PORTLAND has finished as runners-up of the Hockey South West under-12 term two Hockey Fives competition, after going down to Warrnambool team Storm in Saturday’s grand final.

The two teams have dominated the eight-week season, played in Warrnambool, proving to be much stronger than the other four teams in the competition.

Storm was the only team Portland was unable to defeat this season.

And while Portland was able to get off to a great start in Saturday’s play-off, it was Storm who had all the answers, eventually winning 16-12.

Portland got off the perfect start on Saturday, with Angus Smith opening the scoring inside the first minute.

Portland dominated the first 10 minutes of play, scoring four goals to one and having two other goals disallowed – one because the shot was taken from behind the half-way point of the field and the other because the ball had not travelled the necessary five metres after a free hit before the shot was taken.

Smith was in charge in Portland’s offensive half, scoring all of Portland’s four goals in the opening period, while at the other end Emma Gould was intercepting and clearing the ball well and goalie Amelia Collins was kicking the ball away confidently.

Unfortunately for Portland, Storm was able to gain control of the play, and added two goals during the last two minutes of the first period to bring it back to 4-3 in Portland’s favour at the first break.

By half-time the match was all square at six goals apiece, with Smith getting his fifth goal and Jude Cumming putting one between the Storm goalie’s legs.

After half-time Storm really took control, adding six goals to two in the third term (Fraser Logan scoring twice in the period for Portland), and then the first three goals of the last quarter to see Portland seven goals down with six minutes to play.

Portland then hit a purple patch with Cumming, Smith (twice) and Logan putting four goals away in the space of five minutes to leave Storm just three in front with three minutes to play.

That was to be as close as Portland would come though, with Storm able to milk the clock and add one final game to take the match 16-12.

Smith was able to score seven goals for the match, Logan three and Cumming two.

Smith was also crowned as the season’s best and fairest player across all teams.

Another under-12 season will be played during term three, with the likelihood of two additional teams.

Under-14s

Portland maintained a stranglehold on third position on the Hockey South West under-14 ladder as the full-field competition hones into the midway point of the season.

Portland took on Pirates on Saturday and after an even first quarter and a bit, were able to dominate the rest of the game to win 8-1.

Portland displayed great cohesion with a several well-constructed goals, including their first for the season from a short corner whereby Harriette Eichler took the inward pass strongly to Angus Smith at the top of the D, who in turn passed to Tom Logan, who got it back to Eichler to score.

Smith, Logan and Juliette Pinkerton each scored two goals for Portland, while Eichler and Stephanie Gould scored one each.

Portland takes on bottom-placed Technique this Saturday before the season pauses for the school holidays, to resume on July 20.