BY NATHAN DOLE
Scores all locked up on White Hills court
SCORES were locked on 42-all at the end of the A-grade netball clash between White Hills and Leitchville Gunbower in Saturday’s 16th round in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
The Winslow White Hills Demons and the LG Bombers played a top match on the Scott Street court in White Hills.
The Demons led 11-9 at quarter-time and then took charge for most of the second term as they led 23-17 by the main break.
Some positional moves paid off for LG as it dominated most of the third quarter.
A run of four unanswered goals put the Bombers up 34-29 going into the last term.
White Hills fought back brilliantly to score 13 goals as it held the visitors to a tally of eight.
For the second time this season the Lauren Bowles-coached Demons drew with an opponent as the match ended with scores locked on 42-all.
A week earlier and the Demons drew with Elmore at Elmore Recreation Reserve.
After Saturday’s play White Hills retained top spot on the ladder, but is now just four points clear of second placed Colbinabbin at two rounds to go in the home-and-away series.
The Demons make their way to Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve next Saturday for a showdown with the Saints.
The Caitlyn Hamilton-coached Leitchville Gunbower will have gained plenty of confidence from such a strong showing against the reigning premier.
Mount Pleasant marked a 46-41 win against North Bendigo at Toolleen.
It was a spirited contest between the Blues and the Kiralee Kinder and Stacey Kingdon-coached North Bendigo.
The Anthea McCleary-coached Mount Pleasant holds sixth place going into matches at Elmore and then at Toolleen against Leitchville Gunbower in the final round of the home-and-away series.
Colbinabbin won every quarter on its way to a 61-30 victory at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Colbinabbin led 14-7 at quarter-time and 27-11 by the long break.
A Lockington Bamawm United team coached by Ash Cullen kept working hard, but the Grasshoppers slick movement from mid-court to attack tested the Cats all match.
Colbinabbin won the third term, 19-7.
It was an evenly-fought final quarter which went the way of the green and gold, 15-12.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks were on their court at Strauch Reserve to play Elmore.
After a great win at North Bendigo the previous round the Kym Bell-coached Hawks were up against one of the league’s best teams.
Elmore charged to a 20-4 lead by quarter-time and did not let up.
The Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Bloods won the second term, 17-4.
Huntly worked hard to score six goals in the third and another six in the last as the Bloods added tallies of 20 and 15 to complete a 72-20 victory.
Heathcote had the bye.
Standings in the Heathcote DFNL A-grade netball competition:
White Hills 154 per cent, 52 points; Colbinabbin 147, 48; Elmore 129, 46; Leitchville Gunbower 124, 38; Heathcote 93, 28; Mount Pleasant 80, 16; Huntly 58, 12; North Bendigo 73, 8; Lockington Bamawm United 65, 8.
In next Saturday’s round 17 action, Heathcote will be home at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve to take on White Hills in the clash of the Saints and Demons.
North Bendigo will be on its court at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street to meet Lockington Bamawm United in the clash of the Bulldogs and Cats.
Elmore hosts Mount Pleasant.
Leitchville Gunbower returns to Leitchville to take on Huntly.
Colbinabbin has the bye.
Round 16 scoreboard:
A-reserve:
White Hills 56 d Leitchville Gunbower 25, Mount Pleasant 50 d North Bendigo 35, Lockington Bamawm United 44 lt Colbinabbin 54, Huntly 37 lt Elmore 43, Heathcote had the bye.
B-grade:
White Hills 31 lt Leitchville Gunbower 48, Mount Pleasant 58 lt North Bendigo 64, Lockington Bamawm United 51 d Colbinabbin 31, Huntly 48 d Elmore 25, Heathcote had the bye.
B-reserve:
White Hills 59 d Leitchville Gunbower 23, Mount Pleasant 39 d North Bendigo 35, Lockington Bamawm United 49 d Colbinabbin 34, Huntly 38 lt Elmore 41, Heathcote had the bye.
17-and-under:
White Hills 44 d Leitchville Gunbower 36, Mount Pleasant 53 d North Bendigo 18, Lockington Bamawm United 50 d Colbinabbin 8, Huntly 55 d Elmore 54.
15-and-under:
White Hills 39 d Leitchville Gunbower 22, Mount Pleasant 100 d North Bendigo 3, Lockington Bamawm United 42 d Colbinabbin 19, Huntly 55 d Elmore 24, Heathcote had the bye.
13-and-under:
White Hills 3 lt Leitchville Gunbower 85, Mount Pleasant 29 d North Bendigo 26, Lockington Bamawm United 46 d Colbinabbin 9, Huntly 36 d Elmore 27, Heathcote had the bye.
League ladders:
A-reserve:
White Hills 134 per cent, 56 points; Elmore 132, 44; Huntly 109, 34; Colbinabbin 104, 32; Lockington Bamawm United 100, 30; Mount Pleasant 99, 28; Leitchville Gunbower 93, 24; North Bendigo 78, 8; Heathcote 61, 0.
B-grade:
Leitchville Gunbower 156 per cent, 56 points; White Hills 126, 52; Huntly 129, 40; Lockington Bamawm United 117, 36; North Bendigo 87, 20; Mount Pleasant 82, 16; Heathcote 78, 16; Colbinabbin 69, 12; Elmore 79, 8.
B-reserve:
White Hills 179 per cent, 56 points; Lockington Bamawm United 125, 44; Huntly 117, 36; Mount Pleasant 106, 32; North Bendigo 92, 20; Colbinabbin 72, 20; Elmore 76, 18; Leitchville Gunbower 74, 18; Heathcote 77, 12.
17-and-under:
Mount Pleasant 173 per cent, 44 points; Huntly 127, 40; Lockington Bamawm United 144, 38; Elmore 128, 34; White Hills 81, 18; Leitchville Gunbower 92, 16; North Bendigo 57, 6; Colbinabbin 55, 4.
15-and-under:
Mount Pleasant 316 per cent, 56 points; Lockington Bamawm United 159, 46; White Hills 138, 44; Elmore 106, 36; Huntly 136, 30; Heathcote 70, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 89, 16; Colbinabbin 63, 8; North Bendigo 12, 0.
13-and-under:
Leitchville Gunbower 458 per cent, 52 points; Lockington Bamawm United 337, 52; Huntly 156, 40; Elmore 173, 36; Heathcote 115, 28; Mount Pleasant 85, 28; Colbinabbin 37, 12; North Bendigo 30, 4; White Hills 23, 4.