BY NATHAN DOLE
THERE were many closely-fought matches in the weekend’s start to the IGA-backed Bendigo Junior Football League’s finals series.
Action began on Friday night under lights at Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve when the under-12 girls took to the field.
St Therese’s scored a big win against Golden Square in the second semi-final.
The Sharks won 7.15 (57) to 0.0 (0).
A list of best players for St Therese’s was not supplied.
Best for Golden Square were Matilda Smith, Sihanna Carter, Jessica Dowdell, Shyleeka Wellington, Charlotte Carr and Katie Graham.
St Francis of the Field scored a six-goal win against Eaglehawk in the first semi-final.
Best for St Francis in a 48-12 victory were Scarlett Woodmore, Marlie Skinner, Alice Fraser, Pippa Tyler, Maggie Millar and Jemma Campbell.
Chelsea Korp, Donna Vallance, Sway Metcalf, Billie Moss, and Maggie Pollock played well for Eaglehawk.
The consolation final between the sixth and seventh was played by Mount Pleasant and White Hills.
The Blues marked a 27-21 win against the Demons.
A list of Mount Pleasant’s best was not supplied.
Best for White Hills were Amber Morley, Shay Pearce, Isabel McClellan, Lola McGrath, Destiny McGauley and Phoebe Pedersen.
The under-14 girls first semi-final between Strathfieldsaye and Kangaroo Flat was played on Sunday at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
Storm surged to a 65-1 victory against the Kangaroos.
Strathfieldsaye’s best were Dempsey McDonnell, Jordan O’Bree, Lara Cockerall, Ava Dickson and Tahlia Andrews.
Caoimhe Carthy, Aliza Beith, Charlotte Wylie, Mia Berryman, Miller Lindrea and Eheh Soe played well for Kangaroo Flat.
It was a one-point margin between Golden Square and Castlemaine in the under-16 girls first semi played at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Castlemaine led 13-6 at half-time, but Square fought back to make it 14-all at a quarter to go.
The blue and gold scored two points and held the Magpies to just one in the last to complete a 16-15 victory.
Best for Golden Square were Lucy Johansen, Luci Kornmann, Gemma McPhee, Makayla Roberts, Ella Meharry and Tiara Davis.
Chelsea Cole, Kate Batchelor, Lori Whaley, Tegan Barry, Chloe Drew and Chloe Butcher were best for the Magpies.
Golden Square scored a 35-point win on its turf against Eaglehawk in the under-18 girls first semi-final.
Mackenzie Bickley, Jayda Lockwood, Gabrielle Drage, Shelby Boldiston, Ava Barker and Abby Weir were best in a 55-20 victory for the blue and gold.
Best for Eaglehawk were Jorja Gibson, Neve Nisbet, Charlotte Liddy, Mackenzie Gard, Jetah Keighran and Poppy McPherson.
The under-12A first semi-final ended in a 45-4 win for Maiden Gully YCW Eagles against White Hills Black on Sunday at Winslow Constructors Oval in White Hills.
Best for the Eagles were Darby Thomson, Tommy Evans, Nate Ralton, Jack Hargreaves, Nash James and Jake Farley.
Blaik Young, Xander Baerken, Lon Schelfhout, Miller Polglase, Jack Yates and Hunter Sloan were best for the Demons.
Quarry Hill scored a 10-goal win against Huntly Gold in the under-12 elimination final.
Best for the Demons in the 69-9 victory were Henry Cooney, Sebastian Doak, Oliver Lalor, Sean Maher, Tahj Peters and Isaac Ely.
Isaac Plant, James Clark, Ollie Wright, Kynan Manson, Hugo Marwood and Blake Maher were Huntly’s best.
The qualifying final ended in a 36-27 win for Castlemaine against St Kilian’-St Peter’s Gold.
Best for the Magpies were Charlie Cordy, Declan Brasher, Louis Parsons, Spencer Grainger, Finn Morgan and Abraham Harrington.
Callan McCarthy, Rocky Bergin, Wesley Scholtes, Eddie Mansfield, Elijah Willits and Noah Maltby played well for St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold.
In the under-12C competition, St Monica’s marked a 46-18 win against Eaglehawk Hawks in the qualifying final.
Best for St Monica’s were Aidan Keena, Mason Roulston, Declan Bonnici, Raff Gallagher, Henry Sherwood and Oliver Hawking.
Rhys Kidd Whyte, Jaia Richardson, Lucas Hunt, Jack Hocking, Jake Bumpstead and Ku Law Saw played well for the Hawks.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles stayed in the premiership race after a 60-2 win against Heathcote in the elimination final.
Best for the Eagles were Ahston Hutton, Jagger Benaim, Kele Evans, Tyson Drum, Marcus Thomas and Henry Rossignuolo.
Jake Aquilina, Jesse Mitchell, Noah Barrett, Hunter Harvey, James Lawlor and Cody Gellatly were best for the Saints.
It was a dramatic finish to the under-12D first semi-final between Golden Square and North Bendigo at Fur Life Oval in Golden Square.
At three quarter-time, Golden Square led 24-9.
In the last it was the Bulldogs from the north who charged home to score 4.3.
A tally of 2.2 in the last term was enough for Golden Square to claim a 38-36 victory.
Best for Golden Square were Lachlan Barker, Jarrod Carmichael, Noah Smith, Isaac Taylor, Jack Everett and Joshua Jones-O’Brien.
Riley Thompson, Brody Baldwin, Emily Wybar, Ethan Miller, Nevaeh Armstrong and Liam Kerr played well for the red, white and blue.
South Bendigo won the under-14 seniors first semi-final against Golden Square by 45 points.
Xavier Moore, Harry Warne, Will de Vries, Zavier Ralphs, Lachlan Bray and Lucas Rinaldi were best in a 90-45 win by the Bloods.
Golden Square’s best were Jake Rosa, Billy Buhagiar, Zack Dowdell, Oisin Dunn, Mack Skinner and Charlie Macumber.
First semi-final in the under-14 reserves, division one competition ended in a 45-37 win for Marong against Castlemaine.
Best for the Panthers were William Hope, Oliver Steen, Tayte Tyler, Harry Allison, Harry Wilson and Caleb Dudderidge.
Levi Bruce, Max Matheson, Harper Kneebone, Logan Browne-Kerr, Duncan Staples and Zachary Thompson played well for the Magpies.
White Hills won the first semi in the under-14 reserves, division two competition.
The Demons fired up to record a 53-9 win against Sandhurst.
Best for White Hills were Tommy Byrne, Campbell and Toby Fraser, Liam Boxshall, Hugh Bain and Angus McInerney.
Ben Jorgensen, Seth Fuller, Finnigan Parker, Ryder Argus, Jack Newton and Zavier Fuller were Sandhurst’s best.
South Bendigo scored a 38-29 win against Kangaroo Flat in the first semi for the under-14 reserves, division three competition.
The Bloods’ best were Darcy Ford, Riley Logan-Keegan, Darcy France, Paw Si, Sonny Tuckerman and Levi Byrnes.
Kangaroo Flat’s best were Max Gould, Dominic McWilliams, Cooper Lower, Robert Leech, Archer Caddy and Jackson Thatcher.
The under-16 seniors played qualifying finals and elimination finals across Blue and Gold divisions.
In the blue qualifying final, Golden Square beat Maryborough, 85-65.
Best for the Bulldogs were Archie Eaton, Xavier Grant, Tom Kuchel, Charlie Mortimer, Ryan Brown and Jeremy Corr.
Zac Cicchini, Archie Chadwick, Mitch Stork, William Soulsby, Cooper Mark and Campbell Wood played well for the Magpies.
The blue elimination final ended in a 91-30 win for South Bendigo against Strathfieldsaye.
Best for the Bloods were Jasper Irwin, Aydin Price, Harry Purcell, Louis Eddy, Toby Hardingham and Angus Martin.
Brock Greenwood, Tye Allan, Jack Molloy, Deklan Cleave, Harrison Whitfield and Fletch Watchman were Storm’s best.
Maiden Gully YCW won the gold qualifying final against Rochester by 38 points.
Matt Holmes, Darcy Brown, Finn Mulcair, Cahal Blandthorn, Zach Whalen and Riley Doorty were best as the Eagles flew to a 75-37 victory.
Rory Hayes, Oliver Williams, Matthew Harrington, Jordy Rasmussen, Harrison Keating and Lachlan Joyce played well for the Rochester Tigers.
It was a clash between the Hawks and Magpies as Eaglehawk took on Castlemaine in the gold elimination final.
Victory went the Borough’s way, 93-31.
Best for Eaglehawk were Logan Moss, Kobi MacDonald, Deacon Marsh, Lachlan Wilson, Tyson Taylor and Noah Jorgensen-Slimmon.
Blake Barker, Sonny Robertson, Chaz Holman, Mitchell McKnight, Magnus Britton and Ben Jardine played well for the Magpies.
A high-scoring first semi between under-16 reserves, division one teams Strathfieldsaye and Huntly ended in a 110-34 win for Storm.
Best for Strathfieldsaye were Cooper Lacey, James Connor, Jack Oldham, Jaxon Smith and Nathan Jones-Stibbe.
Jack Mullane, Kye Fitzpatrick, Noah Pellegrino, Charlie Cowan, Thomas Biggs and Harley Matthews played well for the Huntly Hawks.
In the first semi for under-16 reserves, division two it was White Hills Red which marked a 96-27 win against Marong.
Best for White Hills were Brodie Sleeth, Kobie Nieto, Noah Wilson, Will Runnalls, Tylan Ready and Ashton Oehms.
Jacob Larson, Lewis Lonsdale, Liam Henson, Tyson Wakefield and Seth Miller played well for the Panthers.
Bendigo Junior Football League’s scoreboard from week one of the ’23 finals series:
Under-12 Girls:
Semi-final, 1 v 2 – St Therese’s 7.15 (57) d Golden Square 0.0 (0).
Semi-final, 3 v 4 – St Francis of the Field 7.6 (48) d Eaglehawk 2.0 (12).
Consolation final, 6 v 7 – Mount Pleasant 4.3 (27) d White Hills 3.3 (21).
Under-14 girls:
First semi-final – Strathfieldsaye 9.11 (65) d Kangaroo Flat 0.1 (1).
Under-16 Girls:
First semi-final – Golden Square 2.4 (16) d Castlemaine 2.3 (15).
Under-18 Girls:
First semi-final – Golden Square 7.13 (55) d Eaglehawk 2.8 (20).
Under-12A:
First semi-final – White Hills Black 0.4 (4) lt Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 6.9 (45).
Under-12B:
Elimination final – Quarry Hill 10.9 (69) d Huntly Gold. 1.3 (9).
Qualifying final – St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold 4.3 (27) lt Castlemaine 5.6 (36).
Under-12C:
Qualifying final – St Monica’s 7.4 (46) d Eaglehawk Hawks 2.6 (18).
Elimination final – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 8.12 (60) d Heathcote 0.2 (2).
Under-12D:
First semi-final – Golden Square 5.8 (38) d North Bendigo 5.6 (36).
Under-14 seniors:
First semi-final – South Bendigo 13.12 (90) d Golden Square 6.9 (45).
Under-14 reserves, division one:
First semi-final – Marong 6.9 (45) d Castlemaine 5.7 (37).
Under-14 reserves, division two:
First semi-final – Sandhurst 1.3 (9) lt White Hills 6.17 (53).
Under-14 reserves, division three:
First semi-final – South Bendigo 4.14 (38) d Kangaroo Flat 4.5 (29).
Under-16 seniors:
Gold, qualifying final – Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 11.9 (75) d Rochester 5.7 (37).
Gold, elimination final – Eaglehawk 14.9 (93) d Castlemaine 4.7 (31).
Blue, qualifying final – Golden Square 13.7 (85) d Maryborough 9.11 (65).
Blue, elimination final – South Bendigo 13.13 (91) d Strathfieldsaye 4.6 (30).
Under-16 reserves, division one:
First semi-final – Strathfieldsaye 17.8 (110) d Huntly 5.4 (34).
Under-16 reserves, division two:
First semi-final: White Hills Red 14.12 (96) d Marong 4.3 (27).
Week two of the finals series kicks off this Friday night in White Hills when the under-12 girls play under the lights at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street.
Golden Square will play St Francis of the Field, and Marong takes on Mount Pleasant.
Schedule for next weekend’s semi-finals.
Under-14 Girls, 2nd semi: White Hills v Sandhurst, 9am on Sunday at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-16 Girls, 2nd semi: Sandhurst v Strathfieldsaye, 12.05pm on Sunday at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-18 Girls, 2nd semi: White Hills v Woorinen, 12.05pm on Sunday at Dower Park, Kangaroo Flat.
Under-12A, 2nd semi: Strathfieldsaye v Golden Square, 9am on Sunday at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-12B, 2nd semi: South Bendigo v Castlemaine, 12pm on Sunday at Camp Reserve, Castlemaine.
Under-12B, 1st semi: St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold v Quarry Hill, 9.20am on Sunday at Camp Reserve, Castlemaine.
Under-12C, 1st semi-final: Eaglehawk Hawks v Maiden Gully YCW, 9am on Sunday at Dower Park.
Under-12C, 2nd semi-final: Marong v St Monica’s, 10.40am on Sunday at Camp Reserve, Castlemaine.
Under-12D, 2nd semi: White Hills v Red v Strathfieldsaye, 10.20am on Sunday at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-14 seniors, 2nd semi: Sandhurst v Strathfieldsaye, 10.20am on Sunday at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-14 reserves, division one, 2nd semi: Huntly Gold v Strathfieldsaye, 11.40am on Sunday at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-14 reserves, division two, 2nd semi: South Bendigo v Maryborough, 1.20pm on Sunday at Camp Reserve, Castlemaine.
Under-14 reserves, division three, 2nd semi: Golden Square v Maiden Gully YCW, 1.25pm on Sunday at Enterprise Oval, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-16 seniors:
Blue, 1st semi-final: Maryborough v South Bendigo, 3.05pm on Sunday at Camp Reserve, Castlemaine.
Gold, 1st semi-final: Rochester v Eaglehawk, 1.50pm on Sunday at Dower Park, Kangaroo Flat.
Blue, 2nd semi-final: Sandhurst Maroon v Golden Square, 1.25pm on Sunday at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Gold, 2nd semi-final: Sandhurst Navy v Maiden Gully YCW, 3.10pm on Sunday at Triple M Park, Tannery Lane, Strathfieldsaye.
Under-16 reserves, division one, 2nd semi: White Hills Black v Kangaroo Flat, 3.35pm on Sunday at Dower Park, Kangaroo Flat.
Under-16 reserves, division two, 2nd semi-final: Lockington Bamawm United Cats v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles, 10.20am on Sunday at Dower Park, Kangaroo Flat.