FOOTBALL: The SA Country Football Championships have been run and won in the Riverland last weekend and the reports coming from Berri and Barmera were that the carnival was an outstanding success once again.
The controversial re-zoning that took place at the end of last year’s carnival certainly left a lot of people not happy with things but the results would suggest that the powers that be got things pretty right.
The Central Zone looked as though they were the hardest hit in the reshuffle but they put in a remarkable performance to make the final, yet again. The eventual winners, Murray Mallee-Barrier were the big beneficiaries with the Barossa joining them. The South East Zone also benefited and they also had a much more improved carnival with a third placed finish.
There seems to still be plenty of work for the Northern Zone to do in time. With the addition of the Northern Areas to the stocks the confidence was high that they would be one of the competition favourites. This didn’t eventuate but hopefully there will be a significant improvement next year.
SOCCER: It may be stealing a term from certain AFL supporters but here is something to crow about.
A recent study carried out by a number of girls and their families as to whether girls are more talented than boys at soccer has proven just that.
It’s official, girls are better soccer players. At least if one looks at the SAPSASA results from last week. Port Pirie sent a girls’ soccer team to the carnival and they returned from battle as undefeated champions.
A remarkable performance for any team in any sport but this effort was even more remarkable with the fact that many of the girls in the team had only just taken up the sport and had been training and playing for only six weeks.
The stats show even more impressive results. Seven games for six wins and a draw. No goals conceded and an average scoreline of nearly 4 goals per game.
The team consisted of Jade Pisani, Penny Malchow, Kalise Pansini, Tessa Ganley, Mikaela Roe, Genaya Smith, Emily Condon, Ellie Sjostrom, Bianna Kelly, Adrianna Dimopoulos, Samantha Howell, Sunny Freer, Lucy Brewer and Emily Angione.
Team Coaches/Manager were John Saracino, Peter Angione and Michelle Malchow
Well done girls, you get my vote for Team of the Year. (And for the record the boys didn’t do anywhere near as well!!!)
HOCKEY: Max Sard is a life member of the Port Pirie and District Hockey Association for his time spent during the 70s and 80s, in Tavvy’s time.
He was instrumental in the men’s hockey big move to Princes Park (next to the overpass) in the 1970’s.
Max moved to live in Adelaide several years ago, but has maintained a strong interest in the hockey since. In fact so much so he continues to play the game at the ripe old age of 68. Max is currently playing in the Darwin Masters Games, and he has played in last two Masters Games in Port Pirie as a member of the SA All Stars team.
About 3 years ago he had triple bypass surgery but has made a complete recovery and, according to his wife, is ‘fitter than ever’ and enjoying life to the ‘Max’.
He also plays weekly in the men’s vets competition in Adelaide on the water-based hockey turf at Port Adelaide. Seems there’s no keeping him down.
FOOTBALL: Following the SA country carnival in Berri, the SANFL announced the initial training squad for the forthcoming Landmark Australian Country Carnival to be held in Shepparton at the end of this month.
Out of the 29 man squad only two players from the Northern Zone made the grade. Central Augusta’s Matt Keatley and Port ruckman Michael Burford have both been selected. It is the second year running for the pair and both stand a very good chance of making the final squad to travel to Shepparton.
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The annual North Adelaide Football Club City v Country underage games will be taking place today at Memorial Oval. This has become an annual event and in a period when there is not much sporting action taking place it is actually something worth going along to have a look at.
In previous years these games have demonstrated some exceptional football talent from both teams.
The Under 14 clash will kick off at 11.00am and this will be followed by the Under 15’s at 12.30pm.
There will be plenty of Pt Pirie lads involved in both games as well as the cream of junior talent from
Pt Augusta and the Northern Areas.
HOCKEY: Pirie’s best juniors have just returned from the newly formed Zone Championships with a swag of impressive results .
Pirie formed part of the Mid-North in the Under 15 and Under 17, which also included players from Clare and the Yorke Peninsula.
The Under 15 Boys fought their way through a tough semi-final to play off in an equally tough final and with only seconds remaining in the game saw their hopes dashed when City East slotted a match-winning second goal to defeat the Mid-North 2-1.
The Under 17 Girls made it to the semi final stage and they narrowly missed their chance for glory after their opponent City East made it through to the final with a better percentage.
The under 17 Boys also made it to the semis and like the girls they had to play a sudden death extra time but their opponent, also City East scored with a penalty on the final whistle.
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It proved to be a massive weekend for Pirie’s junior hockey stars last week with the Under 13 boys side having a magnificent week in the SAPSASA Championships.
The Pirie boys went through undefeated in Division 1 and collected a gold medal for their efforts and then they backed it up on Sunday when they took on Adelaide in the final of the Under 13 State Championships and they continued their brilliant form with a 2-0 win to claim the State Title too.
Eight players now have two State championship medals to proudly wear who both played SAPSASA and Under 13 for Port Pirie and won both titles: Chris Marwick,
Colin Dunning, Dylan Adams, Kurtis Willson, Joshua McInnes, Sam Chivell, Stevie Athanasos and Jake Stringer.
On the girls side of the action congratulations to Lauren Manuel and Amy Mark who were selected for the SAPSASA State side following three trials and an impressive performance in the carnival last week.
Lauren and Amy will embark on a trip to Canberra in December for the Pacific Games to play national and international hockey games.
Canberra is the host of the Pacific Games this year and they had the choice of one sport to add to athletics and swimming and gymnastics, and they chose hockey.
So it’s a very special treat for our Lauren and Amy to be taking part in.
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While these results are yet another great shot in the arm for the local game there really has to be some question marks over the thinking of the sport’s governing body. The choice of weekend for the title was probably not good, especially for the Under 13’s after they had just had a full five days of SAPSASA duties.
For many of these kids they played as many as 18 games of hockey, not to mention “Supercoach” Kathy Pepe who also coached all of the 18 games.
Eighteen games is more than many of these would play in an entire season and the fatigue levels of these kids must have been at pretty concerning levels by Sunday night.
Hockey SA need to take a long hard look at the timing of this event and make the necessary changes for next year. Perhaps a swing back to the June long weekend would be better suited for the Zone and State Junior Championships to steer clear of SAPSASA.
VOLLEYBALL: It was the volleyball grand finals last weekend and the cracked record continued with Bulldogs winning the men and also Epic setting up their own little dynasty with their eighth premiership in about six years.
The big news to come out of the grand finals though was the announcement that not just a player has announced a retirement but a whole team has “retired”. Story has it that the Bulldogs men have decided to bow out while the domination is at its peak and after 14 consecutive grand final wins they will be no more in the future.
It will be interesting to see if this announcement will lure some players back to the game.
BASKETBALL: Two of our local basketball talents are currently participating at the National title and whilst they are in very elite company word is they are doing very well.
Nelson Magor and Tim Dunkley are up against some awesome opposition and there are scouts from the NBL and also the United States watching all the players with great interest.
According to local basketballing guru, Matt Whittaker our two lads are holding up to the pressure very well. There are some massive boys there, with one lad from New Zealand 7ft 4. Certainly a whole new level of intensity and experience which should hold young Nelson and Tim in good stead for the future.