Marist's double finals glory

A multiple pile-up at the south end of a wet, slippery Bunbury Hockey Stadium on Saturday set the stage for Marist.

The pile of black and blue bodies in the goalmouth ended with no injuries, but a smile – with Marist teenager Ashleigh Barbetti emerging with a huge grin on her face having completed the move that finished off the Boyanup All Blacks for 2013.

That 9th minute goal was defended stoutly by veterans Allana Barbetti and Heather Bolhuis together with their fellow defenders Kate Neaves, Courtney Barton, Jackie Mellor and keeper Ann Cosenza for the next hour as the Blues held on to win a nailbiting the SWHL women’s grand final 1-0.

Boyanup fought back furiously in the second half to force eight unanswered penalty corners but were unable to convert.

There was some consolation for the All Blacks on the day however, with rising star Candyce Peacock awarded the Halden Family Medal as best-on-ground in the grand final.

And the celebrations did not stop with the women, with success for Marist also in the men’s grand final 2-1.

Halden Medal winner as best-on-ground Chris Neaves and his mates managed to break through the tight defensive wall of Steve Green, Geoff Gibbs and Dan Beattie to force a short corner and finish it with Neaves nudging the ball home at the 12-minute mark.

The teams changed ends at 1-all after rising star Coby Green had levelled in the 26th minute for Boyanup.

The All Blacks fought back after the interval with Marist goalkeeper Tim Bray forced to make a great save early in the piece with Brett Cartledge using his electric pace to get back and clear the rebound.

A long period of end-to-end sparring was ended by Marrist’s Matt Mellor, finishing off a long attack up the right out of defence started by brother Chris Mellor and Elliot Barton.