Sport
7 May, 2025
Presentations for local sports stars
THE Corangamite Sportsmen’s Club last week presented its ‘Sports Stars of the Month’ for February.
The stars of summer sports received their awards during a special presentation dinner at the Cobden Golf Club’s ‘Bistro on Neylon’ in front of a crowd of more than 70 people last Tuesday.
The number one ticket holder, ‘Macca Award,’ was presented to Andrew Bennalck, while Scroggie Awards went to Chris and Leigh Walsh.
Chris Walsh has been heavily involved in both cricket and football at Cobden, holding several positions including coach, president and Auskick coordinator and has also played 135 senior games with the Cobden football club.
Leigh Walsh played 189 senior football games and also held the position of assistant coach with the under 14 and under 16s, and was a senior selector.
He has also been heavily involved with both the Cobden Knights and Mortlake/Cobden cricket sides, having coached for a number of years – and is the current head curator at Cobden.
Congratulations also to the senior sports stars for the month of February:
Senior Sports Team – Corangamite Sportsman’s (lawn bowls); comprising Ron Cameron, Gary Body, Andrew Whiteside and Ray Bourke.
This team won the annual SAA sports day held in Ballarat.
Senior Sports Star – Chris Walsh (cricket).
As coach of the Cobden Knights, Chris led teams to three premierships in the 2024/25 season, along with the South West Cricket under 13 and under 16 premierships and the Warrnambool Moyne Cricket Association’s under 13 premiership.
Senior Sports Star – Jess Moulden (cricket).
Jess was named Colac District Association’s Women’s Cricketer of the Year with 21 votes.
She made 253 runs for the season and took 23 wickets.
At club level, she won team champion award, most runs, most wickets and a five wicket haul against Tomahawk Creek.
Senior Sports Team – Bookaar Women (cricket).
The Pelicans won two women’s and an under 17s cricket premiership in one week.
The women’s side included Audrey Ringe, Heidi Stansfield, Kayla Hooper, Tracey Baker, Breeanna Daffy, Arabella McDonald, Erin Hassett, Laura Sexton, Charlotte Hinds, Evie Mahony, Kayla Loving and Pru Luker.
Junior Sports Team – Cobden Knights under 13s (cricket).
This team won back-to-back premierships in South West Cricket.
The team comprised Mikey Benallack, Clem Walsh, Ryan Bailey, Jack Couch, Rhys Darcy, Riley Davis, Lenny Murfett, Sam Robertson, Nate LaFranchi, Katie Hansford, Quinn Pekin, Charlie Dunn and Anderson Pekin.
Junior Sports Star – Parker Walsh (cricket).
Parker was the South West Cricket under 21 Rising Star award recipient.
He also took out the league’s division one bowling award and was named in its senior team of the year.
Parker also played an integral role as captain of the under 17 Country Week side.
Junior Sports Star – George Wilkinson (athletics).
Despite having autism, ADHD and an intellectual disability, nine year-old George is a superstar on the athletics track.
He competes in the 9-10 multi class age group in track and field at local, regional and state levels (T20/F20 classification).
At this year’s western region carnival in Warrnambool he finished with five gold medals.
This qualified him for the state championships in March where he achieved four personal bests and came home with two gold, three silver and two state titles.
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