BY NATHAN DOLE
STRATHFIELDSAYE Storm withstood a final quarter fightback by South Bendigo to Saturday’s round 15 clash in Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action.
Stakes were high as the fifth-placed Storm took on the fourth-placed Bloods at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
South Bendigo led 28-27 at quarter-time before Storm took control to score 5.4 to 1.1 in the second.
A 26-point lead at the long break for Strathfieldsaye was six goals going into the last term after it added 5.1 to 3.3 in the third.
The final quarter was to be South Bendigo’s best as it slammed on 5.5, but Storm’s tally of two goals ensured a 104-91 victory.
Storm captain Lachlan Sharp was in superb form as he kicked a match-high seven goals.
Jack Exell marked his return from a lengthy break because of injury with four goals as Jed Brereton chipped in with three.
The Bloods’ attack was led by Brock Harvey on six.
Best for the Darryl Wilson-coached Storm were Daniel Clohesy, Lachlan Gill, Ben Lester, Tim Hosking, Lachlan Sharp and Lachlan Ratcliffe.
Brock Harvey, Oscar White, Sam Langley, Andrew van Heumen, Brody Haddow and Isaiah Miller played well for the Nathan Horbury-coached Bloods.
Kyneton kept in touch with the top five after a hard-fought 17-point win at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
The Brendan Shepherd-coached Castlemaine started well to lead 23-16 at quarter-time.
Term two was when the Darren Chambers-coached Kyneton took control.
The Tigers added 2.4 to a point for a 32-24 lead by the main break.
Both teams scored 3.1 in the third term.
Led by the play of Ben Cameron, Jake Summers and Jye Chambers, Kyneton won an entertaining final term, 27-18, and the match, 78-61.
Ethan Foreman led the Tigers’ attack on three goals as Jordan Iudica, Thomas Quinn and Harrison Sheahan added two.
Best for the yellow and black included Ethan Foreman, Mitch Comben and Francis Randall.
A list of Castlemaine’s goalkickers and best players was not supplied.
Golden Square marked a 40-point win on Gisborne’s turf at Gardiner Reserve.
The Christian Carter-coached Golden Square led 17-6 at quarter-time and 42-25 by the long break.
A closely-fought third term went Square’s way, 27-25.
The blue and gold dominated the final term to score 4.3 to a goal to complete a 96-56 victory.
Liam Barrett led Golden Square’s attack on four goals as Tom Toma added three and Joel Brett chipped in with two.
Harry Luxmoore kicked three goals for Gisborne as Sam Graham added two.
Best for Golden Square were Ricky Monti, Ryan Hartley, Zavier Murley, Liam Barrett, Jayden Burke and Jack Geary.
Braidon Blake, Matt Weber, Liam Spear, Jack Reaper, Zac Vescovi and Harry Luxmoore played well for the Brad Fox-coached Gisborne.
A five-goal haul by gun on-baller Sam Conforti capped a best on ground performance in Sandhurst’s win at Maryborough’s Princes Park.
The Dragons kicked an incredible 12 straight goals in the opening term.
Maryborough hit back to score 2.1 in the second as Sandhurst’s accuracy went astray as it added 2.10.
Accuracy was back as Sandhurst slammed on 10.1 to nil in the third term.
In the last the maroon and blue added 4.9 to 1.1 for a 188-27 result.
Multiple goalkickers for Sandhurst were Lachlan Wright, six; Sam Conforti, five; Matt Thornton, four; Bryce Curnow, Will Moran and Nick Stagg, three; and Cobi Maxted, two.
The Magpies’ goalkickers were Kaian Constable, Bailey Jacobs, John Leathan and Brad Wootton.
Sam Conforti, Cooper Smith, James Coghlan, Hamish Hosking, Lachlan Wright and co-coach Bryce Curnow were best for a Sandhurst team jointly coached by Ash Connick.
Best for the Coby Perry-coached Maryborough were Brady Neill, Kaian Constable, Jake Postle, Joel Swatton, Kya Lanfranchi and Bailey Jacobs.
Six goals to one in the first quarter set up Eaglehawk’s win at home against Kangaroo Flat at Canterbury Park.
The Borough led 37-6 at quarter-time.
Defences were on top in the second as the Roos added 1.2 to 1.1.
The Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk added 5.7 in the third and just as importantly restricted the Roos to just three behinds.
Kangaroo Flat hit back to win the last, 14-4, but it was the Hawks who took the points, 85-31.
Jack and Sam O’Shannessy, and Noah Wheeler all kicked two goals for the Two Blues.
Goalkickers for the Roos were Nic Keogh, Aaron Nevins, Toby Roberts and Harry Whitty.
Eaglehawk’s best were Noah Wheelher, Connor Dalgleish, Lewin Davis, Liam Marciano, Jack Thompson and Dillon Williams.
Liam Collins, Ryan O’Keefe, Zac Rouse, Jake Hywood, Mitch Trewhella and Mitch Collins played well for the Jeremy Hayes-coached Kangaroo Flat.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 226 per cent, 54 points; Golden Square 234, 52; Eaglehawk 198, 42; Strathfieldsaye 129, 36; South Bendigo 127, 32; Kyneton 85, 32; Gisborne 119, 24; Kangaroo Flat 62, 20; Castlemaine 43, 8; Maryborough 20, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s 16th round will be Kyneton against Eaglehawk at Kyneton Showgrounds.
Sandhurst tackles Gisborne at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
South Bendigo plays Maryborough at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.
Golden Square faces Castlemaine at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Kangaroo Flat and Strathfieldsaye clash on the Kangaroos’ ground at Dower Park.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
71 Joel Brett, Golden Square.
65 Lachlan Sharp, Strathfieldsaye.
47 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
44 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
41 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
33 Will Keck, South Bendigo.
30 Cameron Manuel, Kyneton.
29 Lewin Davis, Eaglehawk.
27 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
25 Braydon Vaz, Golden Square.
24 Andy Collins, Sandhurst.
24 Thomas Quinn, Kyneton.
24 Matt Thornton, Sandhurst.
23 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
21 Hamish Morcom, Golden Square.
21 Ryan Hartley, Golden Square.
20 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
19 Tom Toma, Golden Square.
18 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
18 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
18 Noah Wheeler, Eaglehawk.
17 Cam McGlashan, Eaglehawk.
16 Jed Brereton, Strathfieldsaye.
16 Sam Conforti, Sandhurst.
16 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
16 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
15 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
15 Ethan Foreman, Kyneton.
14 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
14 Luke Ellings, Gisborne.
14 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
14 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
14 Liam Marciano, Eaglehawk.
14 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
14 Callum McCarty, Strathfieldsaye.
13 Jack Hickman, Golden Square.
13 Dylan Hird, Eaglehawk.
13 Zavier Murley, Golden Square.
13 Jack Reaper, Gisborne.
13 Jake Summers, Kyneton.
12 Sam Barnes, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Liam Collins, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Baxter Slater, Strathfieldsaye.