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Tigers crush Mooroopna 14-0, Gillies leads the charge in GVHA Round 15

The Benalla Tigers junior teams started their Goulburn Valley Hockey Association final campaigns this week. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

Under-16A 14 vs Mooroopna 0

The Benalla Tigers secured a place in the GVHA grand final next week with a 14-nil win over Mooroopna.

The Tigers will take on Goulburn Valley Grammar School next Saturday at 1pm.

Under-16A team member Noah Gillies has been selected for the Victorian under-14 boys team and will travel to Perth in September for the national championships.

His family has started a GoFundMe campaign and will hold a fundraiser during next Saturday's finals showdown.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-noah-get-to-nationals

Goals: Noah Gillies (11), Angus Hayes (2), Oliver Gillies (1), Zander Gillies (1)

Votes: Noah Gillies (3), Zander Gillies (2), Angus Hayes (1)

Under-16B Black 3 vs Shepparton Strikers 14:

On Saturday, under-16 Black played in their very first final against ladder-leader Shepparton Strikers.

The Tigers started strongly in the first quarter, only down by two going into the first break, but the Strikers got on top in the second quarter.

The second half saw a much more evenly played game, with spectators applauding Benalla's great teamwork and field play.

Despite going down at the end and the scorecard not reflecting the quality of the game, the Tigers walked off the pitch with their heads held high.

Under-16B Orange 1 vs SYC 9:

Team Orange's seven wins and three losses booked a semi-final against SYC on Saturday morning.

After a very tightly contested first half, SYC was able to pull away and book its place in the grand final next week.

The club says it is super proud of the progress the junior teams have made this year and that it was an absolute pleasure to see this team work together and enjoy playing hockey.

The Tigers’ best on a tough day were Brodie Rawlings, Liam Carroll, Kobe Rawlings, Amity Hurd, Alida Ferguson, Alex Orlov, Xavier Kramer, and Serenity Rose Donoghue.

B-Men 8 vs SYC 0:

The final game of the regular season saw a top-of-the-table clash between Benalla and SYC.

With the game being played under hot conditions, SYC not having a bench, and Benalla only having one to rotate, it was going to be a game of attrition.

As always, these two sides were evenly matched, with the Tigers' opening attacks kept out by the SYC defence.

Likewise, full-backs Cam Gillies, Charlie Grimwade, and goalkeeper Dave Chittick repelled any forward movement by the opposition's offence to keep the game nil at half-time.

This stalemate continued into the last quarter before Noah Gillies scored the only goal of the game.

This result means Benalla finished on top of the ladder for the regular season.

The men play again in two weeks in a semi-final against the Shepparton Strikers.

Goals: Noah Gillies (1)

Votes: David Chittick (3), Zander Gillies (2), Noah Gillies (1)

Women 1 vs Strikers 8:

The women played Strikers in Shepparton this week.

From the start, the Tigers utilised their strong attacking skills to drive the ball up the field, which resulted in a goal by Katrina Brown.

Further down the field, the women on the defensive line provided a wall to stop the strikers from advancing.

The women remain third on the ladder and will play in the semi-finals in two weeks.

Votes: Heloise du Bois D’enghien (3), Bec Littler (2), Mel Gillies (1)

Goals: Katrina Brown (1)

Next round is on August 31: 1pm under-16A vs GVGS (grand final)