CATS THUMP PIES

CASTERTON Sandford picked up its second win of the Limestone Coast Women’s Football League Season on Sunday in a massive thumping of the Kalangadoo Magpies.

The Cats’ backline enjoyed a very quiet day in the sun, with the forwards and midfield running a tight zone and controlling play, only seeing the ball briefly in the Pies’ attacking half.

It was an extremely slow start while the teams sized each other up, with the scoreboard untouched at the first break, but the Cats figured out where the posts were after two quick behinds in the second term, before Makayla Hutchins kicked true to post the first major of the day.

Madi Mutch provided plenty of run off the wing for the Cats, stopping several Pies’ runs out of the backline and feeding her forwards, while Gabi Sullivan was ruthless in her attack on the ball and run into the forward 50, leaving the Kalangadoo defence without answers.

Experienced Cat Emma Lynch along with Emily Huglin and newcomer Sarah Thompson, worked hard patrolling the half forward line, denying the Pies any opportunity to send the ball into their attacking end.

Scarlett Jarrad continued her trademark attack, barging through the defence and dominating the contested ball to score the Cats’ second goal and at half time the away side led, 14 to nil.

Firing on all four cylinders after the break, the Cats’ younger brigade took matters into their own hands, with Chloe Foster scoring the first goal just minutes into the third term.

The ball had barely touched hands after the centre bounce, before another behind was added to the Cats’ tally and Hutchins did not waste the opportunity of a Pies’ error on the kick-out, posting her second for the day and Chantal Lang followed with a ripper, shortly after.

Inaccurate kicking by the Cats saw several missed chances for increasing percentage points on the table, but continued pressure from the forwards and midfield saw the visitors go into the final break with a 37-point lead and the Pies yet to bother the scorekeepers.

Carlie Smith’s commitment to the hard ball and ability to find the open ground gave the Cats plenty of play and the side’s young guns continued to fire until the final siren, Caeleigh Humphries running strong deliveries into the forwards and Maggie Doyle opening the Cats’ final term account with her first goal of the day, before Jarrad again kicked true to seal the match.

Casterton Sandford heads to Mundulla this Sunday to take on the home side, where the Tigers will be looking to even up the points table and take the Cats’ fourth place on the LCWFL ladder.

Two more athletes headed to state carnival

JO PATTON

LITTLE ATHLETICS

CASTERTON Little Athletics will send a trio of representatives to the State Track and Field Championships in Melbourne, next month, after another two members qualified for the meet.

Jess Mibus will compete in the Under 14 girls high jump and Indi Longhurst will compete in the Under 15 girls 400 metres at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne on 12 and 13 March, qualifying with outstanding bronze and silver medal performances, respectively, at the Little Athletics Western Country Region Track and Field Carnival, earlier this month.

The girls join Cleo Longhurst, whose gold medal effort at the regional event saw her instantly qualify for the state championships.

The Casterton club is also celebrating a return to Friday night meetings, delayed for two weeks after the Christmas holiday break.

In the past, return to competition after the break has seen a significant number of personal bests recorded and this week was no exception, with around two thirds of competitors achieving a PB in one of their events and two club records broken.

Ahead of her state championship competition, Jess Mibus continued her outstanding season at home, breaking the 80 metre hurdles record in the Under 14s.

Alex Hill stepped to break the boys’ record in the same event, for the same age group.

Results

Under 6 Girls: 50m – Amity Rhook, Maisie Brown; 70m – Amity Rhook, Maisie Brown; Long Jump – Maisie Brown, Amity Rhook. Under 6 Boys: 50m – Dougie Harvey, Jimmy Barlow, Archie Ferguson; 70m – Dougie Harvey, Jimmy Barlow, Archie Ferguson; Long Jump – Dougie Harvey, Jimmy Barlow, Archie Ferguson. Under 7 Girls: 50m, 70m, Long Jump – Caitlyn Davis. Under 7 Boys: 50m – Hudson McKinnon, Jax Boxer, Jack Carter; 70m – Hudson McKinnon, Jack Carter, Jax Boxer; Long Jump – Hudson McKinnon, Sam Wombwell, Jax Boxer. Under 8 Girls: 70m – Milla McClure, Pippa Brown; 100m – Milla McClure, Pippa Brown; 60m Hurdles – Milla McClure, Pippa Brown; Long Jump – Milla McClure, Pippa Brown; Shot Put – Milla McClure, Pippa Brown. Under 8 Boys: 70m, 100m, 60m Hurdles, Long Jump, Shot Put – Vincent Nicholl. Under 9 Girls: 100m – Mae Dwyer, Alinta Margetts, Indiana Boxer; 60m Hurdles – Mae Dwyer, Alinta Margetts, Indiana Boxer; Long Jump – Mae Dwyer, Indiana Boxer, Alinta Margetts; Shot Put – Hannah Davis, Alinta Margetts, Indiana Boxer. Under 9 Boys: 100m, 60m Hurdles, Long Jump, Shot Put – Henry Wombwell. Under 10 Girls: 100m, 60m Hurdles, Long Jump, Discus – Cleo Longhurst. Under 10 Boys: 100m – Jack Novikov, Fletcher McKinnon; 60m Hurdles – Jack Novikov, Fletcher McKinnon; Long Jump – Jack Novikov, Fletcher McKinnon; Discus – Jack Novikov, Fletcher McKinnon. Under 11 Girls: 100m, 1500m, 80m Hurdles, Discus – Stacey Edwards. Under 11 Boys: 100m, 1500m, 80m Hurdles, Discus – Brody Davis. Under 12 Boys: 100m, 1500m, 80m Hurdles, Discus – Darcy Brown. Under 13 Girls: 100m – Marianna Novikov, Edie Kent; 1500m – Edie Kent, Marianna Novikov; 80m Hurdles – Marianna Novikov, Edie Kent; Discus – Marianna Novikov, Edie Kent. Under 14 Girls: 100m, 1500m, 80m Hurdles, Discus – Jessica Mibus. Under 15 Girls: 100m, 1500m, 80m Hurdles, Discus – Indi Longhurst. Under 16 Girls: 100m – Mairead Elshaug-Betson, Selena Black; 80m Hurdles – Mairead Elshaug-Betson, Selena Black; Discus – Selena Black, Mairead Elshaug-Betson. Under 16 Boys: 100m – Riley Hornibrook, Alex Hornibrook; 80m Hurdles – Riley Hornibrook, Alex Hornibrook; Discus – Alex Hornibrook, Riley Hornibrook.

Sharam takes out big 100-Up battle

AN EPIC battle with Shirley Williams over 24 ends, saw Nancy Sharam take out the women’s 100-Up Championship.

Williams took her place in the final after defeating Fay Morrow by just four points in the semi-final.

Down by a big margin, 71 to 53, Morrow pegged back the deficit to draw the game at 87 each on the 23^rd end but could not hold off the in-form Williams who took the win after another three ends, 104 to 100.

Williams again showed great form in Monday’s final, finishing the fourth end with nine out of the possible 10 points up for grabs and taking a 16-point lead.

The tallies at each end see-sawed until a draw on the 12^th, then a seven-to-three Sharam’s way on the 15^th, saw her take the lead for the first time.

Sharam went on to take the high score in six of the last nine ends – including nine points in the last – to take out the match, 130 to 110.

Headed for pennant final

AFTER a disappointing round last week, Casterton’s Division 2 Saturday pennant team did not waste its second chance at a grand final berth, taking out a thriller against Hamilton.

At the break and after 11 ends, Casterton held the lead by just one shot, 34 to 33, with another 10 ends to play, but came out all guns firing to take the match, 64 to Hamilton’s 53.

Andy Alderton and his team of Shirley Williams, Ian Humphries and Pete Taylor led all day, taking home a great win, 20 to 10.

Neil Shannon, Kaye Murrell, Nancy Sharam and Sandra Smolders led all day before disaster struck on the 15^th end, the team finding itself down five shots with just three ends to play.

A two-shot comeback required three on the last to tie the match and three beautiful draw shots filled the bill – the game with J Forsyth’s team finalised at 22-all.

In another absolute nail-biter, Garry Russell, Mick Kearns, Brett Van As and Fay Morrow trailed for most of their game.

A change in momentum saw Kearns running down the green after a great bowl and Russell drawing a great shot on the last end, when four shots down in the head, to take the win 22 to 21.

Casterton will face Portland in the season final, this weekend.

Big upsets with competition heading into final round

SUZIE NIEWAND

TENNIS

WITH the finals looming, there were some surprising results from round 11 of the tennis, with two underdogs taking wins against top-four sides.

The first of these was seventh-placed Gritjurk, defeating third-placed Nareen, 32 games to 26: O. McClure-M. Leeming d A. Harvey-A. Waters 6-2, J. Staude-A. Williamson d P. Waters-J. Watt 6-3, O. McClure-J. Staude d A. Harvey-P. Waters 7-6, M. Leeming-A. Williamson d A. Waters-J. Watt 6-2, O. McClure-A. Williamson lt A. Harvey-J. Watt 1-6, M. Leeming-J. Staude lt A. Waters-P. Waters 6-7.

Second-placed placed Coleraine went down to Konong in sixth position, 26 games to 36: H. Robertson-E. Warnock lt A. Lambert-W. Slattery 4-6, Lachie-S. Armstrong lt B. Munro-J. McKenry 6-7, H. Robertson-Lachie lt A. Lambert-B. Munro 3-6, E. Warnock-S. Armstrong lt W. Slattery-J. McKenry 5-7, H. Robertson-S. Armstrong d A. Lambert-J. McKenry 6-4, E. Warnock-Lachie lt W. Slattery-B. Munro 2-6.

Carapook def Sandford White 35-19: O. Edge-M. Cowland d A. Rees-R. Brown 6-0, D. Cleary-B. Tierney d T. Matthews-L. Matthews 7-5, O. Edge-D. Cleary d A. Rees-T. Matthews 6-3, M. Cowland-B. Tierney d R. Brown-L. Matthews 6-4, O. Edge-B. Tierney d A. Rees-L. Matthews 6-1, M. Cowland-D. Cleary lt R. Brown-T. Matthews 4-6.

Catholic def Sandford Red 37-26: M. Crowle-G. Johnson d A. O'Connell-T. Knight 7-6, S. Kelly-L. Beauglehall d H. Gill-S. Niewand 7-6, M. Crowle-S. Kelly d A. O'Connell-H. Gill 7-6, G. Johnson-L. Beauglehall d T. Knight-S. Niewand 6-2, M. Crowle-L. Beauglehall lt A. O'Connell-S. Niewand 4-6, G. Johnson-S. Kelly d T. Knight-H. Gill 6-0.

With one round to play, the ladder has had a little shuffle: Carapook 36, Coleraine 32, Nareen 24 (120%), Catholic 24 (102%), Konong 24 (95%), Sandford White 20, Gritjurk 12, Sandford Red 4.

Few anglers but plenty of fish to be had

BRIAN MURRELL

FISHING

THE 10^th fishing competition held by the Casterton Angling Society Inc, fishing the Glenelg River on Sunday, was once again poorly attended even though fished in ideal conditions.

Four senior and one junior registered and weighed 12 fish for total weight of 7.598 kilograms.

Two catch and release fish were recorded by junior, Dane O'Brien, who had a nice 1.8-kilogram mulloway and 700-gram mullet. 

Dane also had a mulloway of over three kilograms, caught outside fishing times, plus several bream caught out of his father’s boat at Dry Creek in the South Australian section of the river.

Winners of the senior section were Brian Murrell with a 822-gram redfin, taking out heaviest fish and Terry Sealey taking out heaviest bag of five fish, with five bream weighing 3.219 kilograms.

To try and entice more anglers to participate, the next competition will be fished over two days on 5 and 6 March, fishing open (public) waters' from 7am Saturday to 5pm Sunday, with the weigh-in at Island Park at 5pm on Sunday.

ABOVE: Out and about at Casterton Memorial Hospital Golf Day last weekend.