GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD has ended Penshurst’s season with an emphatic victory in the Mininera and District Football League (MDFL) elimination final at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve on Sunday, 11.13 (79) – 5.9 (39).
The two teams started the game with five shots on goal apiece, but the Rams kicked 4.1 and the Bombers only put up 1.4 in the first term and from there, they were playing catch-up football.
The Rams continually won the contested ball, and were able to play free-flowing football, as they moved the ball forward at every opportunity.
The second quarter was a much closer contest, as Penshurst came back into the contest, but the Bombers only added a behind to their score while the Rams increased the lead to 23 points by the long break.
Penshurst was expected to rally in the third term, but Glenthompson-Dunkeld refused to allow the Bombers to gain a foothold and were kept to only an additional two shots on goal which added 1.1 to the score.
In reply the Rams banged home a further 4.6 to take the game away from the Bombers and at the final change of ends the margin had blown out to 42 points and the game was effectively over.
Even though Penshurst won the last quarter, the contest was run and won, as Glenthompson-Dunkeld went through the motions with an eye on next weekend.
Ben Cole, Mitchell Johnson, Jack Oswald, Carl Joyce, Tyler Staude and Jamie Ferguson were named best for the Rams and they gave the team plenty of go forward, while Jock Nicholls, Cooper Rentsch, Joseph Page, Archie Page, Henry Bensch and William Bester gave their all for the Bombers.
Glenthompson-Dunkeld now advance to play Woorndoo-Mortlake at Derrinallum Recreation Reserve.
Woorndoo-Mortlake v Wickliffe-Lake Bolac
THE MDFL qualifying final saw two very evenly matched teams battle all day for supremacy, as Wickliffe-Lake Bolac gained a spot in the second semi-final against Tatyoon next weekend with a 10.10 (70) – 9.8 (62) victory against Woorndoo-Mortlake at Tatyoon Recreation Reserve.
The two teams produced a highly entertaining game and the first quarter saw nine goals kicked with Woorndoo-Mortlake taking the lead by seven points at the first break.
Wickliffe-Lake Bolac struck back in the second term to grab the lead at the half time siren, as they booted two goals to one to lead by five points.
The contest was even tighter upon resumption, as neither team was prepared to give the opposition any leeway as the Tigers reduced the margin to a single point at the last change of ends.
The final quarter was just as tense as the previous three, as the ball travelled up and back across the ground with the defensive units of both teams working overtime to repel the opposition.
The Magpies gained an advantage and opened a seven-point gap on the scoreboard and that’s where it stayed, to win 10.10 (70) to 9.8 (62).
Thomas Gibson, James Hutchison, Izaak De Agrela, Bradley Keilar, Lewis Crichton and James Vandenberg were brilliant for the Magpies, but Matthew Pemberton, Haydn Templeton, Tyson Osborne, Tyson Hogan, Sam Gervasoni and Liam Cameron were equally brilliant for the Tigers and the bounce of the oval ball didn’t go their way on the day.
Next weekend, Wickliffe-Lake Bolac tackle a well-rested Tatyoon at Willaura Recreation Reserve on Saturday in the second semi-final, while Woorndoo-Mortlake will have to regroup and take on a resurgent Glenthompson-Dunkeld at Derrinallum Recreation Reserve on Sunday.
NETBALL
MININERA and District Netball Association followed the form line going into the first weekend of finals for 2023 season, as both Penshurst and Hawkesdale-Macarthur failed to record victory against Woorndoo-Mortlake and Ararat Eagles respectively.
The qualifying final on Saturday at Tatyoon Recreation Reserve had second-placed Ararat playing third-placed Hawkesdale-Macarthur in what was expected to be a tightly fought contest.
The first quarter saw Ararat gain a single goal advantage by the time the siren to end the term sounded, but it was the second quarter where the Ararat team asserted its superiority as the goalers drained goal after goal to increase the margin to eight goals at the long break.
When the teams returned to the court, Ararat continued its dominance by adding another nine goals to Hawkesdale-Macarthur’s six, which made the scoreboard gap, 11 goals, one which the Eagles were not about to let slip in the final term.
Even though Hawkesdale-Macarthur came back to win the final term, it couldn’t close the margin to less than 10 goals, as Ararat ran out 43-33 victors, with Taryn Kelly and Zanetta Hosking being named as the best players while Hawkesdale-Macarthur looked to Josie Barker and Madison Kelly for drive across the court.
Woorndoo-Macarthur v Penshurst
A BRILLIANT defensive display from Woorndoo-Macarthur in the first quarter saw the Tigers keep Penshurst to only a single goal while dropping 14 of its own to set up a 48-21 victory in the elimination final at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve on Sunday.
The Tigers were determined to reach the second week of the finals and swept the Bombers from the court with a disciplined display across all four quarters, even though Penshurst tried valiantly to get back into the contest after quarter time.
Sarah Cameron and Ashlea Spokes were named as the Tigers’ best with Cameron posting 30 goals, while Rachael Mibus and Nyah Bester did all they could for the Bombers.
Woorndoo-Mortlake tackles Hawkesdale-Macarthur on Sunday, as each look to stay alive in 2023.
Other grades
THE B grade finals were much closer games than the top grade with Tatyoon defeating Lismore-Derrinallum in the elimination final, 27-25, while Glenthompson-Dunkeld took care of business against Woorndoo-Mortlake, 33-27, in the elimination final,
C grade finals saw Tatyoon produced a brilliant come-from-behind last quarter to account for Ararat, 21-20, in the qualifying final, while Woorndoo-Mortlake advanced to the second week of finals with a 26-22 defeat of Lismore-Derrinallum.
PENSHURST will have to advance to the preliminary final the hard way in 18-and-Under action after losing to Caramut, 39-41, as the Swans recorded a 17-goal last quarter to come-from-behind in the qualifying final, with Lismore-Derrinallum getting the better of Hawkesdale-Macarthur, 29-22, in the elimination final.
WICKLIFFE-LAKE BOLAC and Woorndoo-Mortlake staged a see-sawing battle in the 15-and-Under qualifying final, as the Tigers came from a goal down at three quarter time to win by a goal, 18-19, while Moyston-Willaura put together a strong second half against Lismore-Derrinallum to win the elimination final, 19-14.
WOORNDOO-MORTLAKE posted 11 final quarter goals to overtake Penshurst in the 13-and-Under qualifying final, 27-24, while fifth-placed Caramut took control of its game with Great Western from the first quarter to reach the second week of the finals with a 23-15 victory.
