotherspoon’s sparkling finish to the match.
“He was player of the match and has class written all over him.’’
“Dylan Who” a cheeky Labrador supporter said as Wotherspoon then walked up to accept his player of the match award, a comment in reference to Blake emerging from the shadow of his Australian playing brother Dylan.
Labrador celebrated like there was no tomorrow while the Easts players looked stunned that, in an instant, their dream had been snatched from them.
Fowler said it was a case of “running for your mates’’ today and the win was more relief than anything else because of all the hard work the Labrador players had done.
Easts had a chance five minutes from time, only for Labrador goalie Aaron Weiss to knock away a scorching shot launched by Tyler Spry.
Easts captain Hugh Pembroke said he was “super proud’’ of his team, while heaping praise on the premiership winning opposition.
“It was a tough game, in tough conditions and you (Labrador) stuck to it right to the end,’’ Pembroke said.
Fowler said wet conditions made the decider a real slog.
“It was going to be close and the conditions made it not the normal hockey that both teams play - it was not so much about control through the midfield, it was about putting the ball into the corners, into the puddles.
“It was almost like grass hockey in the old days,’’ said coach Fowler.
It took just 19 minutes for the competition’s leading goalscorer, Wotherspoon, to get on the scoresheet and give Labrador first point of the decider.
From a penalty corner Wotherspoon, although clearly carrying a leg injury, drag-flicked a shot which was saved by Easts’ keeper Casey Lee.
But from the rebound Wotherspoon advanced deeper into the inner circle to regain possession and beat the goalie with his second attempt.
Minutes later Wotherspoon tried to repeat his success from another penalty corner, but the Easts defence moved like a sprinter out of the blocks to deflect his shot away.
However, the match was back on equal footing just three minutes into the second half when Easts’ James Easton scored, sparking a huge roar from the Tigers dug-out. The score 1-all.
Not long after Easts were on the attack again and created a near-miss, with Scott Boyde cannoning the ball into the woodwork from an acute angle as the match lifted in intensity.
Earlier, after kick-off was delayed an hour by wet weather, Easts had the better of the opening quarter and would have hit the front if not for the boundless ability of goalkeeper Aaron Weiss.
Weiss displayed catlike reflexes to stop a Matthew Pembroke thunderbolt and on either side of that Labrador were also able to repel Easts’ penalty strokes.
Div 1 awards
Umpire of the year, Hawgood Family Trophy: Steve Rogers
Coach of the year: Rendell Family Trophy: Glen Gannon (Bulimba)
Rookie of the Year: Michael Doan (Easts)
Top goal scorer, Browning Medal: Blake Wotherspoon
Best and Fairest: Jared Taylor (Commercial)
Memorial Cup: Labrador
Minor Premiers: Labrador
Player of the grand final: Blake Wotherspoon
Best and Fairest Club winners
Isaac Layton (Bulimba)
Michael Doan (Easts)
Matt Argent (Kedron Wavell)
Blake Wotherspoon (Labrador)
Alex King (Northern Suburbs)
Max Harding (Pine Rivers St Andrews)
Josh Blakey (Redcliffe)
Andrew Newmann (University of Queensland)
Aidan Campbell (Valley)
Division 2
Eastern suburbs v Redcliffe
WATCH THE REPLAY:
Easts had everything thrown at them - everything that Redcliffe could muster and everything that mother nature could generate as well, but the Tigers ultimately prevailed to claim the Div 2 premiership this afternoon.
In dire conditions which at one stage forced officials to delay the restart of the second half by an hour, Easts pushed through to turn a 1-nil halftime deficit into a 3-1 win.
The flame flickered for Redcliffe nine minutes from full-time when Aaron Kreis scored to reduce the margin to 3-1, setting up a tense run home.
As both teams slogged it out in the fourth quarter, thunder rumbled around the stadium, adding to the intensity of the clash as Redcliffe challenged stoutly.
Indeed Redcliffe had a penalty corner five minutes from full-time that rebounded around like a pin ball in a fun parlour, but the ball remained in the field of play.
Then a succession of penalty corners waved to Redcliffe followed as the seconds ticked by. It was tense stuff.
Easts coach Jamie Mills was most proud of the way his young side had to grind its way past very tough opponents who the Tigers respected enormously.
Redcliffe coach David Garnett said the attitude of his team was “explementary’’.
“I think under the conditions we played very well and on the day Easts were just the better team,’’ Garnett said.
Earlier Easts captain Will Prest and young gun Cooper Hanscomb added vital third quarter goals as Easts elevated itself to high ground amid the elements.
Hanscomb’s goal followed an excellent build-up by Easts after Prest had converted a penalty corner.
During this period Easts also had to defend grimly as Redcliffe rallied, but Tigers’ keeper Steve Collins kept a clean sheet.
Easts opened the scoring when Will Prest converted a penalty corner opportunity in the opening quarter, nuch to the delight of a roaring Tigers fan club.
Displaying nice variation, the ball was shuffled to the left corner of the inner circle where Prest found enough time and space to get his successful shot away.
Redcliffe then had a chance to draw level four minutes into the second quarter, but Easts were able to defend the penalty corner.
The first half then became awash as a storm swept over the State Hockey Centre.
So intense was the rain, that the restart of the game for the third quarter was delayed due to both the water but also rumbles of thunder.
Div 2 awards
Memorial Cup: Pine Rivers St Andrews
Minor Premiers: Pine Rivers St Andrews
Player of the grand final: Will Prest
RELATED LINKS
Watch the Div 1 semi-final replays
Watch replays of all four BWHA senior grand finals
Division 3
University v Pine Rivers St Andrews
WATCH THE REPLAY:
Pine Rivers St Andrews drew first blood on grand final day, with a gripping 2-1 win over University of Queensland.
It took a second half penalty stroke from Jason Baldwin (Saints) to split the sides in a grand decider.
In a typically dramatic finale to the final, Saints had to withstand a penalty corner three minutes from time which was saved by a defensive stick from Pine Rivers St Andrews.
It was a thrill-a-minute second half, with both teams rising the higher the stakes became.
Saints coach Mitch Bolton said regaining composure in the second half under pressure from a relentless University was the key to winning.
“That first half was really good. We were consistent, composed but in the second half we came out and made a few basic errors,’’ Bolton said.
“They (Uni) are a relentless team. They don’t stop, and it was just a matter of when it got to 1-all, getting our composure back, getting back to the basics and playing some hockey.’’
University captain Kai Plos thanked his teammates for their efforts, along with the supporters and opposition.
The win capped a milestone moment for Saints who were also awarded the Merv Harris Memorial Shield club championship.
“That is a reward for not just this year, but a number of years of hard work with our junior development,’’ said senior coach Andrew May.
Like in all grand finals, there were two moments of high anxiety, both involving University in quarter No.3.
RELATED LINKS
Watch replays of the under 18 boys Div 1 finals
Watch replays of the junior girls grand finals
Watch replays of senior Div 1 semi-finals
Firstly Uni were denied a goal at one end when the umpire ruled the ball had come off the body of Ethan Hollard before Holland struck it into the back of the goal.
Then, at the other end of the field, Uni conceded a penalty stroke at the other which Saints Jason Baldwin converted into a goal to send his side up to a 2-1 lead.
It was a shame for the Uni keeper Luke Webb because seconds earlier he had magnificently saved a goal.
All this after Pine Rivers St Andrews had led 1-nil at halftime which, at the time, was a fair reflection on the flow of the game.
University had actually started the better and if it was not for two fantastic saves from Saints keeper Connor Robertson, Uni would have jumped ahead early.
But instead Saints opened the scoring courtesy of a brilliant finish from Jason Baldwin who found the back of the goal in the seventh minute after a pass had been lobbed into the circle.
The goal would certainly be a serious contender for goal of the year.
Then into the second quarter and Saints clearly had the best two chances, one when Clinton Hart blasted a shot, only to be denied by Uni keeper Webb.
Then late in the second quarter Michael Cockerill fired a shot across the face of goal when a chance loomed.
But it was University who started the second half the better, with Will Tracey scoring his team’s first goal just 40 seconds into the third quarter after excellent lead-up play from Peter Harrison.
Uni then maintained the rage and an even, back and forth contested unfolded across the third and fourth quarters.
Div 3 awards:
Player of the grand final: Tyler Newell
Club championship: Merv Harris Memorial Shield, Pine Rivers St Andrews
THE TEAMS
Division 1
Labrador
Goal keeper Aaron Weiss, 9. Joe Reardon, 11. Joey Sandor, 13.Ethan White, 12. Luke Tyne, 25. Brent Livermore, 2. Will Mathison, 7. Adam Imer, 26. Dylan Wotherspoon, 10. Reagan Martin, 8. Blake Wotherspoon, 14. Corey Piggin, 1. Kyle Prestwich, 15. Sam Young, 3. Bradley, 5. Lucas Brown,
Eastern suburbs
5. Scott Boyde, 1. James Easton, goal keeper Lee Casey, 8. Matt Shaw.
2. Mackenzie Warne. 15. Will Prest. 11. Matt Pembroke, 10. Tyler Spry,
13. Michael Doan, 7. Arin Doig. 4. David Hubbard, 12. Jacob Webber, 9. Hugh Pembroke, 6. Zac McCoombes, 14. Oliver Roberts, 13. Kane Posselt
Division 2
Eastern Suburbs
Goal keeper Steven Collins, 8. Alex Hough, 5. Will Prest, Cooper Hanscomb, 13. Peter Dalley, 7. Mitchell Roberts, 4. Ben Ward, 15. Zac McCoombes, 11. Oliver Roberts, 1. Sam Ruprecht, 6. Nick Heath, 16. Harrison Courtney, 12. Oliver Prest, 2. Ryan Hughes, 3. Ryley
Kroning, 14. Troy Elder, 17. Andrew Doan, 71. Hamish West, 9. Christian Wilson,
Redcliffe
6. Damien Budd, 7. David Halliday, 10. Nathan Haslam, 12. Ryan
Petzer, goal keeper Kelly Hullet, 8. Kyle Murphy, 15. Adrian Cross, 1. Josh Hagenbach, 2. Peter Somers, 78. Anthony Cooroy, 3. Shane Rudken, 91. Lachlan McKinnon, 11. Russell
Odendaal, No.14 Nick Budd, 14. Aaron Kreis, 5. Tom Campbell.
Division 3
Pine Rivers St Andrews
1.Jacob Anderson, 9. Jarrod Farlow, 3. Matthew
Bradley, 12. Matthew Kleidon, 10. Greg Robertson, 4. Clinton Hart, 7. Cooper Punch, goal keeper Conner Robertson, 5. Ryk Thiessens, 8. Jason Baldwin, 6. Nicholas Rowland, 2. Oliver
Tuner, 13. Edward Westcott, 11. Michael Cockerill, 14. Jonathan Copland, 15. Tyler Newell.
University
5. Rodney Lorrimar, 13. Pat Mushan, goal keeper Luke Webb Luke. 8. Alan Bolton, 12. Dom
McMahon, 7. Preetesh Morar, 1. Phillips Reece, 3. Will Tracey, 9. Peter Harrison, 6. Kai Plos. 14. James Heffernan, 2. Ethan Holland, 15. Nathan Moss, 11. Jimmy Botella, 4. James Lynch, 6. Michael Troup.