FOOTBALL WRAP UP | Round 3 HDFNL
WHITE Hills turned up the heat in the second half to score a two-goal victory against North Bendigo in Saturday’s third round of senior footy action in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League.
Desperate to avoid a hat-trick of defeats to start the season, White Hills was within five points of an accurate North Bendigo which had scored 10.2 by half-time of the contest on the Scott Street ground.
The Jack Fallon-coached Demons then scored 5.5 to 1.5 in the crucial third quarter to lead 92-73 at a quarter to go.
The Bulldogs won the last, 24,17, but it was the red and black which celebrated a 109-97 victory.
Cohen Kekich kicked four goals for the Demons as Mitch Dole, Patrick Eefting and Bayden Fallon chipped in with two each.
Leading goalkickers for the Robert Bennett-coached Bulldogs were Jordan Ford and Matt Gray on four each, and Dylan Klemm on three.
Rhys Irwin was best afield for White Hills as Mitch Walsh, Bayden Fallon, Patrick Eefting, Ben Bacon and Kaiden Skelton played key roles in the team’s first win of ’22.
Back in for the Bulldogs after being sidelined by injury the previous round, Jordan Ford was best for North Bendigo along with Lachlan Ford, Gray, Ryan Gow, Marcus Rogers and Sean Moyle.
After the bye at Easter, Colbinabbin was back on turf to take on Elmore on the Bloods’ turf.
It was the second time in a month the Bloods and Grasshoppers had clashed.
The Dylan Friedberger and Dylan Gordon-coached Elmore put in a superb effort to lead 40-29 at half-time.
Colbinabbin struck back to win the third term, 22-15, but the Bloods held a four-point going into the final quarter.
Led by the play of Jed Brain, Luke Moore and ruckman Hadleigh Sirett, the Julian Bull-coached Colbo lifted to score 7.6 to 2.2 in the last.
At the final siren it was the Grasshoppers in front, 99-69.
Stephen Tuohey led Colbo’s attack on three goals as Jed Brain, Jimmy McMurtrie and Luke Moore chipped in with two each.
Leading goalkickers for the Bloods were Tannar Cerrone and Sam McHale on two each.
Mount Pleasant was too strong for Heathcote on the Saints’ turf at Barrack Reserve.
The Blues led 35-10 at quarter-time, but the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints struck back to win the second, 26-15.
Mounts’ key forward Ben Weightman went on to kick a match-high six goals in a best afield performance as the Blues dominated the second half scoring 11.1 to 4.6 to win 117 to 66.
Zane Keighran chipped in with three goals for Mounts as Zebb Murrell and Jesse Tuohey added two.
Leaders of the Heathcote attack were Jack Brooks and Connor Hamilton, two each.
Best for the Darren Walsh and Adam Baird-coached Blues included ruck-rover Billy Mahony, Jesse Tuohey, gun ruckman Chris Down, Sam Greene and Zane Keighran.
Heathcote’s best were Jackson Jones, Codie Price, Billy Price, Braden Padmore, Ryan Bailey and Jackson Conforti.
A week after a long-awaited victory, Leitchville Gunbower was back on the Gunbower turf to take on Lockington Bamawm United.
The Tim Bannan-coached Bombers worked hard, but LBU had too much running power through midfield and attacking options to hold across four quarters.
LBU led 24-8 at quarter-time and 60-11 by the long-break.
The Cats did not let up as they scored 11.7 to 2.4 in the second half to win 133 to 27.
The in-form Ben Fulford was a driving force in attack as he kicked seven goals for LBU as Tyler Phillips, three; Marcus Angove and Coby Cox, two each, were the other multiple goalkickers.
Leitchville Gunbower’s attack was led by Austin Windridge on two goals.
Best for the Brodie Collins-coached LBU were Marcus Angove, Ben Fulford, Coby Cox, Jeremy Mundie, Thomas Leech and Riley McIvor.
The Bombers’ best were key defender Nathan McLellan, ruckman Jobee Warde, Samuel Lewis, Matthew McLellan, Xavier Colvin and James Kervin.
Huntly had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Lockington Bamawm United 276 per cent, 12 points; Colbinabbin 195, 12; Mount Pleasant 186, 12; North Bendigo 106, 8; Heathcote 72, 4; White Hills 63, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 51, 4; Huntly 84, 0; Elmore 55, 0.
Leading goakickers:
14 Ben Weightman, MP.
13 Ben Fulford, LBU.
11 Matt Gray, NB; Dylan Klemm, NB.
9 Anthony McMahon, LBU.
8 Kai Cavallaro, H’cote; Dean Tydell, MP.
7 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo.; Jordan Ford, NB; Connor Hamilton, H’cote; Cody Riddick, NB; Rhys Woodland, LBU.
6 Adam Baird, MP; James Brain, Colbo.; Jed Brain, Colbo.; Jack Brooks, H’cote; Jackson Jones, H’cote; Cohen Kekich, WH; Braden Padmore, H’cote; Tyler Phillips, LBU.
5 Liam Birch, H’cote; Todd Clarke, Colbo.; Sebastian De Napoli, Elm.; Mitch Dole, WH; Orion Downing, Huntly; Bayden Fallon, WH; Shane Harris, NB.
In next Saturday’s fourth round, Colbinabbin takes on White Hills at M.J. Morgan Reserve in Colbinabbin.
Mount Pleasant faces Leitchville Gunbower at Toolleen.
Lockington Bamawm United and Huntly meet in the clash of the Cats and Hawks at Lockington.
Elmore has the bye.
It’s a rest for North Bendigo and Heathcote who met in the season opener on April 2 where the Bulldogs won a closely-fought match, 118 to 108 at Hibo Hotel Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
Written by Nathan Dole.