How sweet it is for hockey to head back onto the Goulburn Valley pitches.
Goulburn Valley Hockey Association is back and evidently better than ever with an additional team in A-grade and multiple junior incomings.
One thing has remained the same, however — Shepparton-based Strikers will loom as the side to beat once more.
Strikers wasted no time making a commanding statement and, in particular, usual suspect Xavier McBain fired up at the first opportunity in a Friday night meeting with SYC.
McBain produced a round one hat-trick to ensure his name would again be one to watch in 2024 — but he wasn’t alone.
Also putting three past SYC was Sam Holland, complemented by a Max Cole double as Strikers ruthlessly overpowered their foes in an 8-2 win.
Axel Irwin and Liam Caiafa, to their credit, produced the goals for SYC on a tough night, one that could have been quite different according to McBain.
“It wasn’t a blow away early on with SYC scoring the first goal; we had to pull it together after that,” McBain said.
“We came out pretty strong in the second half and overall it was a good way to kick off the season.
“It’s fantastic that the league has another side going in Mooroopna. It should be a challenge again, but that makes it better for local guys.
“Everyone gets to play a lot more often now instead of having a bye every second week.”
Up north, Echuca-Moama welcomed the debuting Mooroopna outfit to A-grade competition, but goals from William Kerr, Ashley Phipps and Brodie Mulcahy sealed a 3-1 win for the host.
B-grade competition got started on Friday night and Saturday afternoon as well, with SYC significantly more competitive in snatching a 2-1 win over Strikers.
Benalla provided an explosive start to its campaign, riding a hat-trick from David McIntyre and a Noah Gillies double en route to an 8-1 belting of Echuca-Moama.
Strikers asserted total dominance in the women’s division as play got started Saturday, with the four goals from star Amy Winter at the forefront in their massive 11-1 win over SYC.
The Benalla women found themselves undone by a lone Sally Thompson strike at home to Echuca-Moama, with Euroa traveling to the border for its first game this Saturday after a round one bye.