The Southern Highlands Water Polo Grand finals took place at the Frensham pool on Monday night, with minor premiers, Sharks, producing their best attack and defence of the season, to give them an emphatic 9-5 win, over the Dolphins.
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In the regular competition rounds the honours had been shared between these two teams equally in their meetings, so a close game was forecast.
Sharks are very much a confidence team, so a good start was essential for them. That's exactly the way the game started, Sharks Emma Maddox got the scoring started and Jason Nicholas added a second, to give Sharks a two nil break at the end of the first quarter.
Equally as important was Sharks brilliant defence, as they contained the competition's most prolific scorer, Dolphin's, Daniel Barnes. Christian Antoniak blocked two powerful Barnes shots in the field that inspired his team's defence.
He was also Sharks sole scorer in the second period at a vital time after Ben Canute had brought the margin back to one for a brief time, after scoring for Dolphins.
Dolphins put the pressure straight back on Sharks after halftime, with Blake Osborne thumping in a long range goal after twenty nine seconds, to bring the score back to 3-2.
The Sharks held their resolve and responded through Jason Nicholas, to regain the two goal break and then with only eight seconds remaining on the clock for the quarter, Gabrielle Butcher pushed the lead out to three, 5-2, with a quarter left to play.
Dolphins scored again quickly in the final period, through Daniel Barnes but the comeback was quickly repelled, as Emma Maddox, Stephen Maitz and Gabby Butcher scored the next three goals for Sharks, putting the result beyond doubt.
Sharks defence was outstanding all game, with Jason Nicholas showing that containing Daniel Barnes was possible and goal keeper Alan Balla, playing one of his best games of the season.
Chelsea Flood showed that the Dolphins never gave up with a goal, with seven seconds of the match remaining for the final 9-5 score.
In the B grade Grand Final Horton's Heroes weren't about to risk Dolphins 11-3, scoring another upset.
Having made their way to the grand final after upsetting the minor premiers, Horton's Heroes treated Dolphins with the respect they had earned.
Dolphins held Horton's Heroes in the first quarter to 0-1 with prolific goal scorer Austin Lockhart posting Horton's goal. The backline defence of Jovi Winters and Will Jamieson was proving very difficult to penetrate, behind them sat Cameron Butcher in goals ready to pounce on any shots that were launched.
Horton's Heroes turned up the pressure in the second quarter taking it 4-2, for a 5-2 halftime lead. Alex Ta-me' and Hamish Barbar had scored for Dolphins while Austin Lockhart, Will Jamieson, Craig and Noah Ford, all scored for Dolphins. The second half was even harder for Dolphins, Alex Ta-me' scored their only goal, while Horton's Heroes scored a further six.
Austin Lockhart and Will Jamieson posted two more each, Noah Ford and Cameron Butcher, who came out of goals for the last period, one each, for the final 11-3 score.
The presentations followed with special attendance of the majority of the club's life membership and patron, dual Water polo Olympian (Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956) Ray Smee in attendance.
The club marks 40 years next season and the life members had travelled far and in some cases overcome illness to be there.
They handed out winners and runners up trophies, as well as special wards which were:- B Grade B&F Male William Docherty from Mariners, B Grade B&F Female, Lauren Cameron from Polar Bears , theA Grade B&F Male, Daniel Barnes, from Dolphins.
The A Grade B&F Female, Emma Maddox, from Sharks.
The Club person of the YearJuniors is Alison Oates. The Club person of the Year Seniors is Miles Lochhead.
Players and officials will take a break before winter water polo's format is announced in the coming months.
