Best Maroons player award to hockey young gun from Allora
HOCKEY: Warwick player Josh Hagenbach has won the coaches' award for best player in the Queensland Cutters combination at the under-13 nationals in Perth.
Hagenbach and fellow Warwick player Bailey Rutledge played for the Cutters team which came third in the nationals behind teams from Victoria and Western Australia. There were no finals, places were determined by performances in round games.
The Queensland Sabres came fifth. An Australian team is not named after the U13 nationals.
Hagenbach, who lives at Allora, played as a half and in centre midfield with Rutledge in centre midfield.
"It was pretty cool to win the coaches' award and an honour knowing that I had represented my state well,” Hagenbach said.
"I was surprised to receive an award as we had a lot of great players and I thought any of us could have won the award.”
He won an Australian team jacket for his award which was donated by Australian and Queensland Blades player Daniel Beale.
Hagenbach rated the team's last game of the tournament as their best.
"We played Victoria Blue which was undefeated until they played us in the last game and we won two to nil,” Hagenbach said.
"I played as a half in that game and it was one of my best games of the tournament. Our team played really well.”
