Talented Tassie teens ready for national under-18 hockey titles

The Tassie girls under-18 hockey side has knocked down the powerhouse NSW team at the national hockey championships. WATCH THE REPLAYS HERE >>

TASMANIA’S under-18 girls’ side has lived up to its billing, defeating powerhouse New South Wales 2-1 on day one of their National Championships in Launceston.

Despite having 15 of its 17 players still eligible to play in this age group next year, Tasmania earned three crucial points in their quest to finish in the top two positions in Pool A.

“That was a brilliant game from the whole team. It’s very hard to pick out any individuals as our best as everyone pulled together and stuck to our game plan,” Tassie coach Susan Brooks said.

“We were very solid in our penalty corner defence with some great running by Maeve Bylsma.

“Our midfield work rate was exceptional, and our strikers hunted like a pack of wolves creating numerous turnovers.”

FRIDAY’S GAMES:

Live coverage of the under-18 games in Launceston

Live coverage of the under-15 games in Bathurst

The home side need to come from behind after Chelsea Holmes opened the scoring in the 18th minute for New South Wales.

Tasmania found a quick reply through Isabelle Kruimink’s thunderbolt penalty corner strike in the 22nd minute, after Maddy Brooks and Emma Fenner had combined on the counterattack.

Both sides trade opportunities in a tense third quarter and the moment of the match came in the 52nd minute when midfielder Zayna Jackson converted a penalty corner drag flick with aplomb to put the home side 2-1 up.

From there, the visitors threatened repeatedly and earned six penalty corner opportunities in a captivating final stanza, but the expert goalkeeping of Camilla Vaughn and courageous defending of Felicity Wilson-Haffenden kept the visitors at bay.

Tasmania faces Queensland on Friday at 3.30pm and the victor will have one foot in the door for the top-four playoff positions.

In boys’ action, Tasmania suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to Northern Territory, despite a fifth-minute penalty corner goal from Milo Gee.

Tasmania will return against ACT from 12.30pm on Friday

Talented Tassie teens to shine on national stage

TASMANIAN hockey’s new golden generation will return to the field for the national under-18 girls championships in Launceston next week.

Featuring three-time under-15 national player of the tournament Maddy Brooks (2017-19), her twin sister Taylor, Isabelle Kruimink, Ellie McDonald and Cami Vaughn, the squad is littered with future Tassie Tigers stars.

Despite being one of the youngest squads in the tournament, with just two players at the top of the age group, Tasmania hopes to use its home-ground advantage to improve on a fourth-placed finish at the under-16 level two years ago.

HOW TO LIVESTREAM 70+ HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

Coach Susan Brooks believes COVID-19 robbed Tasmania of taking last year’s under-16 title but admits these players are the future of Tasmanian women’s hockey.

“This year won’t be easy as the group is very young, however, they are enormously talented and I have no hesitation in saying they can make the top four again,” Brooks said.

“Next year will be even better with 15 of the 17 eligible again.

“Due to COVID, the group was untested in under-16 last year, but I am confident they would have had a great chance of taking the flag.

“We actually have around half the team who I would expect to get noticed by national selectors, and if not selected for Futures (national talent squad) this year, certainly next year.”

Back from left, Belle Kruimink, Ellie McDonald, Ansa Le Grange, Torie Fish, Emma O’Grady, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden and, front from left, Taylor Brookers, Emma Fenner and Maddison Brooks are part of Tasmania’s under-18 team at the hockey national championships. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Brooks said her players were shattered to have last year’s tournament cancelled, but suggested they may have a competitive advantage over states such as Victoria, which lost virtually an entire club season.

The tournament coincides with the national under-18 boys championships at the St Leonards Hockey Centre from April 8-16.

The Mercury will livestream all games in both under-18 championships as well as more than two-thirds of the games from the under-15 championships as part of a partnership between Hockey Australia and News Corp Australia.

Tassie under-18 girls: Maddison Brooks, Taylor Brooks, Victoria Fish, Isabelle Kruimink, Ellie McDonald (OHA), Maeve Bylsma, Emma Fenner (NWG), Madison Clark, Cami Vaughan (DiamondBacks), Beth Dobbie, Emma O’Grady, Emily Rockefeller, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Derwent), Zayna Jackson (City Marians), Ansa Le Grange (University), Izzie McRobbie (Queechy Penguins), Amelia Duffy (Queechy)

News Corp and Hockey Australia have partnered for an unprecedented livestream event that will feature more than 70 matches from the 2021 Australian under-15s and under-18s championships.

The under-15s event will be played in Bathurst, NSW, and the under 18s event in Launceston.

Under the agreement, matches from the tournament in Launceston from April 8-16 and the competition in Bathurst from April 9-15 will be shown exclusively for subscribers on News Corp’s mastheads across the country.