BY NATHAN DOLE
Colbinabbin hops into another grand final
THE Grasshoppers from Colbinabbin are through to another A-grade netball grand final in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL action.
Runner-up in ’23, Colbinabbin will take on Elmore in next Saturday’s clash to decide the competition’s premier team at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Grasshoppers teamed superbly to score a four-goal win against White Hills in Saturday’s preliminary final in Toolleen.
Colbinabbin led 15-10 at quarter-time and 27-22 by the long break.
The Lauren Bowles-coached White Hills struck back to win the third term, 14-11.
Just two goals separated the Grasshoppers and Demons going into what would be the last quarter of the season for one team.
Colbinabbin steadied to win the quarter, 11-9, and the match, 49-45.
For the second year running the reigning A-grade premier which had finished top of the ladder was knocked out after consecutive defeats in the finals.
A goal was the margin when Colbinabbin took on Elmore in the qualifying final at Lockington.
The Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Elmore followed up a 57-56 victory by outplaying White Hills, 64-40 in the second semi-final at Heathcote’s Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve.
It was a thrilling finish to the A-reserve preliminary final between Elmore and White Hills.
The Winslow White Hills Demons led 18-14 at half-time and 25-24 at a quarter to play.
Elmore raised its game to win the last, 11-8, and the match, 35-33.
The Bloods will meet the Harlowe Huntly Hawks in the grand final.
Huntly had a great run across preliminary final day.
In B-grade the Hawks turned a one-goal deficit at half-time into a one-goal lead at a quarter to play against White Hills.
Scores were locked on 37-all at full-time, so the match went into overtime.
The Hawks won extra time, five-two, and celebrated a hard-earned 42-39 victory.
Huntly will play Leitchville Gunbower on grand final day.
Four goals was the margin in the B-reserve match between Huntly and Lockington Bamawm United.
The Hawks raced to a 14-9 lead by quarter-time and led 26-21 by the main break.
LBU struck back to win the third term, 15-13.
A 13-12 result in Huntly’s favour meant the brown and gold led 52-28 at the final siren.
The Hawks take on White Hills in the grand final.
Huntly turned a one-goal deficit at half-time of the 17-and-under match against Lockington Bamawm United into a four goal lead at a quarter to play.
The brown and gold poured in 11 goals in the final term and held the Cats to a tally of seven as it capped a 43-32 victory.
It will be Huntly against Mount Pleasant in the 17-and-under grand final.
Huntly won three of four quarters on its way to a 52-35 result in the 15-and-under preliminary final against White Hills.
The Hawks led 12-8 at quarter-time and 23-20 by the main break.
Huntly’s ability to capitalise on its work in defence and mid-court meant it won the next two terms, 16-8 and 13-7.
Mount Pleasant will face the Huntly Hawks on grand final day.
The Cats took on the Bloods as Lockington Bamawm United met Elmore in the 13-and-under preliminary final.
LBU led 16-14 at quarter-time and dominated most of the second as it scored nine goals and held the Bloods to a tally of three.
By the final siren the Cats led 40-29 to earn a place with Leitchville Gunbower on grand final day.
Heathcote DFNL netball preliminary finals scoreboard:
A-grade: Colbinabbin 49 d White Hills 45.
A-reserve: Elmore 35 d White Hills 33.
B-grade: Huntly 42 d White Hills 39.
B-reserve: Huntly 52 d Lockington Bamawm United 48.
17-and-under: Huntly 43 d Lockington Bamawm United 32.
15-and-under: Huntly 52 d White Hills 35.
13-and-under: Lockington Bamawm United 40 d Elmore 29.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve:
13-and-under at 8.30am, court two: Leitchville Gunbower v Lockington Bamawm United.
17-and-under at 8.30am, court one: Mount Pleasant v Huntly.
15-and-under at 10am, court two: Mount Pleasant v Huntly.
B-grade at 10am, court one: Leitchville Gunbower v Huntly.
B-reserve at 11.30am, court one: White Hills v Huntly.
A-reserve at 1pm, court one: Huntly v Elmore.
A-grade at 2.30pm, court one: Elmore v Colbinabbin.