BY NATHAN DOLE
Elmore nets A-grade premiership in club’s 150th year
ELMORE has again ruled the court for the second time in three years after it won the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL’s A-grade netball grand final in Huntly on Saturday.
The Bloods took on Colbinabbin at Strauch Reserve.
It was the Jen McIntyre-coached Colbinabbin which started well to lead 19-14 at quarter-time.
Elmore hit back to win the second quarter, 17-12, and in the process drew level by the long break.
Quarter three also went the way of the Bloods, 18-15.
A tough campaign for Colbinabbin which began with a one-goal loss to Elmore in the qualifying final and was followed by a four-goal victory against White Hills in the second semi-final started to show in the last.
The Grasshoppers kept working hard, but Elmore’s slick passing through mid-court and brilliance of co-coach Gabe Richards and Abbey Hromenko in attack could not be stopped.
Elmore won the final term, 22-14, to complete a 71-60 victory.
Best on court honours went to Gabe Richards who again teamed with Allira Holmes to coach the Bloods to a second premiership in three seasons and cap the club’s 150th year.
Elmore’s premiership-winning team was Tahnee Cannan, Stephanie Donnellon, Abbey Hay, Cayde Hayes, Allira Holmes, Abbey Hromenko, Maddy Keating, Sophie McLean, Kelsey Niven, Gabe Richards, Chloe Whitfield, and Andrea Wilson.
It was a superb finish to the A-reserve grand final between the Harlowe Huntly Hawks and Elmore.
Playing on a court it knows so well, Huntly led 12-8 at quarter-time and 20-17 by half-time.
The Kym Bell-coached Hawks charged to a 34-26 lead at a quarter to go.
The Bloods’ team coached by Hayley Langdon and Gabe Richards fought on to win the last, 12-6, but it was the Hawks who led 40-38 at the final siren.
Best on court honours went to Samantha Nelson from Huntly.
The Huntly Hawks premiership team was Jenna Baker, Brianna Burt, Eve Crowe, Ellie Disher, Laura Gillespie, Holly Guerra, Phoebe Kane, Darcee Mann, Molly Mathisen, Nikita Matthews, Samantha Nelson, and Karlee Schade.
In B-grade, Leitchville Gunbower faced the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
The Renee Hipwell-coached team from Leitchville Gunbower led 9-8 at quarter-time.
Huntly hit back to win the second, 14-12, and held a one-goal lead going into the main break.
The Bombers won a low-scoring third term, 8-5.
Spurred on by a vocal crowd the Taylor Mann and Megan Runnells-coached Huntly lifted its play.
The Hawks turned a two-goal deficit at the start of its last quarter of the season into a three-goal buffer by the end as it they marked a 41-38 victory.
Best on court honours went to Montana Barber from the Hawks.
Huntly’s premiership-winning team was Jenna Baker, Montana Barber, Jorja Bell, Bella Clohesy, Simone Corboy, Emarnee Davies, Holly Guerra, Anna Kane, Alisha Matthies, Laura Parkhill, Karlee Schade, Casey Wison, and Maddi in defence.
Another premiership cup made its way to the White Hills den in Scott Street as the Demons scored a 59-37 victory in the B-reserve clash with Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
The Amber Weston-coached Demons won the opening three quarters by margins of four, five, and 13 goals.
It was 12-all in the last as White Hills cruised to a 59-37 victory against the Mel Matthews-coached Huntly.
Best on court honours went to Kealie Lambert from White Hills.
The premiership-winning team from White Hills was Sarah Bennett, Brontee Bowles, Asha Coulson, Reece Geddes, Maddi Hart, Kylie Lamb, Kealie Lambert, Zoe McLean, Ashlea Plant, and Amber Weston.
Defeated just once in the home-and-away series, Mount Pleasant scored a five-goal win against Huntly Hawks to be the 17-and-under premiers.
It was a terrific match between the Blues and Hawks.
Huntly led 11-10 at quarter-time before Mounts took charge to win the second term, 14-10.
The brown and gold cut the deficit by a goal in the third quarter.
The Teagan Byrne-coached Mount Pleasant won the final term, 14-12, to complete a 49-44 win against the Debbie Symes-coached Hawks.
Best on court honours went to Huntly’s Bella Clohesy.
The premiership-winning team from Mount Pleasant was Peyton Chambers, Matilda Costello, Claire Dunstan, Juliet Hogan, Amy Jefferis, Rhylie Jones, Ruby Loverso, Lannah Mayman, Emily McCooke, Sophia Monotti, Madalyn Nihill, Lilly Teuma, and Lucy Wilkinson.
Mount Pleasant capped a premiership double as the 15-and-under team scored a 61-42 win against the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
The Blues charged to a 17-8 lead by quarter-time and did not let up.
Mounts won the next quarter, 12-7.
The Sarah Alford-coached Huntly worked hard to win the third term, 15-13.
In the last it was the Carly Hickson and Teagan Byrne-coached Mounts which capped off great play through mid-court to pour in 19 goals and lead 61-42 at the final siren.
Best on court honours went to Rhylie Jones from Mount Pleasant.
The Blues’ premiership team was Rehmi Burke, Peyton Chambers, Daisy Costello, Hannah Guo, Rhylie Jones, Paige Kristiansen. Bella Lalor, Lannah Mayman, Tarli Nihill, Lilly Teuma, Ellsie Tuohey, and Lexie Walsh.
The league’s youngest stars took to the court in the 13-and-under grand final as Leitchville Gunbower faced Lockington Bamawm United.
The LBU Cats started well to lead 8-7 at quarter-time.
By half-time the LG Bombers were up, 13-12.
Quarter three was when Leitchville Gunbower surged clear as it doubled its half-time score of 13 goals and kept the Cats to a tally of four goals.
The Wendy Hooper-coached Leitchville Gunbower went on to take the premiership cup in a 30-19 result against the Meg Howlett-coached LBU Cats.
Best on court honours went to Sadie Jones from Leitchville Gunbower.
The premiership-winning team from Leitchville Gunbower was Katie Angove-Lord, Jada Dennis, Eliza Elliott, Evie Fletcher, Sadie Jones, Chloe Keating, Sophie Keating, Ruby Law, Lilli McGillivray, Olivia Pretty, Milla Ryan, and Dotti Simmonds.