BY NATHAN DOLE
School links to league stay strong
FOR decades primary school teams have played a big part in the success of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Junior Football League.
In the 2024 season the proud tradition keeps rolling as St Francis, St Kilian’s-St Peter’s, St Monica’s, and St Therese’s are represented every round.
Most of the school teams are across the under-12 categories.
In the sixth round, St Francis Blue played St Francis Green in Friday night’s under-12 girls match at Enterprise Oval in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
Blue won a great contest, 64-18.
Leading goalkickers for St Francis Blue were Colbie O’Bree and Scarlett Woodmore on two.
Best for Blue were Cammie Fitzgerald, Colbie O’Bree and Zara Grieve.
Green’s best were Bonnie Bortolotto, Layla Hand, Lotti Childs, Pippa Tyler, Ivy Parker and Mila Wright.
St Therese’s won the under-12 girls match against White Hills by 25 points.
The Sharks made their way to the White Hills ground in Scott Street.
Perry Westley kicked three goals as St Therese’s marked a 34-9 victory.
Best for the Sharks were Macaila Bannan, Violet Hubble, Perry Westley, Eden and Stella Rooke, and Ava Muscat.
In the under-12A competition, St Kilian’s-St Peter’s played Maiden Gully YCW Eagles at Bendigo’s Weeroona Oval.
The Eagles won 47-12.
Goalkickers for St Kilian’s-St Peter’s were Jimmy Byrne and Vander Martin.
Elijah Willits, Eddie Mansfield, Isaac Manley, Jimmy Byrne, Harry Francis and Henry Macnee played well for St Kilian’s-St Peter’s.
St Francis marked a 74-8 win against South Bendigo in the under-12A match at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
Jude Place kicked three goals and Tommy Harrop added two majors for St Francis.
Best for St Francis were Will Tuddenham, Liam Byrne, Nash Dickson, Matthew Jennings, Jude Place and Nate Malone.
St Therese’s played Golden Square in the under-12A match at Ewing Park.
The Sharks won 53-31 as Beau Rosa kicked three goals and Quinn Casey and captain Xavier Mulqueen chipped in with two each.
Best for St Therese’s were Beau Rosa, Archie McCullough, Xavier Mulqueen, Quinn Casey, Callen Harrington and Palahewage Nethuka Silva.
In the under-12B competition, St Therese’s played Huntly at Ewing Park.
The Hawks soared to a 65-21 victory against the Sharks.
Goalkickers for St Therese’s were Louis Lapthorne, Harry Rees and Patrick Sherwood.
Best for the Sharks were River Kent, Oliver Frilay, Jack Skinner, Lenny Edwards, Harry Rees and Patrick Sherwood.
St Francis travelled to Marong’s Malone Park to play Marong Red in an under-12B match.
The Panthers led 38-10 at a quarter to go.
St Francis fired up to win the last, 20-6, but Marong took the points in a 44-30 victory.
Goalkickers for St Francis were Xavier Connolly, three, and Andeon Haasbroek.
Best for St Francis were Andeon Haasbroek, Max Nielsen, Xavier Connolly, Josh Munro, Sam Hurford and Aiden McDermott.
St Monica’s was in great form against Heathcote in the under-12D match at Crusoe College Oval in Kangaroo Flat.
The Kangaroos won 16.9 (105) to 3.2 (20).
Sam Colbert led the St Monica’s attack on five goals as Lewis Harrington and Mason Roulston kicked three.
Lucius Geddes and Nate Hargreaves chipped in with two and Say ku Shwe added another for the Roos.
Best for St Monica’s were Nate Hargreaves, Sam Colbert, Mason Roulston, Lewis Harrington, Lucius Geddes and Blake Felsbourg.
The Bendigo Junior Football League is proudly supported by Bendigo Bank, La Trobe University Bendigo, Bendigo Club, and Cavalier Homes.
Round six scoreboard:
Under-12 Girls:
St Therese’s 5.4 (34) d White Hills 1.3 (9), St Francis Blue 8.16 (64) d St Francis Green 3.0 (18), Golden Square 12.8 (80) d Marong 2.0 (12), Rochester 15.7 (97) d Kangaroo Flat 1.0 (6), Mount Pleasant bye.
Under-12A:
St Therese’s 8.5 (53) d Golden Square 4.7 (31), Maiden Gully YCW 7.5 (47) d St Kilian’s-St Peter’s 2.0 (12), St Francis 11.8 (74) d South Bendigo 1.2 (8), Strathfieldsaye bye.
Under-12B:
Eaglehawk Eagles 9.11 (65) d Quarry Hill 3.5 (23), Huntly 9.11 (65) d St Therese’s 3.3 (21), White Hills Black 9.14 (68) d Castlemaine 2.0 (12), Maryborough bye.
Under-12C:
Maiden Gully YCW 6.9 (45) d Marong Blue 4.9 (33), Eaglehawk Hawks 4.8 (32) d Kangaroo Flat 3.0 (18), Golden Square 6.13 (49) d Strathfieldsaye 2.6 (18).
Under-12D:
Marong Red 7.2 (44) d St Francis 4.6 (30), South Bendigo (3) 6.6 (42) d Mount Pleasant 3.1 (19), South Bendigo (2) 12.6 (78) d North Bendigo Blue 3.3 (21), St Monica’s 16.9 (105) d Heathcote 3.2 (20).
Under-12E:
Maiden Gully 12.8 (80) d Eaglehawk Two Blues 2.1 (13), North Bendigo Red 6.14 (50) d Strathfieldsaye 3.3 (21), White Hills Red bye.
Under-14 seniors:
Strathfieldsaye 12.11 (83) d Eaglehawk 3.4 (22), Golden Square 15.19 (109) d South Bendigo 3.4 (22), Sandhurst 24.19 (163) d Maiden Gully YCW 1.3 (9).
Under-14 reserves, division one:
Kangaroo Flat 9.9 (63) d Rochester 5.10 (40), White Hills 13.8 (86) d Castlemaine 5.7 (37), Golden Square v Strathfieldsaye n/a.
Under-14 reserves, division two:
Huntly 13.9 (87) d Maiden Gully YCW 7.7 (49), Marong 14.13 (97) d South Bendigo 3.2 (20), Maryborough 15.12 (102) d Sandhurst 1.4 (10).
Under-14 reserves, division three:
White Hills 15.15 (105) d Eaglehawk 4.2 (26), Heathcote 22.11 (143) d North Bendigo 6.5 (41), Strathfieldsaye v Golden Square abandoned, Kangaroo Flat bye.
Under-15 Girls, seniors:
Golden Square 2.7 (19) d Marong 2.2 (14), Strathfieldsaye 9.11 (65) d Eaglehawk 1.1 (7), Sandhurst 32.15 (207) d Kangaroo Flat 0.0 (0), White Hills bye.
Under-15 Girls, reserves:
Sandhurst 6.10 (46) d Strathfieldsaye 4.7 (31), Golden Square 8.5 (53) d Eaglehawk 2.2 (14), Kangaroo Flat 23.10 (148) d Marong 0.0 (0).
Under-16 seniors:
Golden Square 8.15 (63) d South Bendigo 8.10 (58), Sandhurst 20.18 (138) d Maiden Gully YCW 4.5 (29), Strathfieldsaye 20.8 (128) d Maryborough 2.3 (15).
Under-16 reserves, division one:
Huntly 19.12 (126) d Lockington Bamawm United Cats 6.9 (45), Castlemaine 24.16 (160) d Strathfieldsaye 1.2 (8), White Hills bye.
Under-16 reserves, division two:
Maiden Gully YCW 12.7 (79) d South Bendigo 11.11 (77), Sandhurst 6.14 (50) d Marong 6.6 (42), Kangaroo Flat 9.15 (69) d Golden Square 4.5 (29), Rochester 19.11 (125) d 2.6 (18).
League ladders:
Under-12 Girls:
St Therese’s 100 match ratio, 20 points; St Francis Blue 80, 16; White Hills 80, 16; Mount Pleasant 80, 16; Rochester 40, 8; Golden Square 33, 8; Marong 33, 8; St Francis Green 20, 4; Kangaroo Flat 0, 0.
Under-12A:
St Francis 100 match ratio, 24 points; Maiden Gully YCW 83, 20; St Therese’s 83, 20; South Bendigo 50, 12; St Kilian’s-St Peter’s 50, 12; Golden Square 20, 4; Strathfieldsaye 20, 4.
Under-12B:
White Hills Black 66 match ratio, Huntly 66, Maryborough 60, Castlemaine 60, Quarry Hill 50, Eaglehawk Eagles 50, St Therese’s 20.
Under-12C:
Golden Square 20 points, Strathfieldsaye 12, Eaglehawk Hawks 12, Marong Blue 8, Maiden Gully YCW 8, Kangaroo Flat 4.
Under-12D:
South Bendigo (3) 24 points, St Monica’s 12, Marong Red 12, St Francis 12, Mount Pleasant 12, South Bendigo (2) 12, North Bendigo Blue 8, Heathcote 0.
Under-12E:
North Bendigo Red 70 match ratio, Maiden Gully YCW 50, Strathfieldsaye 50, Eaglehawk Two Blues 20, White Hills Red 0.
Under-14 seniors
Sandhurst 24 points, Golden Square 20, Strathfieldsaye 20, Eaglehawk 12, Maiden Gully YCW 8, South Bendigo 4.
Under-14 reserves, division one:
Rochester 16 points, Kangaroo Flat 16, White Hills 12, Strathfieldsaye 12, Castlemaine 12, Golden Square 8.
Under-14 reserves, division two:
Maryborough 16 points, Marong 12, South Bendigo 12, Huntly 12, Maiden Gully YCW 8, Sandhurst 4.
Under-14 reserves, division three:
White Hills 66 match ratio, Golden Square 50, Heathcote 40, Strathfieldsaye 40, North Bendigo 40, Kangaroo Flat 20, Eaglehawk 0.
Under-15 Girls, seniors:
Sandhurst 100 match ratio, 20 points; Strathfieldsaye 80, 16; White Hills 60, 12; Golden Square 50, 12; Marong 40, 8; Eaglehawk 20, 4; Kangaroo Flat 20, 4.
Under-15 Girls, reserves:
Sandhurst 20 points, Kangaroo Flat 16, Strathfieldsaye 16, Golden Square 12, Eaglehawk 4, Marong 0.
Under-16 seniors:
Sandhurst 91 match ratio, Strathfieldsaye 80, South Bendigo 50, Maryborough 50, Golden Square 33, Maiden Gully YCW 33.
Under-16 reserves, division one:
Castlemaine 80 match ratio, Huntly 66, Lockington Bamawm United Cats 66, Strathfieldsaye 50, White Hills 20.
Under-16 reserves, division two:
Rochester 66 match ratio, Sandhurst 66, Maiden Gully YCW 66, South Bendigo 50, Marong 33, Kangaroo Flat 20, Golden Square 16, Huntly 0.