04/09/2026
Rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the West Gippsland Under 16 Boys as they ran out under the bright lights of the new hockey field at Elgar Park for Friday night's Pennant South East Grand Final against the undefeated Camberwell Hockey Club.
The Strikers started strong, earning an early short corner that sailed just past the post. Camberwell responded quickly with a goal at the other end. The Strikers fought back with two close opportunities to equalize—so close that the large crowd could hardly believe they missed.
Up front, Seth Christy pressed relentlessly to create opportunities, while the back line of Joshua Cooling, Jacob Mock, and Tyler Boltong defended furiously. Despite their efforts, West Gippsland went into the half-time break trailing 2-0.
Camberwell ramped up the pressure in the second half, scoring twice more to extend their lead. However, the Strikers kept fighting, and Jacob Mock snuck a goal in to make the score 4-1. Whispers of a regular-season comeback, where the Strikers scored three goals in five minutes against this same team, rippled through the faithful supporters. Unfortunately, time ran out, and Camberwell added one last goal to finish the match 5-1.
While the scoreboard didn't go their way, the West Gippsland boys proved to be incredibly worthy runners-up for the 2026 season. They went toe-to-toe with a powerhouse Camberwell side that was undefeated all year.
