Replay: NSW U18 boys hockey titles grand final matches

The grand final action has been fast and furious across the final day of the under-18 boys state hockey championships. Replay the action here.

Daniel McGookin

4 min read

May 16, 2021 - 3:29PM

NewsLocal

REPLAY: U18 Boys NSW State Hockey Championships - Presentation Ceremony

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The state’s best teams have risen to the top across two action-packed days of representative hockey, with the top honours at stake today.

Five high stakes matches will be broadcast online here at dailytelegraph.com.au from about 8am Sunday, including the grand finals of the Division 1 and 2 competitions.

A Parkes player in action. Picture: Click In Focus/Hockey NSW

Scroll down to check the live stream schedule and rolling match reports as each game finishes.

REPLAYS AND REPORTS

Replay: U18 Boys NSW State Hockey Championships- PARKES V BATHURST

DIVISION 2 SEMI FINAL: PARKES 5 BATHURST 3

A Koby Johnstone-inspired Parkes outfit has stormed into the grand final of the division 2 competition, with the NSW under-18 captain scoring four goals to complete the semi final win against Bathurst.

The clash of the two country heavyweights was a seesawing affair in the first half, as both teams traded goals.

In the fifth minute Johnstone made no mistake with a drag flick off a short corner, with Bathurst to bounce back only minutes later off the stick of Norris.

In the opening stages of the second quarter Zac Redfern took advantage of a defender losing his footing to send Parkes back in front to be cancelled out only minutes later by a deflection goal to Bathurst’s Norris.

The scores were locked 2 – 2 at halftime, with Johnstone breaking the deadlock with two goals off penalty corners with his dangerous drag flicks.

Bathurst threatened to comeback with a penalty stroke goal to Lachlan Howard in the final quarter, with Johnstone to ice the game just minutes later with his fourth goal.

Parkes will battle Goulburn in the division two grand final at 11:45am.

NSW U18 GIRLS HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW

Replay: U18 Boys NSW State Hockey Championships – NEWCASTLE V NORTH WEST SYDNEY

DIVISION 1 SEMI FINAL: NEWCASTLE 1 NORTH WEST SYDNEY 1 *Newcastle proceed on ladder position

A tight 1 -1 draw is enough to see defending champions Newcastle return to the Division 1 grand final in a hard-fought battle with North West Sydney.

After 12 minutes of action Newcastle took the lead as Joshua Bruton made no mistake with a penalty stroke, beating North West Sydney goalkeeper Aidan Chong to score his fifth goal of the tournament.

The Novocastrians were the dominant team in the first half winning much of the territory game but were unable to add to the score sheet, going to the dug out with a 1 nil lead at half time.

In the final seconds of the third quarter North West Sydney dramatically equalised, with Adam Watson in the right place at the right time to deflect a shot into goal.

Superb goalkeeping by Chong kept North West Sydney in the match but the strikers were unable to score the much-needed second goal.

Newcastle go on to the grand final on ladder position, after winning Pool A.

The Division 1 grand final at 1pm, broadcast online here at dailytelegraph.com.au, will feature Newcastle and Illawarra South Coast.

Replay: U18 Boys NSW State Hockey Championships – TAMWORTH V SOUTH SYDNEY

DIVISION 1 CLASSIFICATION FINAL: TAMWORTH 3 SYDNEY SOUTH 2

Tamworth ‘Frogs’ have rounded out an impressive tournament with a polished 3 -2 come-from-behind victory over Sydney South.

The two teams were scoreless after the opening quarter before Sydney South’s Zakary Keeland opened proceedings with a handy goal.

The goal was swiftly cancelled out by a second quarter goal to Tamworth’s Nicholas O’Connor.

The scores remained level until a penalty stroke to Tamworth with ten minutes remaining, before a classy team goal finished by Benjamin O’Connor in jersey #1 with five minutes remaining put the result beyond doubt.

A late goal to Sydney South saw the team have a final surge to equalise the match with 30 seconds remaining, however the siren shot went just wide.

The results of the classification final meant Tamworth finished in fifth position in the Division 1 competition, and Sydney South sixth position.

REPLAY: U18 Boys NSW State Hockey Championships – GOULBURN V PARKES

DIVISION 2 GRAND FINAL: GOULBURN 4 PARKES 3

Goulburn have been crowned Division 2 champions of the NSW under-18 boys hockey titles, defeating a valiant Parkes team 4 – 3 in a seven goal thriller grand final.

All the early momentum was with Parkes but a Goulburn counter attack saw Bailey Craig set up his brother Fletcher Craig who finished a classy solo effort for a 1 nil lead.

Goulburn clung onto the lead as Parkes’ senior player Koby Johnstone was temporarily sent off the field in the second quarter, but the score was levelled in the final moments of the first half.

A Parkes penalty corner was sent crashing into the bottom left corner off the stick of Declan Daley for a halftime scoreline of 1 – 1.

Johnstone didn’t take long into the second half to make his mark, firing a powerful goal into the bottom left corner off a penalty corner to give Parkes a 2 -1 lead.

Goulburn responded in the game’s final stages with three quickfire goals, including two strong strikes to NSW under-18 representative Dylan Downey off penalty corners and a second to Fletcher Craig, to all but confirm the win.

With less than five minutes to go Parkes scored off a counter-attack to get within one goal of Goulburn, but it wasn’t to be.

The win means Goulburn will play in the top division at next year’s under-18 state championships.

DIVISION 1 GRAND FINAL: NEWCASTLE 3 ILAWARRA SOUTH COAST 0

Newcastle have been crowned state under 18 boys hockey champions, defeating hometown heroes Illawarra South Coast 3 nil in the 2021 grand final.

A tight opening quarter saw no goals scored despite great chances for each team, with the first goal of the game coming 21 minutes in.

Newcastle’s Lukas Gremm latched on a loose Illawarra South Coast pass and raced towards the goalkeeper, expertly steering to the side and striking home the finish under the goalkeeper’s stick.

On the stroke of halftime Newcastle doubled the lead, with Edward Hunt sending home a classy finish to the delight of the travelling Novocastrians.

An injury to one of the hometown team’s leading players Sam Wright-Smith made the comeback a tougher prospect, with a third quarter goal to Hunt making it a formidable 3 nil lead going into the final 15 minutes.

Celebrations erupted at the final siren for the Novocastrians, who ultimately won 3 nil following a scoreless final quarter.

The grand final victory was Newcastle’s fourth successful under-18 boys state championship campaign in a row, crowned state champions in 2017, 2018, 2019 and now 2021.