CASTLEMAINE overcame a half-time deficit to take the points against Golden Square in the opening round of the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy season on Good Friday.
The Magpies and Bulldogs played under lights at The Railway Hotel in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
In the rematch of the ’25 grand final it was Golden Square, now being coached by Golden Square, which kicked away to lead 17-7 by quarter-time.
Castlemaine hit back to win the second, 14-8, but it was the blue and gold which led 25-21 at the main break.
Quarter three was dominated by the Jordan Cochrane-coached Castlemaine.
As the Magpies scored three goals they kept the visitors to just two behinds.
Both teams scored a goal apiece in the last as Castlemaine clinched a 47-34 victory.
Gun recruit Shelby Knoll and the skilful Maeve Tupper led the Magpies’ attack on two goals.
Leading goalkickers for Golden Square were Gabby Drage and Kira Gibbons with two.
Best for Castlemaine were Tia Davidge, Aisling Tupper, Jemma Finning, Maeve Tupper, Shelby Knoll and Hannah Cochrane.
Taylah Moore, Gabby Drage, Liz Watkins, Lauren Knight, Carly Geary and Heidi Schneider played well for Golden Square.
Wedge-Tailed Eagles marked their competition debut by scoring a 25-goal victory against Bendigo Thunder at Weeroona Oval in Bendigo.
The Phil Hawkes-coached Eagles had 13 players kick a goal in a 156-nil win.
Leading goalkickers were Emma Williams, four; Brooke Cowan and Natalie Korinfsky on three.
Best for the Eagles were Brooke Cowan, Demi Henderson, Ayesha Nicholson, Teagan Ainslie, Emma Williams and Lucy Lenius.
Stacey Barbagallo, Rachel Salm, Jasmine Alcon, Sarah Lean, Archie McLachlan and Yanna Hender were best for a young Thunder squad coached by Mick McInnes.
Sandhurst grabbed top spot on the ladder after a 47-10 win on Eaglehawk’s turf at C & M Oval in Canterbury Park.
The Liam Ireland and Andrew Saladino-coached Sandhurst led 18-6 at quarter-time and 29-7 by the main break.
As the maroon and blue added another three goals in the second half it kept the Hawks to a tally of three points.
Sandhurst led 47-10 at the final siren.
Goalkickers for the Dragons were Lily and Ruby Campbell, Ava Franklin, Samantha Johnston, Taylah Klemm and Charlotte Scanlon.
Anya Cardilini was on target for the Hawks.
Best for Sandhurst were Lily Campbell, Samantha Johnston, Lauren Suleiman, Ruby Campbell, Myah Humphrey and Ava Franklin.
Lucy El Hage, Lexie Moss, Caitlin Evans, Monique Gavriliadis, Lilly Stevenson and Alannah Leach were best for the Molly Metcalf-coached Hawks.
White Hills scored a 157-nil win at home against Marong.
The Sharni Barker and Allara Jackson-coached Demons led by 36 points at quarter-time and 71 by the long break.
Heat did not let up as White Hills added five goals in the third quarter and eight in the last.
Acacia Edwards and Seisia White led the attack on four goals as Keely Fullerton kicked three.
Best for White Hills were Acacia Edwards, Ella Dobell, Tracey Anderson, Ella Henery, Jorja Gibson and Natalie Johnson.
Darcie Whitehead, Caitlin Shaw, Jaime Sawers, Naomi Ridsdale and Mia Berryman were best for the Brett Carter-coached Panthers.
Round two will be played this Sunday from 1pm.
White Hills hosts Sandhurst at the Scott Street ground.
Castlemaine and Bendigo Thunder clash at The Railway Hotel Oval in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
Marong faces Wedge-Tailed Eagles at Marong’s Malone Park.
Eaglehawk will face Golden Square on the Borough’s turf at C & M Oval in Canterbury Park.
Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy ladder:
Sandhurst 470 per cent, 4 points; Castlemaine 138, 4; White Hills 0, 4; Wedge-Tailed Eagles 0, 4; Golden Square 72, 0; Eaglehawk 21, 0; Bendigo Thunder 0, 0; Marong 0, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
4 Acacia Edwards, WH; Seisia White, WH; Emma Williams, WTE.
3 Brooke Cowan, WTE; Keely Fullerton, WH; Natalie Korinfsky, WTE.