Orbost Hockey Club has enjoyed a busy start to the 2026 season, and for two of its rising junior players, the action intensified even further last weekend.
While the remainder of their Green and Gold teammates enjoyed a break from East Gippsland Hockey Association competition due to a league-wide bye, Sarah Gladstone and Jasper Anderson travelled to Melbourne to compete at the Junior Country Championships.
The pair represented the East Gippsland “Country Week” sides in the Blue and Orange colours against some of the state’s strongest regional hockey associations.
Orbost goalkeeper Sarah Gladstone featured in the under-16 girls’ side and impressed across two days of high-pressure competition against teams including Ballarat and Geelong.
East Gippsland battled hard throughout the tournament, securing three draws from six matches to finish sixth overall.
Gladstone was outstanding between the posts, conceding just seven goals across the weekend and keeping two clean sheets.
In the under-14 boys competition, Orbost striker Jasper Anderson starred in the forward line as East Gippsland finished seventh among the 10 competing regions.
The side recorded two wins and a draw from its six matches, with Anderson finishing as the team’s leading goal scorer with seven goals for the tournament.
His tally included a hat-trick in a victory over Wimmera.
Orbost Hockey Club returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Mitchell River at the Recreation Reserve in round four action.
