COURTESY OF THE STAR

NEWCASTLE'S teenage star hockey players Mariah Williams and Estelle Hughes have been named in the NSW Combined High School team following their outstanding performance for the Hunter Region at the recent Combined High Schools Championships in Sydney.

The Hunter side won the carnival with a 4-2 win against Sydney South West.

Williams was named player of the tournament.

The two girls will be joined by Taree's Maddy Rosser, who captained the Hunter team and was outstanding as leader of the attack.

Unlucky to miss selection were Georgia Sargent, from Souths and Hunter Sports High student Brittany Mortimer.

Both girls were strong in defence while providing excellent ball distribution to their forward line.

South Lions have gone to the top of the competition ladder in the men's premier league hockey with a 5-2 win over a much-improved and enthusiastic Tigers 11.

Australian Country representative striker John Fernace had a field day with four goals from strong strikes and timely deflections.

South's coach Simon Vimpani rested himself for some of the playing time in an attempt to determine team combinations.

The Entrance moved to one point behind Souths when it scored a controversial 3-2 win over previous competition leaders Maitland.

The scores were equal with seconds remaining when The Entrance netted the final goal.

Maitland maintained that time had expired but the officials ruled that one second remained as the goal was scored.

Gosford proved too strong for Wests with a 2-nil win while in the remaining match Norths, with all its state representatives on deck, had a resounding 12-4 win against University although the students showed they have the ability to match most other teams in the competition.

Two powerful strikes from Shelly Mitchell enable the Regals to beat Central 4-2 in the match of the day in the premier league women's competition last weekend.

Mitchell was given little freedom by a fast moving and enthusiastic Central defence with Abbey Ray and Emily Youman outstanding but she capitalised when the opportunity presented itself to provide the winning goals.

COURTESY MAITLAND MERCURY

COURTESY NEWCASTEL HERALD

AFTER leading the state’s best juniors to national championship glory, Matthew Dawson is ready to take on the big boys.

Dawson was captain and players’ player for NSW as they went through undefeated at the national under-18 boys’ hockey titles in Brisbane last month.

The 18-year-old has since been selected in the NSW under-21 team to go to the national championships in Hobart in July.

Before then, though, the Killarney Vale resident is aiming to go all the way for the Blues and make the open team.

The midfield tyro will represent Newcastle at the state titles in Illawarra from June 9 to 11.

‘‘I’d like to keep making NSW teams,’’ Dawson said of his immediate goals.

‘‘First of all, I’d like to have a good championships at the open NSW titles and make the national league squad from that.

‘‘This year it will probably be a younger team because it’s an Olympic year and there will be a few exclusions.’’

In the meantime Dawson, who is completing year 12 at St Edward’s Christian Brothers’ College at East Gosford, has a hectic training schedule to maintain.

He is training every second Sunday in Sydney with the under-21 side. He also trains every Tuesday and Thursday as part of the NSW Institute of Sport squad at Homebush.

On top of that, he plays with Briars each Saturday in the Sydney first grade competition and on Sundays with Norths in the Hunter Coast Men’s Premier League.

Past his state ambitions, Dawson dreams of representing the Kookaburras at the Olympic Games.

David Willott, who coaches Dawson at Norths and with the NSW under-18 side, believes the teenager has the natural talent and work ethic to take him all the way.

‘‘He’s a very mature boy for his age and a very level-headed hockey player,’’ Willott said.

‘‘His distribution skills are excellent and he’s working on his drag flicking skills on penalty corners, they’re starting to come along.

‘‘He’s got great vision. He reads the play really well and I think that is something you are born with to an extent. It’s a natural thing, vision.

‘‘I don’t think it’s any different in any sport. You see great soccer players with vision, they virtually know where the pass is before it’s on. He has that.’’