Dalefield eye semi finals

Dalefield are aiming high in this season's Wellington premier one men's hockey competition, which gets under way on Saturday.
New player-coach Willie Schaefer believes his side have the potential to make a semifinal spot and says he won't be happy with anything less.
Schaefer's confidence is understandable after Dalefield's strong finish to their 2010 campaign, their fifth placing overall belying the impressiveness of winning all but one of their five final round fixtures.
"We showed then we could compete with anyone at the top level and hopefully we can take that sort of form into the early season games this time around," he said. "Do that and anything is possible."
Schaefer has also been buoyed by the promise shown by his squad in the four lead-up games they have had in recent weeks. They have played this weekend's opponents Victoria University twice for a win and a loss and have had a draw and a loss against a powerful Wellington under-21 team.
"It's all been quite encouraging, everything seems to be ticking along pretty well," he said. "Obviously there is still plenty of room for improvement but we seem to be heading the right way."
Dalefield will be without at least three of their regulars from last year with hard-working forward Mark Scully trying his luck in Melbourne, talented youngster Ben van Woerkom moving to the capital and playing for a club there and the experienced defender Greg Mason retiring from premier one play.
Fortunately though there have been some notable acquisitions, none more so than striker Todd Gould, a national age-group representative who has played for Otago's national league side.
The transfer of former Wairarapa age-group rep midfielder Isaac Berry from Palmerston North is welcome news too and Schaefer is anticipating big things from Wairarapa College trio Mitchell Blackwood, Alex Sumenko-Bucknell and Joseph Robertson who will all be experiencing premier one action for the first time.
Wellington national league reps Dane Lett, who will captain Dalefield this year, and Jesse Workman are back on deck again as are other proven performers in Trent Lett, Chris Mason, Hugh Taylor, Nick Finlayson, Schaefer himself and goalkeeper Orin Lockyer. The latter, however, is on the injured list and Lindsay Brazendale will be between the sticks in his absence.
The loss of Scully and van Woerkom does raise question marks over Dalefield's scoring capabilities but Schaefer is very optimistic that the likes of Gould, Workman and Taylor will spearhead an attack which will serve them well in that department.
"We haven't had any trouble scoring goals in the lead-up games and I don't see it becoming a problem," he said.
It might, in fact, be Dalefield's ability to keep their own goal well protected which more decides their fate against University at the National Hockey Stadium in Wellington on Saturday. University have a couple of Black Sticks in their attacking line and Schaefer doesn't need telling of the havoc they could wreak if the Dalefield defence is not up to scratch.
"Closing them down is vital, we can't afford to give them any room," he said.
Meanwhile, named today were the Wairarapa under-18 boys hockey squad to attend their first practice session at Clareville on April 10 at 10.30am.
The squad is: Joshua McKay, Mitchell Blackwood, Alex Sumenko-Bucknell, Ryan Tonkin, Patrick Howard, George Falloon, Brad Smith, Hugh Taylor, William Annear, Chris Adgo, Phillip Arkell, Korde Brough, Julian MacKenzie, Brady Green, Braden Smith, Frazer Dymond, James Jordan, Jason Buick, Mikey Spicer, Harry Birkett. Any player not available should advise coach David Blackwood.