BY NATHAN DOLE
Castlemaine marks historic win at Strathfieldsaye
CASTLEMAINE finally broke its hoodoo on Strathfieldsaye’s turf as it won the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy clash with Storm on Saturday.
A 23-point win by the Michael Hartley-coached Castlemaine in the 14th round kept the Magpies in the race for the finals.
A week after beating Eaglehawk by two points at home, Castlemaine made its way to Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
The Magpies had borne the brunt of some big defeats in Storm territory in the past.
Not this time.
The Magpies led 25-21 at quarter-time and then scored 3.3 as Storm added two goals in the second term.
A 13-point buffer at the start of the second half became 23 after the Magpies dominated most of the third.
As the Magpies added 2.3 the Storm scored five behinds.
Both teams added seven points in the last as the Magpies celebrated a hard-fought 68-45 victory.
Kalan Huntly capped a superb match for Castlemaine by kicking four goals as Jack Chester, Zac Greeves, Bailey Henderson, Jackson Hood and Callum McConachy added one each.
Storm’s attack was led by Matt Harvey on two as Patrick Blandford, Daniel Clohesy, Darcy Mulquiny and Shannon Murphy were also on target.
Magpies’ captain Bailey Henderson was best afield against a club he won a senior premiership with.
Others to star for Castlemaine were Kalan Huntly, Michael Hartley, Zavier Murley, Brodie Byrne and Liam Wilkinson.
Cooper Jones, Tim Hosking, Patrick Blandford, Darcy Mulquiny and Daniel Clohesy were Storm’s best.
Captain of the under-18s team, Hugh Behrens marked his first senior game by being among the best for Strathfieldsaye Storm.
Golden Square took it right up to Gisborne in the first half of their match at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne led 28-14 at quarter-time.
In the second it was Golden Square which fired up to score 6.3, but five goals straight meant the visitors led 58-53 at the long break.
Quarter three was dominated by the team in red, white and blue.
Led by the play of Flynn Lakey, Jack Reaper and Jack Scanlon, Gisborne scored 4.5 and kept the blue and gold to a point.
Golden Square fought back to win the last, 21-7, but it was Gisborne which celebrated a 94-75 victory.
Dylan Johnstone capped a great match with five goals as Brad Bernacki, Harry Luxmoore and Macklan Lord kicked two each.
Golden Square’s leading goalkicker was Tom Strauch on three as Dylan Hird, Jordan Rosengren and Jack Stewart added two each.
Best for Gisborne included Brad Bernacki, Frank Schipano and Dylan Johnstone.
Ricky Monti, Harrison Burke, Dylan Hird, Tom Strauch, Jordan Rosengren and Kai Daniels were best for Golden Square.
It’s a big couple of weeks for the Strauch and Daniels families as Tom’s sister Jenna competes in swimming at the Paris Olympics, and Kai’s brother Dyson is on the basketball court representing the Boomers.
Eaglehawk dominated play to mark a 17-goal win against Kangaroo Flat at the Borough’s Canterbury Park.
The Travis Matheson-coached Hawks struck back from a two-point defeat at Castlemaine the previous round to race to a 39-14 lead by quarter-time of the clash with the Kangaroos.
Eaglehawk led 58-20 at half-time and then slammed on eight goals as the Roos were held to a tall of 1.1 in the third term.
Jack O’Shannessy and Bailey Ilsley led the Borough’s attack on six and five goals in a 136-34 victory.
The Hawks had co-captain Billy Evans and ruckman Brayden Frost kick two goals.
Luke Ellings and captain Ethan Roberts kicked two goals for the Kangaroos.
Best for the Hawks were Billy Evans, Joel Mullen, Brayden Frost, Bailey Ilsley, Jack O’Shannessy and Jacob O’Brien.
Jack Lefroy, Austin Lothian, Ethan Roberts, Angus Grant, Toby Roberts and Dion Symons were best for the Michael Ellings-coached Kangaroo Flat.
Sandhurst dominated the showdown for the Graeme Wright Memorial Cup with South Bendigo at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
The Bloods were determined to play well on a day it honoured one of its greatest defenders, a coach and popular clubman.
On field it was Sandhurst which raced to a 40-8 lead by quarter-time.
The Ash Connick and Bryce Curnow-coached Dragons then added 5.5 as it kept South Bendigo scoreless in the second quarter.
The ladder-leaders won the next two terms, 29-8 and 46-2.
Fergus Greene increased his lead in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal by booting five goals in the 150-18 victory.
Four goals by Nick Stagg capped a best on ground performance.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Dragons were Joel Wharton, three; and Cobi Maxted, Lachlan Wright, two.
Bloods’ co-coach Steven Stroobants kicked both of his team’s goals.
Best for Sandhurst were Nick Stagg, captain Lachlan Tardrew, Matt Wilkinson, Fergus Greene, Harrison Free and Jake McLean.
Thomas Starr, Riley Walsh, Cody Brooks, Tait Poyser, Brody Haddow and Jasper Langley were South Bendigo’s best.
Maryborough had the bye.
Big matches will be played at Queen Elizabeth Oval and Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve in next Saturday’s round 15 action.
Sandhurst takes on Golden Square, while Gisborne will be at home to face Eaglehawk.
Maryborough will be back at Princes Park to take on South Bendigo.
Kangaroo Flat meets a Strathfieldsaye line-up stung by consecutive defeats on the Roos’ ground at Dower Park.
Castlemaine has the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 346 per cent, 44 points; Gisborne 229, 44; Strathfieldsaye 147, 32; Eaglehawk 158, 28; Golden Square 134, 28; Castlemaine 106, 24; South Bendigo 60, 12; Kangaroo Flat 57, 12; Maryborough 14, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
67 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
47 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
46 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
38 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
37 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
36 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
35 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
35 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
27 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
25 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
25 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
23 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
23 Bailey Henderson, Castlemaine.
23 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
22 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
20 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
18 Malik Gordon, Strathfieldsaye.
17 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
16 Bailey Ilsley, Eaglehawk.
16 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
16 Abe Sheahan, Strathfieldsaye.
16 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
15 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
15 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
15 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
15 Tom Strauch, Golden Square.
14 Bryce Curnow, Sandhurst.
14 Zac Greeves, Castlemaine.
14 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
13 Luke Ellings, Kangaroo Flat.
13 Lachlan Gill, Strathfieldsaye.
13 Kalan Huntly, Castlemaine.
13 Ricky Monti, Golden Square.
13 Joel Wharton, Sandhurst.
12 Jack Lefroy, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Joel Mullen, Eaglehawk.
11 Zach Charles, Strathfieldsaye.
11 Matt Johnston, Maryborough.
11 Jake McLean, Sandhurst.
11 Noah Walsh, Sandhurst.
10 Matt Harvey, Strathfieldsaye.
10 Tanner Nally, Sandhurst.
10 Mitch Ronchieri, Eaglehawk.
10 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
10 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.