BY NATHAN DOLE
SOUTH Bendigo’s rising stars were in top four across the fourth weekend of the Bendigo Bank Junior Football League season.
It was the final week of grading for under-12 Mixed, under-14 Mixed, and under-16 Boys competitions as the under-14, 16 and 18 girls’ played for premiership points.
There was plenty of footy action as the keen youngsters racked up the kicks, marks, handpasses and goals in the under-9 and under-10 non-competitive matches.
Several of South Bendigo’s matches were at the club’s new home at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington.
In under-12 Mixed, South Bendigo (1) played Castlemaine.
The Bloods were down 10-13 at half-time, but then scored 2.4 to nil in the third term.
South Bendigo kicked away for a 35-13 victory.
Best for the Bloods were Callum Fyffe, Blaine Anderson, Harvey Long, Cael White, Hadley Galea and Kyah Weeks.
In another under-12 Mixed match, South Bendigo (2) took on Eaglehawk Two Blues.
The Bloods won 76-4 as Hunter Pearce and Taj Williams kicked three goals, and Harry Sheldrick added two.
Best for South Bendigo were Duke Thurgood, Callum Cassidy, Hunter Fitzallen, Daniel Williams, Kale King and Patrick O’Connor.
South Bendigo (1) faced Golden Square seniors in the under-14 Mixed match at Harry Trott Oval.
The Bloods had plenty of chances in the first half, but scored 1.8 as the Bulldogs added 3.2.
In the third term Golden Square kicked away as it added 5.3 to just three behinds.
At the final siren the blue and gold led 61-26.
Goalkickers for South Bendigo were Will de Vries and Xavier Moore.
Best for the Bloods were Harry Pratt-Baird, Harry Warne, Rylan Newman, Zavier Ralphs and Arkie Rooke.
South Bendigo (2) won every quarter on its way to a 75-24 result against Strathfieldsaye reserves (2) in the under-14 Mixed match at Harry Trott Oval.
The Bloods led 39-16 at half-time and then scored 4.1 to nil in the third term.
Ted Coombs, Mitchell McCann and Zac Mitchell all kicked two goals.
Best for South Bendigo were Wilbur Martin, Hale McIntosh, Thomas McMurray, Charles Sullivan, Thomas Henderson and Harper Fitzallen.
South Bendigo (3) had the bye.
In the under-16 Boys’ competition, South Bendigo kicked 11 goals in a 72-15 victory against Maiden Gully YCW.
The Bloods led 19-11 at quarter-time and added 3.1 to nil in the second.
Jack Bell kicked a match-high six goals for the red and white as Lachlan Bice, two; Miller Coad, Kade Hutchinson and Jasper Irwin were all on target.
Best for South Bendigo were Toby Hardingham, Luke Feuerherdt, Nicholas Masullo, Jasper Irwin, Mitchell Clark and Jack Bell.
Bendigo JFL week four scoreboard:
Under-12 Girls:
Mt Pleasant 0.2 (2) lt Golden Square 14.12 (96), St Therese’s 6.7 (43) d St Francis of the Field 1.1 (7), White Hills v Eaglehawk not supplied, Marong bye.
Under-14 Girls:
Golden Square 0.0 (0) lt Strathfieldsaye 7.13 (55), White Hills 9.10 (64) d Sandhurst 2.2 (14), Eaglehawk 1.9 (15) d Marong 0.2 (2), Kangaroo Flat bye.
Under-16 Girls:
Sandhurst 14.19 (103) d Strathfieldsaye 0.1 (1), Golden Square v Castlemaine pending.
Under-12 Mixed, grading:
Maiden Gully YCW (3) 2.6 (18) lt Golden Square (3) 3.11 (29), Strathfieldsaye D 1.0 (6) lt Golden Square (2) 15.14 (104), Huntly Brown 3.6 (24) lt St Kilian’s-St Peter’s 4.2 (26), Eaglehawk Hawks 8.5 (53) d Kangaroo Flat 2.2 (14), South Bendigo (2) 11.10 (76) d Eaglehawk Two Blues 0.4 (4), St Kilian’s-St Peter’s Gold 3.10 (28) d Maryborough 2.3 (15), St Therese’s (3) 6.3 (39) lt Heathcote 7.6 (48), Strathfieldsaye B 5.5 (35) lt St Therese’s (2) 7.6 (48), Maiden Gully YCW (1) 2.3 (15) lt White Hills Black 5.9 (39), Strathfieldsaye C 6.4 (40) d St Francis of the Field (2) 5.8 (38), Marong 1.3 (9) lt Huntly Gold 7.5 (47), St Monica’s 9.12 (66) d Maiden Gully YCW (2) 4.3 (27), White Hills Red 3.6 (24) d North Bendigo 3.5 (23), Eaglehawk Eagles 7.3 (45) lt Quarry Hill 9.11 (65), South Bendigo (1) 4.11 (35) d Castlemaine 2.1 (13), St Therese’s (1) 3.4 (22) lt Golden Square (1) 5.3 (33), Strathfieldsaye A 6.9 (45) d St Francis of the Field (1) 1.3 (9).
Under-14 Mixed, grading:
Huntly Brown 1.3 (9) lt Sandhurst res 4.14 (38), Kangaroo Flat (2) 25.18 (168) d North Bendigo 3.3 (21), South Bendigo (2) 11.9 (75) d Strathfieldsaye res (2) 3.6 (24), Huntly Gold 3.3 (21) lt Sandhurst snrs 12.14 (86), Kangaroo Flat 4.2 (26) lt Strathfieldsaye snrs 27.25 (187), South Bendigo (1) 2.14 (26) lt Golden Square snrs 9.7 (61), White Hills 3.3 (21) lt Rochester 15.10 (100), Eaglehawk 9.15 (69) d Maiden Gully YCW (1) 7.7 (49), Marong 11.10 (76) d Castlemaine 7.8 (50), Golden Square res 5.6 (36) d Maiden Gully YCW (2) 3.6 (24), Strathfieldsaye res (1) 22.22 (154) d Maryborough 2.3 (15), South Bendigo (3) bye.
Under-16 Boys, grading:
Eaglehawk 12.18 (90) d Castlemaine 5.4 (34), Sandhurst res 8.5 (53) d Rochester 7.8 (50), Sandhurst snrs 11.10 (76) d Golden Square snrs 4.3 (27), Huntly 14.25 (109) d Maiden Gully YCW (2) 1.1 (7), South Bendigo (1) 11.6 (72) d Maiden Gully YCW 1.9 (15), Golden Square res 0.1 (1) lt White Hills Black 15.21 (111), Lockington Bamawm United Cats 13.14 (92) d White Hills Red 0.2 (2), Marong 5.3 (33) lt Strathfieldsaye res 15.20 (110), Kangaroo Flat 1.3 (9) lt Maryborough 13.23 (101), Strathfieldsaye snrs bye.