THERE were dramatic finishes to many of last weekend’s Bendigo Bank Bendigo Junior Football League first and second semi-finals.
Spectators watched great contests unfold at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park, Toolleen Recreation Reserve, and White Hills Recreation Reserve.
In the under-16A competition, South Bendigo stayed in the premiership race as it won the first semi-final against Sandhurst by a point.
The Bloods were up 54-53 when the final siren sounded in Toolleen.
South Bendigo will now take on Strathfieldsaye in the preliminary final.
The Strathfieldsaye Storm line-up is on the rebound from a four-point loss to Golden Square in the second semi-final which was played in White Hills.
Storm led 42-36 going into the final quarter, but it was the Bulldogs who finished with plenty of run to score two goals as Strathfieldsaye added two points.
A 48-44 victory put Golden Square into the grand final.
Five points was the margin at the end of the under-16B second semi-final between Strathfieldsaye and Eaglehawk.
The Hawks soared to a 33-18 lead by quarter-time and was up 40-38 at half-time and 62-57 going into the final term.
Strathfieldsaye fired up to win the last quarter, 20-10.
Eaglehawk will now meet Golden Square in the preliminary final.
A 17-point victory for Strathfieldsaye against Golden Square put Storm in the under-15 Girls preliminary final.
The Storm surged to a 36-19 win against the blue and gold in White Hills.
It was the clash of the Sandhurst teams as Navy faced White in the second semi-final at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
Navy led 21-14 at half-time and 29-15 going into the last quarter.
White finished strongly to score 1.3, but it was Navy which marked a 31-24 victory.
An unbeaten run for Sandhurst’s under-14A team kept rolling.
The Dragons marked a 22-point win against South Bendigo in the second semi-final in Toolleen.
Harry Rees kicked three goals as Quinn Casey and Samuel Davie added two each in a 65-43 win by the maroon and blue.
Strathfieldsaye charged to a 47-point win against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the under-14A first semi-final.
Scout Davies kicked five goals as Tommy Harrop booted three in a 101-54 victory.
South Bendigo is through to the under-14B grand final after the young Bloods beat Castlemaine in the second semi-final in Kangaroo Flat by 21 points.
Archer Griffin and Hudson Membrey kicked two goals in a 72-51 result.
It was a closely-fought under-14B first semi-final between Sandhurst and Kangaroo Flat.
The Dragons won 67-59 on the Kangaroos’ ground at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Dower Park.
Marong won the under-14C second semi-final against South Bendigo by 73 points.
Hudson Schneider kicked six goals to be best-on-ground as Chase Neal slotted three majors in a 94-21 victory in Toolleen.
South Bendigo advanced to the under-12A grand final after a 50-19 victory in the second semi-final against St Therese’s in Toolleen.
It was a 10-point margin between White Hills and Marong in the under-12B second semi-final in White Hills.
The Demons played well on their Scott Street ground to record a 30-20 victory.
St Kilian’s-St Peter’s outplayed Maiden Gully YCW Eagles to win the under-12C second semi-final in Kangaroo Flat by 38 points.
The Saints from Heathcote won the under-12D second semi-final against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by nine points.
Jack Tobin kicked two goals in a 30-21 victory in Toolleen.
The Eagles will now meet Kangaroo Flat in the preliminary final after the Roos won the first semi-final against Strathfieldsaye at Dower Park by 21 points.
Under-12 Girls:
First semi-final:
South Bendigo Red 3.4 (22) d Eaglehawk Hawks 0.0 (0).
GOALS – South Bendigo Red: Mayah McClelland, Remi Morrice, Bowie Thurgood.
BEST – South Bendigo Red: Remi Morrice, Ruby Wilson, Ella Frankum, Darcy Ketterer-Smith, Mayah McClelland, Bowie Thurgood. Eaglehawk Hawks: Grace Merlo, Laura Anderson, Lara Hendy, Abigail Grant, Alexis Thompson.
Semi-finals weekend kicked off with Friday night’s under-12 Girls matches on the Scott Street ground in White Hills.
Rochester Tigers charged to a 44-13 win against St Francis Green in the second semi-final.
Captain Frankie Hay kicked five goals as Mackenzie Harvey added two majors for the yellow and black.
After finishing the home-and-away series on top of the ladder, St Francis Green now faces South Bendigo Red in the preliminary final.
The first match on a big weekend of action ended in a 22-nil win for South Bendigo against Eaglehawk Hawks.
Bendigo Bank Bendigo Junior Football League semi-finals scoreboard:
Under-12 Girls:
First semi-final:
South Bendigo Red 3.4 (22) d Eaglehawk Hawks 0.0 (0).
GOALS – South Bendigo Red: Mayah McClelland, Remi Morrice, Bowie Thurgood.
BEST – South Bendigo Red: Remi Morrice, Ruby Wilson, Ella Frankum, Darcy Ketterer-Smith, Mayah McClelland, Bowie Thurgood. Eaglehawk Hawks: Grace Merlo, Laura Anderson, Lara Hendy, Abigail Grant, Alexis Thompson.
Second semi-final:
Rochester 7.2 (44) d St Francis Green 2.1 (13).
GOALS – Rochester: Frankie Hay 5, Mackenzie Harvey 2. St Francis Green: Lotti Childs, Albie Tyler.
BEST – Rochester: Frankie Hay, Ella Forde, Ava Rasmussen, Annemarie Smith, Mackenzie Harvey, Sophie Godden. St Francis Green: not supplied.
Under-12A:
Second semi-final:
South Bendigo 7.8 (50) d St Therese’s 3.1 (19).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Zane Cini, Jed Hardinge, Lenny Moroni, Teddy Taylor (only names supplied). St Therese’s: Mason Cluff, Patrick Harris, Bradley Ladson.
BEST – South Bendigo: Hunter Tomlins, Percy Waterman, Nash McMaster, Jed Hardinge (only names supplied). St Therese’s: Thomas Miller, Bradley Ladson, Parker Findlay, Lewis Boxshall, Miles Cameron, Hugo Pertzel.
Under-12B:
Second semi-final:
White Hills 4.6 (30) d Marong 3.2 (20).
GOALS – White Hills: Alby Doran, Kai Johnstone, Eli Kelson, Bill Neyland. Marong: Bentley Bramley, Coby Horne, Rheef Smith.
BEST – White Hills: Oliver Anfuso, Max Clark, Sam Sinclair, Bill Neyland, Jackson Boyd, Sebastian Watts. Marong: Harvey Atkinson, Coby Horne, Odie Healey, Laylah Brown, Aidan Bradley, Mitchell Webster.
Under-12C:
Second semi-final:
St Kilian’s-St Peter’s 8.5 (53) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 2.3 (15).
GOALS – St Kilian’s-St Peter’s: Darcy Fitt 3, George Kornmann 2, Heath Barber, Jude Carter, Josiah Patton. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Frankie Lees, Rylan Rothenberger.
BEST – St Kilian’s-St Peter’s: George Kornmann, Heath Barber, Henry Howitt, William McSweeney, Finn Rees, Riaan Desai. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Louis Kellow, Xavier Wardell, Harrison Billett, Henry Bell, Nate Baird, Jagger Dowler.
Under-12D:
First semi-final:
Kangaroo Flat 5.7 (37) d Strathfieldsaye 2.4 (16).
GOALS – Kangaroo Flat: Cooper Cass 2, Lachlan Boyd, Sonny Hull, Otis Mahon. Strathfieldsaye: Ari Carmichael 2.
BEST – Kangaroo Flat: Koby Carlton, Jelenka Aurisch, Cooper Cass, Lachlan Boyd, Meika Winspear, Luke Bell. Strathfieldsaye: Hamish Scullie, Jimmy Jardine, Izaiah Brown, Karsen Brown, Ari Carmichael, Lincoln Tauelangi.
Second semi-final:
Heathcote 4.6 (30) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 3.3 (21).
GOALS – Heathcote: Jack Tobin 2, Nate Moore. Joshua Vanzin. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Max Young 2, Ryder Lloyd.
BEST – Heathcote: Jax Buccella, Joshua Vanzin, Taj Barrett, Jack Tobin, Tauri Barrett. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Ryder Lloyd, Max Moss, Jackson Jones, Harrison Miller, Jed Evans, Hudson Langtree.
Under-14A:
First semi-final:
Strathfieldsaye 15.11 (101) d Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 8.6 (54).
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Scout Davies 5, Tommy Harrop 3, Hamish Baker 2, Sam Elkington, Declan Hilson, Wynn Jackson, Alex Kelly, Brady McDermott. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: not supplied.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Tommy Harrop, Jordan Sherwell, Scout Davies, Jude Place, Hamish Baker, Harper Brown. Maiden Gully YCW Eagles: Vander Martin, Jimmy Brown, Ethan Van Den Aarsen, Oscar Barras, Lachlan Brown, Jagger Benaim.
Second semi-final:
Sandhurst 10.5 (65) d South Bendigo 5.13 (43).
GOALS – Sandhurst: Harry Rees 3, Quinn Casey, Samuel Davie, 2, Levi Bell, Jack Holland, Xavier Mulqueen. South Bendigo: Will Shadbolt 2, Noah Bell, Henry Macnee, Cooper Smythe.
BEST – Sandhurst: Elijah Willits, Henry Cooney, Kade Cochrane, Oliver Lalor, Levi Bell, Xavier Mulqueen. South Bendigo: Fraser Maddren, William Waters, Charles Kemp, Will Shadbolt, Bennett Kemmer, Archie Coburn.
Under-14B:
First semi-final:
Sandhurst 10.7 (67) d Kangaroo Flat 8.11 (59).
GOALS – Sandhurst: Flynn Watters 2, Bodi Borchard, Brady Brown, Seb Doak, Zach Dyer, Amos Edwards, Hunter Horby, Zach O’Meara, Angus Purdy. Kangaroo Flat: Chase Brown 4, Cian Colbert 2, Roman Grinter, Nate Hargreaves.
BEST – Sandhurst: Angus Purdy, Henry Bannan, Sam Gee, Flynn Watters, Amos Edwards, Hunter Horby. Kangaroo Flat: not supplied.
Second semi-final:
South Bendigo 10.12 (72) d Castlemaine 7.9 (51).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Archer Griffin, Hudson Membrey 2, Ben Baker, Hunter Clemenson Arch Stacey, Duke Thurgood, Taj Williams (only names supplied). Castlemaine: Ted Cordy 4, Jhi McKenzie 2, Jimmy Butler.
BEST – South Bendigo: Ed White, Lucas McCarthy, Darby Kramer, Ben Baker, Archie Clarke, Gus Robertson. Castlemaine: Finn Morgan, Ted Cordy, Mitchell Sturgess, Xavier Britt, Darcy Minster, Jimmy Butler.
Under-14C:
Second semi-final:
Marong 14.10 (94) d South Bendigo 3.3 (21).
GOALS – Marong: Hudson Schneider 6, Chase Neal 3, Jett Austin 2, Oliver Dawborn, Zach Harte, Xan Smit. South Bendigo: Ed Burchell, Davy Huddleston, Koby Shelton.
BEST – Marong: Hudson Schneider, Zach Harte, Jack Cooper, Xan Smit, Jett Austin, Jude Bentley. South Bendigo: Jake Lawrence, Hamish Hibbs, Ethan Shea, Seb Collie, Davy Huddleston, Ed Burchell.
Under-15 Girls:
First semi-final:
Strathfieldsaye 5.6 (36) d Golden Square 3.1 (19).
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Scarlett Woodmore 2, Millie Balic, Colbie O’Bree, Lahni Tyrrell. Golden Square: Jazmine Bowland, Emily Curnow (only names supplied).
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Alex Houghton, Mia Hirst, Lucy Pollock, Greta Pollock, Harper Matthews, Millie Balic. Golden Square: Nina Garden, Danika Bartram, Stella Tully, Lily Gavin, Sophie Bourke, Helena Lang.
Second semi-final:
Sandhurst Navy 4.7 (31) d Sandhurst White 3.6 (24).
GOALS – Sandhurst Navy: Layla Burn, Evie Milner, Ahlyssa Moefaauo, Indi Saunders. Sandhurst White: Stella Rooke 2, Elsie Gretgrix.
BEST – Sandhurst Navy: Evie Milner, Shylah Whittle, Poppy Carter, Alana Borchard, Eliza Chapman, Ariah Whittle. Sandhurst White: Stella Rooke, Isabel Baker, Georgia Bray, Florence Lapthorne, Eden Rooke, Lucy Beasley.
Under-16A:
First semi-final:
South Bendigo 7.12 (54) d Sandhurst 7.11 (53).
GOALS – South Bendigo: Ryder Marriott 3, Jasper Morcombe 2, Noah Poole, Hser Yu Say Wah. Sandhurst: Zion Uerara 3, Beau Butler 2, Kahli McInerney, Lon Schelfhout.
BEST – South Bendigo: Harvey Keating, Hser Yu Say Wah, Thomas McMurray, Ryan Packer, Charlie Cook, Tarkyn Ralphs. Sandhurst: Jamison Westley, Quinlan Cody, Cathal Whelan, Lon Schelfhout, Louis Travaglia, Liam Hubble.
Second semi-final:
Golden Square 7.6 (48) d Strathfieldsaye 6.8 (44).
GOALS – Golden Square: Evan Doye 2, Jack Allen, William Donnelly, Jack Frankel, Hamish Jones, Zane Shevlin. Strathfieldsaye: Zander Walker 4, Alistair Hughes, Henry Strang.
BEST – Golden Square: Francis Walls, Oisin Dunn, Spencer Snell, Zane Shevlin, Nate Bishop, Carter Andrews. Strathfieldsaye: Dominic Gormly, Zander Walker, Jimi Read, Jake Ingram, Nicholas Tricarico, Sam Cook.
Under-16B:
Second semi-final:
Strathfieldsaye 12.5 (77) d Eaglehawk 10.12 (72).
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Declan Brasher, Eli Fennell 4, Isaiah Oataway 2, Oden Dean, Harvey Young. Eaglehawk: Cashius Burke, Zac Farrow, Taj Ferguson 2, Jackson Nisbet, Max Scandolera, Lachlan Stanton, Taiglan Turton.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Jed Mannix, Declan Brasher, Oden Dean, Eli Fennell, Ned Oldham, Nash Kipping. Eaglehawk: Riley Hill, Max Scandolera, Cashius Burke, Jett McConnell, Jace Hope.