May 1: Better for the experience: Edwina Bone's first foray into international hockey ends in disappointment, but the defender says she is better for the run. The Hockeyroos go down 3-1 in the final game of its four-game series against Korea in Perth, surrendering a 2-1 series lead in the process.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
May 2: Slow to wake from decade's slumber: Blayney Bears captain-coach Jake Anlezark admits his side is still "finding its feet" in the opening stages of the Group 10 premier league season. The Bears made a comeback to the top grade in Group 10 for the first time in 10 years and struggled over the opening four rounds of the premiership, losing three games and enjoying some respite courtesy of the bye.
May 2: Pleasure and pain: Twenty-four Orange Cycle and Triathlon club embark on the 2013 Port Macquarie Ironman event. Swimming 3.8km, riding 180km and then completing a 42.2km marathon, the Piranhas contingent forms just a small part of the total 1500 competitors at the event.
May 3: If you thought last season was good ...: Orange City inside centre Mesui Lemoto reveals and knee injury curbed his pre-season and, now fully recovered, is ready to "get better and better" as the Lions bid for back-to-back Blowes Clothing Cups. Lemoto was one of the most complete players in the competition in 2012 and coach Mick Gray said "Mesui has really picked up where he left off."
May 4: Point to prove: Orange Tigers coach Nathan Pearce warns his side of a Cowra onslaught following the black and golds sprung an early season upset in knocking off the Blues at Mulyan Oval in round one. Preparing for the return clash at Country Club Oval, Pearce says his side is determined to prove the win wasn't a fluke.
May 6: Let's get physical Logan tells Emus: Following his side's insipid 38-19 loss to the Narromine Gorillas, EMus coach Andrew Logan implores his side to relish the physical challenge rather than shy away from it. Logan is disappointed with his side's defence and, with the team winless from the opening four rounds, he has every right to be.
May 7: Kira bowled over by Sydney award: Kira Churchland describes her 2012-13 season in the Sydney Cricket Association women's as horrible. Hard to believe considering the CYMS junior is crowned SCA women's first grade player of the year at the game's presentation dinner.
May 8: Charles' academy award: Kinross star Charles Litchfield is named in the Cricket NSW under 17 Academy squad after impressing at the top of the order for his representative country side at the city-country selection trials. Litchfield is the sole Western Zone representative in the side.
May 8: Lure of premiership ties Dan to Roosters: Daniel Mortimer re-signs with the Sydney Roosters until the end of 2015. Making an impact with the tri-colours off the bench in 2013, the CYMS junior has found a new home as the club's utility.
May 9: Top start rewarded: Five Orange Tigers are rewarded for the club's strong start to the 2013 Central West AFL season with selection in the region's representative team. Tim Berry, Micheal Rothnie, Simon Kay, Jack Rogers and Andrew Nelson make the cut.
May 10: Girls shake their pompoms on massive stage: Canobolas Rural Technology High School sends 35 girls to be part of a dance spectacular at half-time of the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra Dragons NRL match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The match was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the famous Arthur Summons-Norm Provan gladiators embrace at the end of the 1963 grand final.
May 13: Wanderers top the ladder with important win: Orange Wanderers come away from Lithgow win maximum points, defeating Zig Zag 5-4 in a thrilling men's Premier League Hockey clash. It's the Wanderers second consecutive win to open their 2013 campaign and tellingly sits the sole Orange side on top of the competition ladder.
May 14: Williamson running hot: Mitch Williamson is selected in the Australian team to compete the Oceania Area Athletics Championship in Tahiti. Williamson will run in the open men's 10,000 metres.
May 16: Test of endurance: Orange triathlete Jess Richards qualifies for Kona, the Ironman World Championships. Richards impressively finishes the Australian championships at Port Macquarie as the 10th female across the line, beating some professionals with a time of10 hours, 41 minutes and 49 seconds to qualify for the Hawaiian event.
May 17: Poor Country cousins: Former Country Cockatoos captain Ben Wright brands the ARU's decision to use city-based professionals in the NSW-Queensland Country side to play the British and Irish Lions as poor. Wright played against the Lions on their last tour in 2001 and called the experience surreal.
May 20: This won't be the last time Emus celebrate: coach: Orange Emus win their first game of the 2013 Blowes Clothing Cup season, defeating Dubbo Kangaroos 24-7 at Victoria Park.
May 20: Group 10 rams home their point: Group 10 provides two thirds of the Western Division 18-man squad after Orange Hawks half Scott Rosser helped guide the blues to a 30-14 win over Group 11 in Dubbo. Orange players Ali Beale, Ben McAlpine, Todd Barrow, Alofi Mataele and Cody Robbins join Rosser in this year's Rams squad.
May 22: 'Fed up with season of discontent: Women's Premier League Hockey outfit Confederates unveil a new coaching line-up, with Jo McRae, Julie Pitt and Fiona Reith taking over from Graham Bell. Bell coached the side for a season and a half following the team's readmission into the region's premier hockey competition in 2012 but stood down from the post following an executive meeting.
May 23: Persistence pays off: Edwina Bone and Jade Warrender both earn selection in the Hockeyroos squad to for the Hockey World League Three in London. Former Australian player and renowned Orange hockey coach Beth Shea labels the selection of two Orange juniors in the one squad as "phenomenal".
May 28: Western winners: Western takes out the NSW Combined High Schools open girls' hockey championship, with Orange High School girls Rachel Divall, Madie Smith, Chloe Barrett and Haley Butcherine starring in the effort. Played in the pouring rain at Wyong, Western prevailed 2-1 over South Coast in the final.
May 29: Backing Blake: Canberra Raiders back Jack Wighton throws his support behind the selection of Green Machine team mate Blake Ferguson in the NSW side for the first State of Origin.
THEY SAID IT:
"It's just phenomenal. The resilience from the both of them. Jade coming back from injury with no real reward ... and Eddy, persistence. IT;s take a long time for her to have everything fall together" - Beth Shea on Jade Warrender and Edwina Bone both making the cut for the Hockeyroos squad to go to the World League in London.
THE FIVE MOST READ SPORT STORIES ON THE CENTRAL WESTERN DAILY WEBSITE IN MAY, 2013:
1. Hawks like the view from the top; 2. Staniforth the centre of attention; 3. Rosser guides Hawks' rout; 4. Lions draw on survival skills to keep Bulldogs at bay; 5. Australian Rugby Union treats Country Cockatoos like poor cousins.
