Gazette sport review: Souths climb WAFL ladder with massive win over West Perth, plus soccer, basketball and hockey

WAFL

SOUTH Fremantle jumped into second on the WAFL table following a massive win over West Perth at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.

Blaine Johnson booted six goals and Mason Shaw added five to lead the Bulldogs to a 23.8 (146) to 6.7 (43) win.

Tim Kelly gathered 39 disposals and kicked one goal for the winners.

Haiden Schloithe added two goals to his 38 disposal game.

Ball magnet Shane Nelson tallied a game-high 40 disposals for the Falcons.

Tyler Keitel was the visitors’ main threat up forward with two goals.

East Fremantle sits at the bottom of the nine-team competition after losing to Perth by 13 points at Lathlain Park on Saturday.

Samuel Garstone kicked four goals for the Demons in the 16.12 (108) to 14.11 (95) win.

Former St Kilda midfielder Clinton Jones gathered a match-high 42 disposals in the win.

For the Sharks, Matthew Watson booted three goals.

Former Collingwood defender Jonathon Marsh gathered a team-high 33 disposals.

South Fremantle plays Claremont at Fremantle Oval on Friday at 4.15pm.

East Fremantle hosts Swan Districts on Saturday at 2.15pm.

SBL

IT was another tough weekend for our local mens’ teams in the SBL, with both going down.

Lakeside was beaten 98-83 by Rockingham Flames at the Mike Barnett Sports Complex on Friday night.

That was despite 20 points from Devon Atkinson and 19 from James Padgett.

Last year’s premiers Cockburn also went down away from home.

The Cougars were outmuscled by the Geraldton Buccaneers 89-75 at Active West Stadium on Saturday night.

Cougars star Jalen Billups led the side for scoring with 20 points.

In the women’s division, Lakeside notched its third win from four games after taking care of Rockingham.

Ali Schwagmeyer and Sydnee Fipps led the charge with 21 points each in the 81-62 win.

Cockburn had the bye.

NPL WA

COCKBURN City Soccer Club is back on the winner’s list after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Mandurah City.

Reduced to 10 men after Joshua Kuser was sent off in the 58th minute, it took Cockburn until the final three minutes of regular time to find the back of the goal courtesy of Liam Murray.

The team was reduced to nine men after captain Euen Grant was sent off for a second yellow card in the 92nd minute but managed to hold on to snare an important away win.

Coach Scott Miller said his side deserved the points.

“(Mandurah) were the better team all day,” he said.

“For all their height, (Mandurah) huffed and puffed but they never, even with the extra man, they never dominated, and we still did well.”

Third-placed Cockburn now have a big game against ladder leaders Sorrento at Dalmatinac Park from 3pm, April 15.

The State League’s Division 1 competition also kicked off over the weekend, but Fremantle City had the bye.

It hosts UWA-Nedlands at Hilton Reserve from 3pm on April 15.

State Hockey

ELEVATED into the top league for season 2017, Fremantle Hockey Club’s Premier 1 women suffered a thumping loss at the hands of Vic Park.

Its hopes of a fairytale start to the season were dealt a huge blow as Vic Park, one of last year’s preliminary finalists, ran riot with an 8-0 victory.

Fremantle’s premier 1 men also had a tough weekend in its double header.

It came away with a 2-2 draw with YMCC on Thursday night with Khan Riley and Mark Ellis finding a goal each, but dropped its game against Vic Park, going down 3-2.

Fremantle’s men next play OGMHC on April 13 from 7pm at the Perth Hockey Stadium while the women do not play again until Anzac Day.