BHF Weekend Men & Women Hockey Results
This past weekend saw two matches played in the Bermuda Hockey Federation, with both the women’s B and men’s leagues in action.
Women’s Bluebirds vs Canaries [Feb 23] – Final Score: 4-0 to Bluebirds
Both teams played with great sportsmanship as this game commenced with strong passing up and down the pitch, but the Bluebirds got on the scoreboard first via a long corner pass from Deborah Sagus to Kris Soares, who found Jo-Ann Smith in the circle before the ball was slipped back to Kris Soares, who generated a field goal in the 23rd minute.
The Canaries’ forwards played extremely well with their set plays, but the Bluebirds’ defense held them at bay and the first half ended 1-0 to Bluebirds.
Just two minutes into the second half, the Bluebirds were awarded a penalty corner and got a quick goal from a strike by Paula Few, assisted by Lauren Patterson, who pushed the ball out to Jo-Ann Smith at the top of the circle, who then passed the ball to her right for the advancing Few; Few then connected with the ball and scored to move the score to 2-0 to Bluebirds. This was Patterson’s first time as the injector.
A minute later saw another goal scored by the Bluebirds via a pass from Deborah Sagus, who found Nikki Murray-Mason just inside the circle, allowing her to score by putting the ball through the keeper’s legs, running the advantage to 3-0 for the Bluebirds.
No matter how strategic the Canaries were, they were no match for the Bluebirds defence and keeper Vicki Johnston. Putting the game away once and for all was Jo-Ann Smith, who executed a penalty corner in the 47th minute from the top of the circle straight to the keeper’s right, making for a final score of 4-0 for her Bluebirds.
Men’s Upstarts vs Spartans [Feb 23] – Final Score: 4-2 to Upstarts
The Spartans raced into a 2-0 lead starting in the 7th minute through a field goal by Byron Rencken and, seven minutes later, a penalty corner shot by Dylan Pacheco. The Upstarts never gave up despite being down 2-0. and the build-up of aggression by both teams saw Upstarts’ Julian Wheddon score a field goal in the 24th minute, cutting the Spartans’ lead to 2-1 as the first half closed.
The game saw continuous movement of the ball by both teams in the second half, but it would be the Upstarts’ Tyler Smith who scored a field goal in the 37th minute, tying the match at 2-2.
Smith scored another field in the 50th minute to break the deadlock and take the lead at 3-2 for the Upstarts. The Spartans junior Hemijah Bean assisted his team by spreading the ball to his teammates from midfield.
The weather became very unpleasant, but both teams kept applying the pressure, with many chances created by Spartans’ Donovan Simmons, who received the ball in the middle and beat some of the Upstarts defense with a quick reverse shot that went just wide of the goal.
Simmons fed a few balls to his left forward who is one of Spartans’ up and coming junior players, only to find him just short of the penalty spot to try to tie the game once again.
The Upstarts’ Donnie Moniz sealed the victory for his team with a field goal in the 64th minute, leading them to a 4-2 victory.
