Golden Square stays in premiership race
GOLDEN Square is still in the hunt for the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League’s senior football competition.
The Bulldogs struck back from a 38-point loss to Strathfieldsaye in the qualifying final to win last Sunday’s first semi-final against South Bendigo.
The Dogs’ kicking at goal was astray as they racked up 10.22 in a 39-point win against the Bloods who a week earlier had eliminated Sandhurst from the flag race.
The Bulldogs had dominated the previous two contests with the Bloods.
Golden Square did plenty of attacking in the first quarter, but was let down by wayward shots as it tallied 1.6 to 0.2.
In the second the Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs added 5.4 to 2.4 to lead by 28 points at the long break.
Two of Golden Square’s best and most experienced players, Hamish Morcom and Jack Geary used their running power to keep racking up possessions.
The blue and gold charged to a six-goal lead by the final change and then added 2.4 to 2.1 in the last for an 82-43 victory.
Joel Brett’s three goals lifted his season tally to 96 in a match where he was the Bulldogs only multiple goalkicker.
The classy Kaiden Antonowicz, a previous winner of the Ron Best Medal goalkicking award, scored a match-high four goals for South Bendigo.
While it was Morcom and Geary who led the way, Golden Square’s best included Liam Duguid in defence, young guns Zavier Murley and Ricky Monti, and Liam Jacques.
South Bendigo’s best were midfielder Cooper Leon, Kaiden Antonowicz, Isaiah Miller, defender Cameron Taggert, and captain Zac Hare.
A tally of 32 scoring shots to 13 was a reflection of Golden Square’s dominance in general play.
Although bitterly disappointed their season is over, the Nathan Horbury-coached Bloods worked incredibly hard to qualify for the finals and also achieved the club’s first senior finals victory in many years.
It will be the clash of the Bulldogs when Golden Square takes on Gisborne in next Saturday’s preliminary final.
In the Harmac Homes reserves first semi, Sandhurst won three quarters on its way to a 56-46 victory against Strathfieldsaye.
The Dragons led 15-7 at quarter-time and then scored two goals to one in the second for an 11-point break at half-time.
Storm hit back to win the third term, 15-13, but it was Sandhurst which added 2.4 to 2.3 in the last to ensure it would progress to a preliminary final showdown with Gisborne.
Luke Crawford kicked two goals for Sandhurst as Darcy Mills, Sean O’Farrell, Billy Robertson, Layton Ross, Jasper Stewart and Jed Zimmer added a goal each.
Goalkickers for Storm were James Blood, Jake Hall, Charles Owins, Marty Parsons, Fergus Payne and Rhys Zera.
Best for the Dragons were Darcy Mills, Caleb Connick, Layton Ross, Matt Wilkinson, Billy Robertson and Jordan Quirk.
Shannon Murphy, George Simpson, Fergus Payne, James Blood, Jye Formosa and Darcy Mulquiny played well for Strathfieldsaye.
The Dragons won the last four rounds in the regular season for a 13-5 record to be fourth and take a six-game winning streak into the preliminary final.
First semi-final day kicked off with the SportsPower under-18s clash between Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye.
It was 18-all at half-time before the Bulldogs slammed on 6.3 to 2.6 in the third term to lead by 21 points going into the final quarter.
Led by the play of Nick Sherriff, Bailey Morton and captain Macey Eaton, Golden Square went on to win 74-50 and earn another chance against Gisborne in the preliminary final.
Darcy Edmiston and Tommi Turner kicked two goals each for Golden Square as Hugh Freckleton, Baxter Gurd, Rhys Lourie, Billy Meade, Nick Sherriff and Zac Wescott added a goal each.
Strathfieldsaye’s attack was led by Riley Mulquiny, two; Dermott Bell, Zachary Grieve, Cameron Leed and Harry Teasdale.
Schedule for next Saturday’s preliminary finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval:
Seniors at 2.50pm: Gisborne v Golden Square.
Reserves at 12.45pm: Golden Square v Sandhurst.
Under-18s at 10.45am: Gisborne v Golden Square.
Written by Nathan Dole.
