BY NATHAN DOLE
THERE was drama aplenty in the weekend’s grand finals of the Latrobe University-backed finals series in the Bendigo Junior Football League.
Fans watched some closely-fought contests at Triple M Park or neighbouring Enterprise Oval in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane, and also at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
Another highlight for the IGA-backed BJFL which is proudly supported by Cavalier Homes and Bendigo Bank was an under-16s grand final being played on the iconic Queen Elizabeth Oval on Saturday morning.
The under-16 seniors, Blue grand final between Sandhurst Maroon and Golden Square was played to kick off what was preliminary final day for the Bendigo Football Netball League.
Sandhurst Maroon made a great start to lead 31-14 at quarter-time.
The Bulldogs fought back to score 1.4 to 0.3 in the second.
A 10-point lead at half-time for the Dragons became 38 by the end of the third quarter.
Sandhurst slammed on 4.4 and kept the Dogs scoreless in that term.
Led by the play of Lachlan Borchard, Lenny McNamara and Thomas Davie, Sandhurst Maroon kicked on for a 69-32 victory.
Best for the Maroons included Will Bennett, Gus Hay and Harvey White.
Six goals by Lachlan Borchard earned best on ground honours for the Dragons.
Other goalkickers were Madden Guthrie, Jaxon Howard, Lenny McNamara and Oliver Stewart,.
Xavier Grant kicked two goals for Golden Square as Seth Cooke-Kingston and Logan Wescott added one.
Golden Square’s best were Xavier Grant, Josh Kelly, Jeremy Corr, Ryan Brown, Hunter Wright and Byron Ritchie.
On Sunday, Rochester won a great clash with Maiden Gully YCW Eagles to be the under-16 seniors, Gold premiers.
The Tigers led 14-13 at quarter-time of the match played at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye.
By half-time the Eagles were up 18-14.
Maiden Gully scored 1.3 to 1.1 in the third quarter.
The Tigers roared home as they added five goals straight to a tally of 3.1 in the final term to mark a 51-46 vicxtory.
Jimmy Otto led Rochester’s attack on three goals as Kade Pearse and Trey White booted two each.
Captain Lachlan Joyce was also on target for the yellow and black.
Goalkickers for the Eagles were Liam Budge, three; Riley Doorty, Anthony Gray and Lewis Pigdon.
Rochester’s best were Jordy Rasmussen, Harrison Keating, Lachlan Joyce, Oliver Williams, Curtis Howard and Oakley Tarrant.
Zach Whalen, Matt Holmes, Finn Mulcair, Joel O’Shea, Harry Healey and Ben Hines were best for the Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Grand finals for the under-12 competitions were played at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.
Golden Square won a thrilling under-12A clash with Strathfieldsaye by three points.
The Bulldogs led 12-6 at half-time and 25-7 going into the last.
Storm surged back into the contest as it scored 2.3 and kept Square scoreless in the final term.
At the final siren Golden Square led 4.1 (25) to 3.4 (22).
The Dogs’ attack was led by Nate Bishop, two goals; Declan Dupille and Chad Finch.
Goalkickers for Strathfieldsaye were Alex Kelly, Kayden Storer and Zander Walker.
Golden Square’s best were Jack Allen, Ryan McLean, Nate Bishop, Archer Lethlean, Rheef Norman and Jimi Read.
Storm’s best were Tate Kanzamar, Kayden Storer, Hudson Svanosio, Logan Morrice, Charlie Giddings and Jed Monaghan.
After scores were locked 13-all at half-time, South Bendigo kicked away to win the under-12B match against St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold by 17 points.
The young Bloods scored 2.7 to 0.2 in the second half for a 32-15 victory.
Goalkickers for South Bendigo were Harvey Long, Patrick Pinniger and Cooper Smythe.
Harry Wells and Wesley Scholtes goaled for St Kilian’s-St Peter’s gold.
Best for the Bloods were Blaine Anderson, Callum Fyffe, Harvey Long, Ryan Packer, Hadley Galea and Cael White.
Callan McCarthy, Elijah Willits, Noah Maltby, Wesley Scholtes, Jimmy Byrne and Tarkyn Ralphs played well for Gold.
It was a three-point thriller in the under-12C match between Marong and St Monica’s.
The Kangaroos from St Monica’s hopped their way to a three-point lead by half-time after they scored three straight goals and Marong added 2.3 in the opening two quarters.
Marong won the third term, 13-6.
In the last the Panthers scored 1.1 and St Monica’s added 5.2 as Marong clawed its way to a 35-32 victory.
Jack Atkinson and Jacoby Nind kicked two goals for Marong as Caden McCurdy added another.
Goalkickers for St Monica’s were Ethan Crocker, two; Raff Gallagher, Tyler Scullie and Henry Sherwood.
Marong’s best were Axel Krauth, Miller Ferguson, Finn Neivandt, Jacoby Nind, Indie Gardam and Jack Metherell.
Raff Gallagher, Henry Sherwood, Lewis Harrington, Sam Colbert, Mason Roulston and Jesse Pidoto played well for the Kangaroos.
First up at Harry Trott Oval were Strathfieldsaye and White Hills Red in the under-12D match.
Storm led 20-6 at half-time and 23-22 going into the last quarter of the season.
Strathfieldsaye scored 1.2 to a behind in the final term to claim a 31-23 victory.
Goalkickers for Storm were Isaiah Oataway, two; Declan Hilson and Connor Olsen.
Zayne Bowden kicked two goals for the Demons and Chris Mason added one.
Strathfieldsaye’s best were Declan Hilson, Isaiah Oataway, Harper Cregan, Bonnie Bortolotto, Connor Olsen and Boston Wallis.
Zayne Bowden, Declan Mills, Arlow Smith, Cooper Boyd, Chris Mason and Ayden Beck played well for White Hills Red.
In the under-14 girls competition, Sandhurst marked an 11-point win against White Hills at Enterprise Oval on Sunday.
The Sandhurst line-up led 14-7 at half-time, but White Hills made it 14-all by the last change as it won the third term, 7-0.
In the last it was the Dragons who capped off their moves into attack by scoring 2.1 as the Demons added two behind.
Sandhurst won a great contest, 4.3 (27) to 2.4 (16).
Tully Place kicked two goals for Sandhurst as Poppy Gladstone and Macey Pinner were also on target.
The Demons’ goalkickers were Mia Clark and Summer Clarke.
Best for Sandhurst were Tully Place, Zara Mould, Mia Maxted, Ashlee Campbell, Grace Clark and Kiara Daly.
Maleah Alford, Ella McKinnon, Sophie O’Connell, Lucy Newton, Madisyn Morrison and Milly Kelleher played well for White Hills Red.
A high-scoring under-14 seniors match between Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye was played at Triple M Park on Sunday.
Sandhurst led 29-26 at half-time before Storm won the third term, 8-4.
In the last the Dragons fired up to score 4.2 and kept Strahfieldasye to a tally of 2.1.
Sandhurst won a top match, 8.11 (59) to 7.5 (47).
Max Connick and William Petersen kicked three goals for Sandhurst as Luke Cameron and Quinlan Cody added one.
Goalkickers for Strathfieldsaye were Charlie Elliott, three; Manaishe Mudoti, two; Jordan Mathews and Will Mayes.
The Dragons’ best were Max Connick, Riley Travaglia, Jaxon Kelly, Rafferty Brasier, William Petersen and Nicholas Harvey.
Jesse Webster, Sam O’Bree, Aydan Hand, Tyce Griffin, Tait Gardiner and Flynn Maddren played well for Storm.
Five points separated Strathfieldsaye and Huntly Gold at the end of the under-14 reserves, division one match at Enterprise Oval.
The Hawks from Huntly raced to a 34-16 lead by half-time.
In the third Storm surged back into the game as it scored three goals and held Huntly to a behind.
Strathfieldsaye’s run kept rolling as it won the last term, 19-13, to complete a 53-48 victory.
The Storm attack was led by Nicholas Hietbrink on three goals.
Other goalkickers for Strathfieldsaye were Jeremy Lawler, Ollie Long, Spencer Worthington, Baxter Cartledge (Moore), and Darcy Tyler.
Angus McLean kicked a match-high four goals for the Hawks as Oscar Davies, Zethan Jensen and Lorcan Mulryan added one.
Storm’s best were Eli Fennell, Sam Cook, Nicholas Hietbrink, Nicholas Loorham, Spencer Worthington and Alec van Dillen.
A list of Huntly Gold’s best was not supplied.
Maryborough and South Bendigo played out a high-scoring thriller to complete the under-14 reserves, division two season.
The Bloods led 32-24 at quarter-time on Enterprise Oval.
South Bendigo then raced to a 54-39 lead by the long break.
Maryborough hit back to win the third quarter, 11-9.
A tally of 3.6 to 1.1 in the last was enough for Maryborough to claim a 74-70 victory.
Ed Boyes and Jack Smith kicked three goals each for the Magpies as Oliver Cassidy added two.
Other goalkickers for Maryborough were Chase Larkin and Cruz Stevens.
The Bloods’ attack was led by Wilbur Martin on three goals and Jack Stone with two.
Other goalkickers for the red and white were Ted Coombs, Rylie Diss, Mitchell McCann, Noah Poole and Miller Slattery.
Maryborough’s best were Dechlan Bridges, Oliver Cassidy, Hayden Bartlett, Chase Larkin, Jack Smith and Ed Boyes.
Miller Flett, Wilbur Martin, Zaviar Mills, Eamon White, Thomas Henderson and Rylie Diss were best for the Bloods.
It was a one-point thriller between Maiden Gully YCW Eagles and South Bendigo in the under-14 reserves, division three match.
South Bendigo led 32-16 at half-time and 48-29 at the start of the final term.
The Eagles fought back brilliantly to score 4.5 in the last as the Bloods added a goal.
At the final siren Maiden Gully YCW Eagles led 8.10 (58) to 7.15 (57).
The Eagles’ attack was led by Josh Bellenger and Xavier Tingley on three goals each.
Cruz Dowler and Oscar Emmerson also kicked a goal for Maiden Gully YCW.
Goalkickers for the Bloods were Darcy Ford, Darcy France, Chad Mannes, Alex Obudzinski, Paw Si, Alaric Tibbett and Sonny Tuckerman.
Best for the Eagles were Oscar Balic, Cruz Dowler, Zavier Brown, Xavier Tingley, Aston Woolley and Zac Nicholls.
Darcy Ford, Charlie Cook, Chad Mannes, Blake Dobbin, Charlie Robertson and Sean Mannes were South Bendigo’s best.
White Hills Black marked a one-point victory against Kangaroo Flat to be the under-16 reserves, division one premiers.
The Kangaroos turned a 14-point deficit at quarter-time into a two-point lead at half-time after they scored 4.1 to 1.3.
Kangaroo Flat led 49-43 at the start of the final term.
The Demons fired up to score 2.2 to 1.1.
When the siren sounded it was the Demons who were up, 57-56.
Liam Cummings and Finnegan Millar led the White Hills Black attack on four and three goals as Dustin Murley added another.
A five-goal haul capped a great match by Raymond McNamara as Jack Bodycoat, Jye Clarke, Brayden Franken and Kaidyn Higgins also goaled for the Kangaroos.
Best for White Hills Black were Dustin Murley, Talan Schultz, Joey Mizzi, Oliver Lythgo, Finnegan Millar and Caleb Tobin.
Raymond McNamara, Tajh Blythman, Jack Burns, Clayton Smith and Brayden Franken played well for the Kangaroos.
Lockington Bamawm United Cats capped a great debut season in the Bendigo JFL by winning the under-16 reserves, division two premiership.
The Cats took on Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the grand final.
LBU led 47-13 at half-time and kicked on for a 77-20 victory.
James Brentnall kicked a match-high four goals for LBU as Nicholas Mitchell added three.
Other goalkickers for LBU were Campbell Keele, two; Harrison Condliffe, Malik Day and William Hann.
Nash Blake and Lincoln Hancock were on target for Maiden Gully YCW.
Nicholas Mitchell, James Brentnall, William Hann, Patrick Keele, Royce Serpell and Campbell Keele were best for LBU.
Jackson Douglas, Joel Wittingslow, Declan Wharton, Oliver McKenzie, Dylan Goddard and Steven Neervoort played well for the Eagles.
Sandhurst scored a dozen goals on its way to claiming the under-16 girls premiership.
The maroon and blue faced Strathfieldsaye in the grand final on Enterprise Oval.
Sandhurst led 20-0 at quarter-time and 41-6 by half-time.
The Dragons added 4.5 to 1.1 in the third, and 2.2 to a goal in the last.
At the final siren Sandhurst led 12.10 (82) to 3.1 (19).
Charlotte Scanlon kicked five goals for the Dragons as Ellie Bellenger, Hannah Cochrane and Georgia Garlick chipped in with two, and Lacey Nihill added another.
Tess Cockerall, Evie Nuttall and Tessa Skipper goaled for Storm.
Sandhurst’s best were Georgia Garlick, Charlotte Scanlon, Olivia Lacy, Ava Franklin, Tanisha Daly and Hannah Cochrane.
A list of Storm’s best was not supplied.
White Hills was too strong for Woorinen in the under-18 girls grand final at Triple M Park.
The Demons led 21-1 at quarter-time before both teams scored 13 points in the second.
At a quarter to go White Hills led by 22 points.
The Demons won the last, 2.2 to a point, and the match, 56 to 21.
Kadeisha Smith led the White Hills attack on two goals.
Other goalkickers for the red and black were Eve Cail, Amelie Haigh, Tarliah Murphy, Maiya Pearce, Sophie Sarre and Oakley Turner.
Woorinen’s goalkickers were Jenna Bannam, Brydi Lewis and Gaby Sanford.
Best for White Hills were Sasha Pearce, Matilda Meersbergen, Nadia Peebles, Kadeisha Smith, Eve Cail and Maiya Pearce.
Brydi Lewis, Grace Ayars, Gaby Sanford, Emilie Ward, Lauren Clarke and Madison Johnston played well for the Woorinen Tigers.