The Woodridge hockey teams produced several impressive performances when they took on their Westering counterparts in their annual sports derby at the weekend. One of the stars of the weekend was first team player Iman Bonnasse who scored a hat-trick as the girls’ team came out on top 3-0 against a competitive Westering outfit. Coming out strongly in the first chukka, Westering kept their opponents under pressure and it took the brilliance of Bonnasse to eventually make the difference between the two sides.

The first boys’ hockey team set the tone for the weekend when they proved too strong for their rivals in Friday’s clash, winning 11-1. The Woodridge girls’ teams then showed their potential with some strong performances. The U14 side won 13-0 but mention must be made of the efforts of the Westering side, who never dropped their heads and never stopped trying right until the final whistle. The U14B team also did well on a grass field, producing some excellent moves to defeat Westering 7-1. In the U16 girls’ division, the contest was much closer, with Woodridge eventually winning 1-0. They did not always capitalise on their goal-scoring opportunities but credit must go to Westering for the hard work they put into their defence. 

Woodridge hockey coach Jason Syce was pleased with the teams’ performances. “I think Woodridge hockey is on the rise,” he said. “The 1st boys’ XI just showcased clear dominance against their opponents. Setting the tone for the derby on Friday afternoon was just what our teams needed to go into Saturday morning. "It’s important that we continue to work hard in and out of season to produce positive outcomes. “It’s great to see our junior teams scoring goals and executing on the field against opposition. “Well done to the U14A and B teams for showing dominance this weekend, and to Iman Bonnasse on her three goals for the 1st team.”

On the rugby field, the age-group teams had some good contests, but Westering managed to hold sway in three matches. The Woodridge U14 team played with real heart and determination, even though they were without a few key players, which showed during some of the decision-making. Westering capitalised on the situation to win 23-10, but their opponents never held back. The Woodridge players were disappointed at the final result, because they believed until the end that they were capable of winning. While they were eventually unable to bridge the gap, they never gave up trying. In the U15 game, Westering exerted pressure from the start and capitalised on a lineout five metres from the Woodridge line, securing the ball and using their large forwards to muscle over the line. The remainder of the half was evenly contested, although Woodridge may have rued the decision not to take a goalable penalty. Although they came close to scoring a try, they made a handling error with the wet ball just three metres from the line. Westering were able to relieve the pressure with a good kick and the halftime score was 5-0. The second half was also close, with both sides having opportunities to cross the line. Eventually it was Westering who managed to slip through a gap for their second try, overcoming a valiant Woodridge effort to win 10-0. The U16 encounter saw Woodridge unable to convert pressure into points despite several excellent periods of play. Westering, on the other hand, turned over possession on three occasions to score points and this was the decisive factor in their 17-0 victory.

In dismal conditions, the 1st rugby teams of both Westering and Woodridge put up a solid defence in their clash, which translated into a score of 0-0 at halftime. There was plenty of endeavour from all the players, but too many mistakes and penalties prevented them from scoring. Eventually, Woodridge managed to break the deadlock with a brilliant team effort, which saw Kyle Jordan dotting the ball under the posts after one of Westering’s errors. The conversion by Phumelela Mbiza made was spot on and Woodridge went on to lead. From that moment, Westering pressed hard to get back on level teams, but while there were some fine individual efforts by the Woodridge players, it was the cohesion of the team that shone through. In this way they were able to keep their opponents at bay to hold on for a hard-earned 7-0 win.