DESPITE missing its star captain, the Pakenham Junior Floorball Club still managed to claim its first national championship since 2004 on Saturday.
Leading scorer and MVP for the annual Australian Floorball Open Dillon DeWaal had to withdraw from the tournament only hours before the grand final due to personal reasons.
But that didn’t prevent the junior club from storming home to beat Sale 6-3 and take the title in front of a packed crowd at the Gippsland Regional Sporting Comlex.
The win capped off a successful tournament for the Pakenham Squishees, who, for the first time since their inception into the competition 10 years ago, qualified for finals in the senior men and women categories.
Although neither of the two senior teams managed to advance past their first final, representatives were pleased at the result and believe it will only spur the teams onto greater heights next year.
The 2012 Australian Floorball Open will be hosted by Pakenham.
THE Berwick Miners claimed their first victory on their new playing surface, Rawling Field.
The field was named in memory of Miners’ defensive back Danny Rawling, who died in a 2009 motorcycle accident.
Miners head coach Mel Martin said when they were planning the new field, the team couldn’t think of anyone more worthy to honour than Rawling, who played for the Miners for 10 years and was a great clubman.
BUDGET season has hit local councils, with more announcements of more sports stadiums in the Cardinia area.
The City of Cardinia Council has announced the building of the Gum Scrub Creek regional soccer facility, Cardinia Road Reserve, Holm Park Reserve and Henry Road soccer facility.
The total cost of these developments runs into millions of dollars.
NOT to be left out by the new developments, Pakenham and Kooweerup bowls clubs will also benefit from the latest council budget, with both clubs receiving new synthetic greens to the collective tune of $350,000.
PAKENHAM/Nar Nar Goon Pigeon Racing Club started their 2011 season with a big fly home from Callawadda (near Stawell) for the birds.
Geoff Blackburn, from Kooweerup, took the honours with his pigeon covering the 250 kilometre course in two hours and 44 minutes, with an air speed velocity of 1702 metres per minute (mpm).
Aaron and Tanya Furness were second in two hours 46 mins, with velocity of 1640 mpm and Brett Atkins was third in two hours 47 minutes, a velocity of 1631 mpm.
TOORADIN’S A Grade netballer Carly Booth sustained a broken nose in what was described as a sickening clash with fellow Tooradin player Sarah Kernot in the match against Pakenham.
“In the last quarter, I clashed heads with Sarah,” Booth said. “I walked off the court, but then collapsed, I don’t really know what happened after that.”
Despite being taken to hospital with concussion and a broken nose, Booth still intends to line up on Saturday for the Gulls.
“All I’ve got are two black eyes and a slightly broken nose,” Booth said. “It’s (her nose) not crooked or anything.
“I’ll probably still play this week.”NAR Nar Goon Netball Club took it as their mission to tear apart Nyora Netball Club, with the cumulative total across all matches on the weekend seeing Nar Nar Goon score 348 goals to Nyora’s 62.
The only consolation for Nyora was a 22-22 draw in F Grade (under-13s).
