By Chris Yeend
Woodend/Hesket ended a six game losing streak when it defeated Melton Centrals by 61-points at Gilbert Gordon Oval on Saturday.
The Hawks kicked a goal in the opening minute of the game, and were never headed in its first win since upstaging the Sunbury Kangaroos in round five.
It was a big day for the club. It started in the morning where players and officials stood for a minute silence to remember the life of former Hawk Sam Hume.
The Hawks celebrated its Hesket heritage by wearing the old Hesket strip and hosting a past players day.
Old heroes of both clubs enjoyed the typical Woodend conditions that featured wind, rain, sleet, snow and the occasion burst of sunshine, while half of the playing surface was layered in thick mud.
Conditions did not phase young Hawk Blake Laverie who marked and goaled in the opening 45 seconds of play. Liam Bianco added his first goal two minutes later as the home team pushed to a 12-point lead to the Golf Course end of the ground.
Centrals, fresh off a 140-point loss to Macedon, struggled to keep up with the tempo early before Josh Bamford made his mark on the game.
Bamford marked and kicked a towering goal from outside the 50 metre arc to put his team within five-points mid-way through the term.
Woodend/Hesket dominated the clearances thanks largely to ruckman Matt Quinn, who took on Stuart Lowe with confidence and won most hit-outs.
Phil Shaw kicked two goals either side of quarter-time as the Hawks extended its lead to 19 points, 2.5 minutes into the second term.
With Jesse Waters and Ethan Gove pushing forward to assist Bianco and Hawk coach Ross Sleight up forward, the home team looked dangerous. Four misses on goal from gettable shots, pushed the margin out to 22-points.
Jonathon Ferri was one of the most influential players on the ground as the Centrals' young gun won plenty of the ball across the backline with support from Lloyd Briggs. The pair formed a dynamic partnership to keep their team in the game.
Opportunistic goals from snaps off the boots of Sleight and Bianco, opened up a 34-point lead for the Hawks.
Jared Scott ended a 34-minute drought between goals for the Centrals to keep the margin to five goals at half-time.
Woodend/Hesket dominated the third term with goals to Sleight, Jimmy Hepburn and Max Ambler from set shots to open up a 51-point three-quarter-time lead.
Melton Centrals Under 18.5s captain and rising star Sam Apineru kick started the final term in style with the team's first goal in 31.5 minutes.
Junior Oneone lifted around the contests and 250 gamer Matt Martin toiled hard for the Centrals.
The highlight of the final term came from Woodend/Hesket's Dan Martin who kicked a brilliant left foot goal around the body late in the game, bringing the past players to their feet in front of the social rooms.
Blake Laverie, Ben Toman and Alex Shepherdley worked hard in the midfield thanks to the efforts of Quinn in the ruck.
Woodend/Hesket celebrated their win by walking over to the past players and thanking them for their support.
Last Modified on 25/07/2016 15:24