BY NATHAN DOLE
THERE were several closely-fought matches in last weekend’s finale to the home and away series in the IGA-backed Bendigo Junior Football League season.
For many teams round 16 was their last hit-out of ’23, but for others it was the build-up to finals action.
In the under-18 girls’ competition, Woorinen marked a 10-point victory in Sunday’s match with Golden Square at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Tigers’ captain Brydi Lewis and vice-captain Samantha Johnston kicked three goals apiece in a 46-36 victory for Woorinen.
Golden Square’s attack was led by Maggie Byrne and Jayda Lockwood on two.
Best for Woorinen were Gaby Sanford, Emilie Ward, Madison Johnston and Erin Johnston.
Jayda Lockwood, Gemma Roberts, Mackenzie Bickley and Maggie Byrne played well for the blue and gold.
It took until the final round, but Sandhurst celebrated a long-awaited win.
The Dragons were fired up from the start at California Gully and went on to claim a 71-11 victory against Eaglehawk.
Amelia Grist kicked six goals for Sandhurst as Scout Carmody added two.
Best for the maroon and blue were Amelia Grist, Madison Burgess, Scout Carmody and Chloe Taylor.
Mackenzie Gard, Jorja Gibson, Mary Fisher and Poppy McPherson worked hard for the Hawks.
In the under-16 seniors competition, Eaglehawk overcame a 19-point deficit at quarter-time to beat Strathfieldsaye by two points on the Borough’s turf at Canterbury Park.
Storm surged to a 20-1 lead by quarter-time and led 27-18 at the main break.
The Hawks fought back to win the third term, 20-9.
Both teams added 3.1 in the last as the Hawks took the points in a 57-55 result.
James Coates-Moore kicked two goals for the Two Blues.
Storm’s attack was led by Ari Morrissey, Jaerin Tuohey and Alex Wingrave on two each.
Best for Eaglehawk were Anderson Pithie, Isaiah Phillips-Adams, James Coates-Moore and William Malone.
Alex Wingrave, Jake Schubert, Tye Allan and Jack Molloy played well for Strathfieldsaye.
Golden Square won the under-12A match against Strathfieldsaye by two points.
Ryan McLean kicked both of the Bulldogs goals in a 13-11 win at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street.
Zander Walker was on target for Storm.
Best for Golden Square were Ryan McLean, Logan Cattanach, Evan Doye and Chase Brown.
Storm’s best were Angus McIntosh, Charlie Giddings, Jed Monaghan and Campbell Cavill.
Two points was the margin in the under-12B match between St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold and St Therese’s.
The St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold team led 33-26 at half-time before the Sharks bit back to win the third quarter, 13-2.
The last went Gold’s way, 14-8, to clinch a 49-47 victory.
Wesley Scholtes was in hot form as he kicked five goals for St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold.
His feat was matched by Xavier Mulqueen for the Sharks.
Best for Gold were Wesley Scholtes, Elijah Willits, Harry Wells and Vander Martin.
Levi Bell, Xavier Mulqueen, Jack Holland and Archie McCullough were best for the Sharks.
Bendigo JFL week 16 scoreboard:
Under-12 Girls:
St Therese’s 8.4 (52) d Golden Square 4.10 (34), White Hills 5.5 (35) lt Marong 8.10 (58), St Francis of the Field 11.15 (81) d Eaglehawk 3.3 (21), Mount Pleasant bye.
Under-14 Girls:
Eaglehawk 0.1 (1) lt White Hills 7.9 (51), Kangaroo Flat 9.8 (62) lt Golden Square 1.1 (7), Strathfieldsaye 7.4 (46) d Sandhurst 3.7 (25), Marong bye.
Under-16 Girls:
Bye for all teams – Castlemaine, Golden Square, Sandhurst, and Strathfieldsaye.
Under-18 Girls:
Golden Square 5.6 (36) lt Woorinen 7.4 (46), Eaglehawk 1.5 (11) lt Sandhurst 10.11 (71), White Hills bye.
Under-12A:
White Hills Black 5.8 (38) d St Therese’s 4.1 (25), Golden Square 2.1 (13) d Strathfieldsaye 1.5 (11), St Francis of the Field 3.4 (22) lt Maiden Gully YCW 9.12 (66).
Under-12B:
St Therese’s 7.5 (47) lt St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold 6.13 (49), Eaglehawk Eagles 10.9 (69) d Maryborough 8.7 (55), Quarry Hill 11.13 (79) d Strathfieldsaye 2.3 (15), South Bendigo 3.6 (24) lt Castlemaine 7.8 (50), Huntly Gold bye.
Under-12C:
Golden Square 5.6 (36) lt St Monica’s 7.5 (47), Kangaroo Flat 3.1 (19) lt Maiden Gully YCW 3.4 (22), St Francis of the Field 9.12 (66) d Huntly Brown 4.3 (27), St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Green 0.6 (6) lt Heathcote 16.11 (107), Marong 10.11 (71) d Strathfieldsaye 2.2 (14), St Therese’s 1.0 (6) lt Eaglehawk Hawks 10.4 (64).
Under-12D:
Eaglehawk Two Blues 2.7 (19) lt Maiden Gully YCW 7.6 (48), North Bendigo 3.1 (19) lt White Hills Red 5.8 (38), South Bendigo 0.0 (0) lt Strathfieldsaye 20.15 (135), Golden Square bye.
Under-14 seniors:
Strathfieldsaye 11.14 (80) d Golden Square 2.6 (18), Sandhurst 17.19 (121) d South Bendigo 4.3 (27), Eaglehawk 13.7 (85) d Maiden Gully YCW 11.7 (73).
Under-14 reserves, division one:
Castlemaine 10.10 (70) d Rochester 3.4 (22), Kangaroo Flat 7.3 (45) lt Huntly Gold 16.8 (104), Strathfieldsaye 7.8 (50) d Marong 3.10 (28).
Under-14 reserves, division two:
Sandhurst 16.13 (109) d Strathfieldsaye 4.5 (29), White Hills 4.9 (33) lt Maryborough 7.13 (55), South Bendigo 15.16 (106) d Huntly Brown 5.4 (34).
Under-14 reserves, division three:
South Bendigo 1.5 (11) lt Kangaroo Flat 6.14 (50), North Bendigo 2.4 (16) lt Maiden Gully YCW 21.24 (150), Golden Square bye.
Under-16 seniors:
Eaglehawk 8.9 (57) d Strathfieldsaye 8.7 (55), Sandhurst Navy 11.12 (78) d Castlemaine 10.9 (69), Maiden Gully YCW 11.11 (77) d Rochester 3.8 (26), Golden Square 12.16 (88) d Maryborough 3.3 (21), Sandhurst Maroon 20.8 (128) d South Bendigo 2.1 (13).
Under-16 reserves, division one:
Strathfieldsaye 15.7 (97) d Golden Square 5.2 (32), Kangaroo Flat 27.18 (180) d Huntly 2.4 (16), White Hills Black bye.
Under-16 reserves, division two:
Maiden Gully YCW 21.10 (136) d Marong 5.4 (34), White Hills Red 1.2 (8) lt Lockington Bamawm United Cats 23.20 (158).
Ladders after 16 rounds:
Under-12 Girls:
St Therese’s 100 match ratio, 44 points; Golden Square 81, 36; St Francis of the Field 66, 32; Eaglehawk 45, 20; Marong 27, 12; Mount Pleasant 18, 8; White Hills 9, 4.
Under-14 Girls:
White Hills 100 match ratio, Sandhurst 78, Strathfieldsaye 71, Kangaroo Flat 42, Eaglehawk 34, Golden Square 17, Marong 0.
Under-16 Girls:
Sandhurst 56 points, Strathfieldsaye 36, Golden Square 14, Castlemaine 10.
Under-18 Girls:
White Hills 90 match ratio, Woorinen 84, Golden Square 33, Eaglehawk 33, Sandhurst 8.
Under-12A:
Strathfieldsaye 60 points, Golden Square 56, White Hills Black 36, Maiden Gully YCW 32, St Therese’s 16, St Francis of the Field 8.
Under-12B:
South Bendigo 80 match ratio, St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold 78, Castlemaine 66, Quarry Hill 60, Huntly Gold 42, Eaglehawk Eagles 42, St Therese’s 40, Maryborough 28, Strathfieldsaye 7.
Under-12C:
Marong 48 points, St Monica’s 44, Eaglehawk Hawks 44, Maiden Gully YCW 40, Heathcote 38, Kangaroo Flat 36, St Francis of the Field 36, Strathfieldsaye 28, Golden Square 26, St Therese’s 24, Huntly Brown 8, St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Green 8.
Under-12D:
Not available.
Under-14 seniors:
Sandhurst 60 points, Strathfieldsaye 56, South Bendigo 32, Golden Square 32, Eaglehawk 20, Maiden Gully YCW 12.
Under-14 reserves, division one:
Huntly Gold 50 points, Strathfieldsaye 48, Marong 26, Castlemaine 24, Kangaroo Flat 20, Rochester 16.
Under-14 reserves, division two:
South Bendigo 80 match ratio, Maryborough 73, Sandhurst 50, White Hills 43, Huntly Brown 37, Strathfieldsaye 12.
Under-14 reserves, division three:
Golden Square 76 match ratio, Maiden Gully YCW 64, South Bendigo 53, Kangaroo Flat 30, North Bendigo 0.
Under-16 seniors:
Sandhurst Maroon 93 match ratio, Golden Square 81, Maryborough 68, South Bendigo 56, Strathfieldsaye 53, Sandhurst Navy 43, Maiden Gully YCW 43, Rochester 31, Eaglehawk 31, Castlemaine 18.
Under-16 reserves, division one:
White Hills Black 84 match ratio, Kangaroo Flat 71, Strathfieldsaye 42, Huntly 35, Golden Square 15.
Under-16 reserves, division two:
Lockington Bamawm United Cats 87 match ratio, Maiden Gully YCW 56, White Hills Red 20, Marong 6.