-By Nathan Dole
THE Harlowe Huntly Hawks marked another dramatic victory in Saturday’s eighth round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
For the second successive week Huntly toppled a team above it on the premiership ladder.
This time the Hawks clawed their way to a one-point thriller on their turf at Strauch Reserve against Colbinabbin.
Huntly faced a 14-point deficit at the start of the final term after Colbinabbin had won the opening three terms by margins of eight, four and two.
Inspired by the play of ruckman Nathan Dunstan, captain Steve Kairn and Mitch Billings it was Huntly which seized control in the final quarter.
The Hawks scored 3.3 and kept the Grasshoppers to a major.
At the final siren the Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks led 65-64.
Huntly’s attack was led by Sam Dunstan on three goals as Abe Sladden and Lachy Wilson slotted two.
Alex Carr was Colbinabbin’s leading goalkicker on three as Brandyn Grenfell added two.
Huntly’s best included Ben Daley, Flynn Campbell and Darby Walsh.
Nathan Basile, Isaac Carracher, Charles Ryan, Alex Carr, Sam Ryan and Angus Martin were best for the Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin.
Wins against Colbinabbin and Mount Pleasant by one and two points the past two rounds have given Huntly a win-loss tally of five-two.
The Hawks are now six points clear of the fifth-placed Leitchville Gunbower.
The Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons celebrated their first victory since last September’s grand final as they took out Saturday’s clash with Heathcote by five points.
It was the Saints who made a brilliant start to lead 26-3 at quarter-time.
White Hills fought back to win the second term, 17-10.
As the Demons added 3.3 in the third they kept the Saints to a tally of 1.1.
Heathcote led 43-41 going into the final quarter.
The Demons fired up to win the term, 14-7, and the match, 55-50.
Demons’ captain Mitch Dole, Seth Boyd and co-coach Ben Taylor all kicked two goals.
Heathcote’s attack was led by Dylan Johnstone and Ibrahim Taha on two each.
Best for White Hills were ruckman Jack Lawton, Patrick Eefting, Ben Taylor, Nic Santas, Jarrell Ratcliffe and Seth Boyd.
The Demons have Brad McConnell as non-playing co-coach.
Heathcote’s best were Ibrahim Taha, Jye Formosa, Aaron Gundry, Rhys Bolton, Connor Hamilton and Codie Price.
The Saints are coached by Andrew Saladino, non-playing, and Liam Jacques who will not play again this season after breaking a foot against Elmore.
The Elmore Bloods could not halt Leitchville Gunbower’s charge to a nine-goal win on Elmore’s turf.
The LG Bombers soared to a 59-15 lead by half-time.
Defences were well on top in the wet conditions across the final hour.
As Leitchville Gunbower scored 3.7 the Bloods added 1.9.
At the final siren the Shannon Keam-coached Bombers led 84-30.
Chris Horman was in outstanding form as he kicked six goals and Blake Dye and Billy Hawken added three and two apiece.
There were no multiple goalkickers for the Bloods.
Best for the Bombers were Max Hagan, ruckman Jobee Warde, Zeb Ellwood, Charles Hancock, Chris Horman and Nic Cattapan.
Elmore’s best were Manny Bowles, Matt O’Dwyer, coach Nathan Kay, Zack Holmberg, James Harney and captain Rhys Holmberg.
It was the clash of the Bulldogs and Cats as North Bendigo met Lockington Bamawm United at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
The red-hot Bulldogs charged to a 33-6 lead by quarter-time and won a closely-fought second term, 16-15.
Led by the play of co-coach Ryan Hartley, Harrison Jarvie and ruckman Jordan Hargreaves, North Bendigo dominated the third term.
As the Bulldogs added 5.7 they kept the Cats to a tally of two points.
North Bendigo went on to rack up 33 scoring shots in a 14.19 (103) to 4.6 (30) victory.
Liam Dillon and Darcy Richards kicked three goals as Jake Dean and Ryan Hartley added two.
There were no multiple goalkickers for LBU.
The Bulldogs who have Rob Bennett as non-playing co-coach also had Nic Waterson, Aaryn Craig and Will Gilmore win plenty of the footy.
Brodie Collins, Bowden Stone, Jack Reiter, Joseph Wolfe, Tyler Phillips and Stuart Taylor were best for the Jayden Howe-coached LBU Cats.
Mount Pleasant had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
North Bendigo 256 per cent, 28 points; Colbinabbin 195, 20; Mount Pleasant 171, 20; Huntly 95, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 100, 14; Elmore 76, 12; Lockington Bamawm United 68, 8; White Hills 41, 4; Heathcote 57, 2.
The league hits the halfway mark of the home-and-away series next Saturday.
Highlight of round nine will be the clash between Colbinabbin and Mount Pleasant at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval from 2.30pm.
Heathcote will be back on home turf at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve to face the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
Lockington Bamawm United takes on the Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.
Leitchville Gunbower and North Bendigo meet in the battle of the Bombers and Bulldogs at Leitchville.
Elmore has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
29 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
27 Sam Dunstan, Huntly.
25 Brandyn Grenfell, Colbinabbin.
24 Cody Riddick, North Bendigo.
20 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
19 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
18 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
16 James Harney, Elmore.
16 Dylan Johnstone, Heathcote.
16 Brodie-Leonard-Shannon, Mount Pleasant.
16 Darcy Richards, North Bendigo.
14 Nick Knight, Colbinabbin.
12 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
11 Liam Dillon, North Bendigo.
11 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
11 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
10 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
10 Matt O’Dwyer, Elmore.
9 Jackson Jones, Heathcote.
9 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
9 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
9 Jack Reiter, Lockington Bamawm United.
9 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.