SOCCER By Craig MacKenzie MARCUS Spivey has been scoring for fun for eight seasons and if the current pre-season is anything to go by that trend will continue. The big man is testing himself by jumping from Mentone now in State 6 to Skye United in State 1 and he’s up for the challenge. “I just love scoring goals and I want to prove to myself that I can play at this level,” Spivey said. His signing is a coup for Skye given the host of suitors that always line up at season’s end with lucrative offers. But throwing dollars…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER THIS week the local spotlight falls on Saturday’s annual Steve Wallace Memorial Day. The event commemorates the life of local soccer icon Stephen William Wallace who was 54 years old when he died on 19 July 2011. He was a former Langwarrin player, coach, president, life member, club council representative and Bayside League referee. Twelve local clubs play for the Wallace Cup and the Wallace Plate. This year’s Wallace Cup will be contested by Langwarrin, Mornington, Skye United, Peninsula Strikers, Chelsea and Rosebud. The Wallace Plate will be contested by Baxter, Somerville Eagles, Frankston Pines, Seaford United, Mount Eliza…
SOCCER RYAN Woolf and Patrick Briggs were announced as new signings by local State 2 and State 4 clubs respectively last week. Both have been plucked from State 5 competition last year with Woolf winning Pakenham United’s best and fairest while Briggs was an ever-present in East Bentleigh’s State 5 East championship-winning side. Woolf has joined Peninsula Strikers while Briggs has switched to Chelsea. Strikers’ joint coaches Ross Wallis and Stephen Duffy have been forced to rebuild the senior squad after an exodus of players following the resignation of head coach Scott Morrison. Strikers have flirted with promotion for the…
SOCCER JACK Elliott’s return to Baxter and the second annual Billy Baldwin Memorial Day are upcoming highlights on the local scene. Elliott has been a wanted man ever since walking away from the sport to concentrate on HYROX, a global fitness racing sport that combines eight kilometres of running with eight functional workout stations creating a consistent, indoor challenge testing strength, endurance and stamina. He has qualified for the Pro singles and Pro doubles events at the world championships in Switzerland in June and will be part of an Australian contingent expected to number over 100 at the prestigious event.…
SOCCER THERE was never much doubt that Phil McGuinness would be offered the Skye United job for next season following this year’s dramatic league finale. Against great odds and with probably the smallest budget in State 2 McGuinnes and his players snatched second place and promotion in a drama-filled final round of league games. It was Mick Stevens’ first season as Skye president following the resignations of long-serving president Daren Jones and vice-president Stuart Lawrence earlier in the year. The two leading administrators anointed Stevens as the man to lead the club into a new era and he didn’t let…