Grafton High go through

Success: The Grafton High School Open Girls hockey team.

Gary Nichols

GRAFTON High School Open Girl’s hockey team advanced to the final eight of the CHS State knockout with a thrilling and tense sudden-death contest against Duval High from Armidale.

Teams were locked at 1-1 when the fulltime siren sounded and even after two periods of extra-time the sides could not be separated.

Grafton and Duval then went to penalty strokes which also failed to determine a winner.

With both teams physically and mentally exhausted a sudden-death penalty shoot-out was employed and Grafton’s Anna Brotherson held her nerve to hammer the ball past the Duval goalkeeper in the visitor’s first attempt.

What unfolded next were wild scenes of wild euphoria as Duval’s penalty stoke failed to find the back of the net.

Grafton players quickly embraced each other knowing their State knockout chances were still alive.

Grafton High coach Peter Herden described the game against the New England side as being ‘very physical’ and said his girls did well to keep their composure.

“The Duval side were very physical which put us off a bit, particularly in the first half,” Herden said.

“But to our girls credit they came back on after the break and held their nerve.”

Herden said the late inclusion of goalkeeper Alanah Moar did little to disrupt the side; in fact Herden was full of praise for the young keeper.

“Alanah doesn’t usually play. We called her up into the side as she did a fabulous job,” he said.

“She did very well to handle the pressure, especially at the end when there were penalty strokes.”

Herden added his team’s defensive efforts at the back went a long way in securing the win.

“I thought our defence was very good...we managed to shut down their strikers,” he said.

“Everyone in the side did a great job and I thought Alana Keats and Brie-Ellen Conyard had very good games.”

The majority of the Grafton High girls play in the local women’s A grade hockey competition, something Herden believes is a huge advantage going into the final eight.

“Most of the girls play together in the women’s competition which certainly makes a difference,” he said.

“It’s hard to gauge how we will go as I’m not sure of which teams have qualified at this stage. There are still some games to be played.”

The Grafton High Open Boy’s side also booked a place in the final eight after an impressive 10-0 victory against Belmont High School from Newcastle.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the State knockout will be held at Lithgow on September 15 and 16.