Victoria is set to join Queensland in the Australian under-18 boys’ title decider on Wednesday after both recorded convincing semi-final wins.
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The Queenslanders had been assured of their place in the final ahead of the state’s two sides qualifying for the final four in Launceston.
But Queensland Maroon survived its hockey civil war 5-3 over Queensland Gold on Tuesday after getting out to an early lead and holding off the challenger.
The Maroons scored three times inside the first 22 minutes with field goals from Lewis Fossey and Liam Hart and Zax Profke converting from a short corner.
However, their intrastate rivals Gold hit back a minute later when Luke Randle scored.
But Fossey added his second with a 27th minute shot to put pay to a comeback.
Randle scored again with a minute on the clock to reduce the margin to one. But a Ben Gray goal for the Maroons on the whistle killed off a come-from-behind win.
Victoria advanced to the final in an upset over favourites Western Australia.
The 2-1 win was set up with two goals just a minute apart when Craig Marais and Elias Fernandez both struck.
Andrew Thomas attempted to mount a comeback for his state in the 53rd minute, reducing the margin to one but to no avail.
Western Australia made amends in a dramatic girls’ semi-final against Queensland Maroon. The teams traded goals and were locked at 2-2 at full-time.
But the West Australians were never headed in the penalty shootout, jumping out to a two-goal advantage after the first three shots to win 3-1 after five.
The Maroons failed to convert their final two shots to take it to sudden death.
WA never trailed in the game after Jacqui Hutton and Neasa Flynn scored to take a 2-1 lead into half-time.
Dayle Dolkens had struck in the 26th minute for the Maroons – her seventh in the tournament – as Jade Smith’s penalty corner three minutes after half-time kept her side in the game.
Western Australia will face New South Wales State in the girls’ final.
The winners held onto a goal lead for 69 minutes before Julia Bradley sealed a 2-0 win off a late short corner.
Jade Calendar had scored in the first half to give New South Wales the lead.
TASMANIAN BOYS
Tasmania endured a tough exit to its home under-18 championships, falling to its biggest defeat of the tournament against New South Wales State.
Competing for fifth spot, the boys went a goal down in the eighth minute when Ky Willott converted a short corner to get the scoring under way.
He would add a second from the field less than 15 minutes later, with captain Charlie Dorman’s penalty stroke allowing State to enter the half-time break cruising at 3-0.
Ben Read’s side kept up the fight in the second half but conceded two more goals to relinquish a 5-0 win and fifth spot to their New South Wales opposition.
Tasmania finished with two wins, three losses and a draw for the tournament.
University’s Josh Brooks took top-scoring honours with five goals from set pieces, with Joseph Murphy not far back on four.
Canterbury 17-year-old Ben East netted three goals while Harvey Bessell and Samuel Porteus-Smith scored one apiece.
TASMANIAN GIRLS
A solitary strike from New South Wales Blue captain Isabella Sandy condemned Tasmania to an eighth-place finish in the national under-18 hockey championships.
Ilene Carr’s side held out for the entire first half but conceded in the 38th minute when Sandy scored her first goal of the tournament from a short corner.
A heated final 20 minutes then ensued as green cards were issued to Tasmania’s Georgina Mitchell and Blue Kate Reynolds in the 48th minute.
A further three yellow cards - two to Tasmania and one to NSW - were dished out in the space of 15 minutes but to no avail for the home side as the score finished 1-0.
Tamar’s Cailtin French entered the action in the seventh minute.
Phillida Bridley finished as Tasmania’s top scorer, having netted twice in the 2-2 draw with Victoria, with Jenifer Phillips and Georgia Williams the only other scorers.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE:
9:00am QLDG v WA, Bronze-medal boys final
10:00am WA v NSWS, Gold-medal girls’ final
11:15am QLDM v VIC, Bronze medal girls’ playoff
12:15am QLDM v VIC, Gold medal boys’ final